A Winning Poker Strategy

Regular readers of this column know I have an ongoing battle with my brother on the subject of poker. I feel he should add poker to his list of casino games. He doesn't want to get involved and says he will stick to slots.

Now granted, casinos exist for entertainment. There are few people who can actually make a living at gambling. I am not referring to the dark side of gambling -- the fixers. They existed in the old days when horse races were regularly 'fixed' with the results known in advance to a select few.

Casinos operate pretty much on the up and up these days. The competition is terrific and the odds are set in a casino's favor. In other words, the House doesn't have to cheat to win.

But there is a huge difference between the psychology of playing slot machines and the psychology of playing poker. While I acknowledge that it's fun to play those charming one-armed bandits that talk to you and give you extra spins for cash in return for your dollars, machines are set up to return a certain percentage of every dollar to the House.

There are no strategies that I am aware of which can change that percentage. If you are at the right machine at the right time, you will win. If not, you will lose. It's that simple.

A poker player has options that slot players simply do not enjoy. For beginners, a poker player is not playing against the House. He is playing against other players like himself.

Now I can assure you of one thing based on a lifetime of playing poker: All poker players are not equal in their skills. It's like going on a golf course. There may be 100 golfers, but their skills with a golf club vary from. That is why golfers are assigned handicaps based on their ability to score.

There are some players in a casino that I simply will not play against. They're too good for me. So I find another game that is easier for me to win. A slot machine player cannot do that. He is stuck with whatever machine he chooses to play. If the machine is hot, the player gets hot and ends up winning. But if it isn't, there isn't much the poor player can do.

Casinos offer fun 24 hours a day. For people who are lonely -- widows, widowers, divorcees and the single crowd -- they provide a good reason to walk through the door. But once you are inside the premises, the results will depend on what games you play and the amount of skill you bring to the table.

I have had fun playing the slot machines. Sometimes just for a break, I will play video poker. I limit my investment because I know the odds are against me. Sometimes I win, but more often I lose.

My advice to slot players is this: enjoy the slots. Be observant. Pick a machine that seems to pay off more than the other machines. But learn the skill games as well.

If you are going to frequent casinos for excitement, learn the basic knowledge of what odds you face and play accordingly. It's the only way to have a reasonable chance of winning.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).