Las Vegas is Cheapskate City
Dear Mark,
Could you please give a brief description of the rules for
Let It Ride? Hugh G.
Let It Ride is based on the all-American game of five-card
stud poker. The game begins with every player placing three
equal wagers on their individual betting circles. The object
of the game is to get a winning poker hand (10s or better)
using your three cards plus the dealers two "community"
cards. Your three cards are dealt face down, and the two community
cards are placed face down in front of the dealer.
After looking at your three cards, you may ask to have your
bet returned or "let it ride," depending on whether
your cards show the possibility of a winning hand. Then the
dealer's first community card is turned over, and again you
can ask for your bet back or let it ride. Finally, the second
community card is turned over, completing both the player's
poker hand and the game. Your third bet, a contract wager,
is committed to play and can't be returned. The dealer then
pays all the winning hands according to a payout schedule.
The higher the rank hand, the greater the payoff, with a royal
flush paying 1,000 to one.
The game is fairly simple, Hugh, but because 70% of the hands
are outright losers, the house edge (3.5%) is well above my
recommended maximum of 2%. I recommend you stick with some
of the better bets that the casino has to offer.
Dear Mark,
I received an advertisement in the mail that offered a book
of coupons that I can use on my next trip to Las Vegas. They
wanted $4.95 for $200 worth of coupons. Is that a good deal?
Terry C.
Save your money, Terry. Not only is Las Vegas the hot dog
and shrimp cocktail capital of the world, but for the coupon
clipper, Las Vegas is the "half-off" city. Everywhere
you look, or go, newsstands will be loaded with, and hawkers
passing out, coupons with the latest bargains in Las Vegas.
The favorite of many who journey to Vegas is What's On in
Las Vegas. With a 130,000-per-issue circulation, you will
find this FREE, coupon-laden publication everywhere.
I'll be forthcoming here, Terry. I'm a big time tightwad.
I won't, nor should you, pay full price for anything.
Dear Mark,
I have two blackjack questions for you. First, what is the
house advantage, if any, if I use a never-bust system against
the dealer? Also, is it better to play on a blackjack game
where the dealer hits a soft 17 or stands? Thomas D.
Over the years I've seen many losing players employ this
never-bust strategy. Right off the top, they're giving the
house a 5% edge. Strict basic strategy, which obviously recommends
hitting plenty of stiff hands, cuts the house edge to a half
of one percent on the six-or eight-deck games that you'll
find in the Chicago area. Use it, or plan on losing it-all.
When you play a game in which the dealer hits a soft 17, you
give the house an additional two-tenths of one percent. With
a soft 17 showing, an Ace, 2, 3 or 4 improves the dealer's
hand and a 10, Jack, Queen or King leaves it of equivalent
value. Eight of every 13 cards, Thomas, either improves the
dealers hand or it stays the same. If any of the other five
cards are drawn, the dealer still has a chance to convalesce
his hand with another draw.
For the above reason, Thomas, basic strategy dictates that
you the player should always hit a soft 17, or double down
against a dealer who's showing a 3, 4, 5, 6.
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