THE WORLD'S #1 POKER MANUAL - Card Games

Poker Book, Professional and Public Poker
Footnotes:
[ 28 ] The single exception to the unbeatability of casino games occurs when a Thorpe-type counting
system is properly used in blackjack. The validity of blackjack counting systems is limited and provides
at best a theoretical advantage of less than 1 percent (or investment odds of less than 1.01). Furthermore,
such systems are mainly mechanical and inflexible--they are difficult and boring to apply and basically
impractical for accumulating any significant or reliable income. Casinos can eliminate any player
advantage in blackjack whenever they want to or need to (which is seldom) simply by increasing the
frequency of shuffles until counting becomes impractical or unprofitable. Moreover, by publicizing their
feigned dislike and fear of counting systems, casino managements surreptitiously promote and
encourage the use of blackjack counting systems. The burgeoning interest in those systems has caused
major increases both in blackjack activity and in profits for the casinos. (Technically the game with a
house dealer as played in all casinos is "21"; not blackjack in which the deal constantly changes or
rotates.)
[ 29 ] In private poker, the good player can sponsor a game with pleasant distractions and disciplinebreaking
amenities (e.g., "free" gourmet buffets, rich desserts, expensive liquors). But if the good player
acts as the house (with profitable collections or rakes), he could cause his opponents to believe that he is
sponsoring the games solely for profit (which, of course, would and should be true). Such a belief would
make his opponents more defensive and harder to manipulate, and thus harder to control and extract
money from. Besides, the good player can win by finesse all available money without having to compete
against himself by mechanically collecting money through a house cut. Also, most states consider
running a profitable game with regular house cuts an illegal gambling operation. Such activity could
leave the sponsoring player vulnerable to a criminal complaint filed, for example, by an unhappy loser ...
or by the loser's wife.
[ 30 ] California has 400 legal poker clubs. A few other states such as Montana, Washington and Oregon
also have legal poker clubs. But by far the most important area for public club poker is Gardena,
California, where legalized poker began in 1936. Today, Gardena has six of the most prosperous poker
clubs in the country and is the mecca for both amateur and professional public-club poker players.
[ 31 ] Some Nevada casinos are switching from harsh percentage rakes to milder, Gardena-type time
collections, especially for their higher-stake games. Increasing competition for poker players is causing
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