The History Of Video Poker

• Author: Jenny Potluck
• Filed under: Poker
• Date: Aug 4,2011

Early poker machines provided the prototype for what we now know as video poker, and the first poker machines have a close link with the early invention of the slot machine. In 1891, Sittman and Pitt developed a basic slot machine which had 5 drums with 10 playing card symbols on each drum. Unbeknown to the players, the Jack and ten of Spades were removed from the drums to make it more difficult to win with a straight. At this time, players would usually win drinks or cigarettes. The next development was when Charles Fey built a slot machine which became known as the Liberty Bell machine as the payout line featured pictures of 3 bells. This time around, winners got cash prizes. This machine went on to be moderated and improved upon and became the modern slot machines now in every casino around the world.

However, the poker machine made no more momentous strides in development until the late 1970s. With the sudden surge in modern technology and the development of computer chips, video poker machines started to make an appearance around the same time as the personal computer. A company called Dale Electronics produced the first Poker-Matic video poker machines in the casinos of Las Vegas, but no one paid them much attention. But with all the new technology, it was only a matter of time before the gambling industry found a way to use these new developments for their benefit. The Poker-Matic machines were also not a hit right off because people could not see the reels spinning, and so did not trust the game.

Finally in 1979, a chap named Si Redd who worked for Bally as a distributor, and who also had a hand in the slot machine innovations, introduced video poker to the Bally executives. They were apprehensive, not wanting to take a chance on a completely untested game. But Si convinced them to let him take the patent on video poker (they probably still regret that fatal decision). Si went into business with the Fortune Coin Company from Reno to form a company called SIRCOMA and they started to mass produce the new video poker machines. It became hugely popular as it used the same principle as video slots. By 1981, video poker started to make its mark in the gambling world. These machines became popular at bars, shops and airports. The winnings were only credits for more games, but this was actually the first type of bonus feature offered.

Throughout the 1980s, video poker continued to arouse interest everywhere. The earliest game was called Draw Poker and the lowest possible hand was 2 pairs. The machines resembled television sets in those days. In casinos, players started to be drawn to the video poker machines because they were less intimidating than playing at a poker table and having to face your opponent’s right next to you. Video poker soon became a serious rival to the slot machines. In the mid-1980s Si changed the company name to International Game Technology (IGT) and went public.

The invention of video poker has forever changed the face of casino floors, as a few years later, video slot machines made their appearance riding on the back of the video poker machines success. Nowadays, there are so many different variations of video poker and so many varieties of pay tables. There is a Spin Poker, which is a mixture of a slot machine and a video poker machine; while Multi-Strike poker lets you play with multiple hands increasing the potential winnings the more hands you play.

By 1994, online video poker was introduced by Microgaming as well as a range of other online games. The online jackpots can reach well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, making it as successful online as it is in the casino. The gambling market is now accessible to everyone who has a computer to play at home or those who prefer the noise and bustle of a busy casino and the addictive attraction of video poker continues to rake in billions of dollars.

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Manila Poker: A Primer

• Author: Thomas Kearns
• Filed under: Poker
• Date: Aug 3,2011

Manila poker takes a big departure from other poker types in that it is played with a deck of 32 cards shortened by virtue of the fact that all the cards are eight or higher. It is sometimes called Seven-Up Poker because of this. Its major claim to fame is in Asia and Australia where It bears some semblance to Texas Holdem in that each player is dealt two cards, after this, though not much similarity remains. Manila is growing in popularity in Australian casinos and may also be found in home games where the players want a variety of poker types to pass the evening away enjoyably. It is rare in online poker venues.

How Manila Poker is Played

To play the game, there are five rounds of betting including one visible card at each turn. The players are required that both of their cards be used at showdown to create the highest scoring five-card hand. Because of the deck structure mentioned above, the odds of drawing into a good hand are lessened. This, plus the cards are ranked so that a flush conquers a full house and aces are counted as high only in the event of forming a straight. You will normally see Manila played with a fixed limit betting format and regional variations exist where you will find three betting rounds. The game can become overlong with five betting rounds and demand too much drawn out concentration from the players.

Winning Strategy in Manila Poker

Because of the condensed deck, you strategy should include that you draw for a full house or more, which means that table position is vital in creating your strategy. In the early position, pair cards are your best bet as are high-suited connectors like Jack-Ten, which allow for the most possible draws as this dynamic duo is present in every straight in Manila. You are competing against opponents with high card hands so be choosy with your hands and play pairs, high suited connectors, and draw hands while in a good position. Manila allows discards of any hand lower than a King-Jack suited. The majority of winning hands are comprised of a ranking of at least a full house, though drawing to a flush can occur.

You may find it to your advantage to discard straight draws as the board will undoubtedly pair, trumping your straight even in the event of an on-the-mark draw. Focus on the betting patterns of your fellow players through all of the rounds. They often are drawing to a full house. If and when the board pairs or a player becomes zealous, attempt to squash him on a specific hand. A high percentage of players are very discriminating when it comes to their initial hand selection, given that there are no pot odds for a lucky draw to a flush or higher. In these circumstances, you should bless the five betting rounds for offering up more good data so you can readjust your anticipation of the triumphant hand.

Bluffing is probably not a good strategy because players have a tendency to stay with the pot due to the betting structure and not too chancy ability to draw into a strong hand. Don’t be rash with your aggression in a multi-way pot without being utterly certain that your hand is the best the table has to offer (the nuts, as it were). If your pot odds are overwhelming, you might want to stay on a strong draw because of the fixed limit betting, but do not get yourself into the midst of a multi-way betting conflagration.

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Video Poker Strategy – Learn The Basics

• Author: Larry "Video Poker King" Masters
• Filed under: Poker
• Date: Aug 1,2011

As video poker is a game of skill and not luck, you need to have a proper strategy worked out before you start to play. You simply cannot afford to rely on luck as it is impossible to make it work in your favor. If you are a beginner, it is probably better to ‘borrow’ someone else’s successful strategy so that you can get going and start gaining some experience. Then you will be able to work out your own personal strategy as you become more familiar with the terminology and the way the game is organized. Try and find the most liberal tables and play on those. In addition, play properly to gain more than the house edge. In any form of gambling, it is generally assumed that ‘the house has the advantage’. Video poker is the one game that is the exception to that rule.

Whatever variation of video poker you play, there is one very important tactic that is crucial to get right – and that is deciding which cards to get rid of. You can of course discard all five of them, but usually there is no reason to do that. Getting rid of two or three is usually enough. The only time you will never have to discard any cards is when you are dealt the perfect hand – for example, a royal flush – and surprisingly, that does actually happen sometimes! In the exciting game of video poker, remember that there are at least 32 different ways to play one hand, but only one way to get you that elusive win. In any basic strategy for this game, it is prudent to take your time when deciding which cards to keep and which to discard. After all, this decision can make or break the game for you.

First off, there are certain cards or combinations of cards that you should always try and keep. Naturally this refers to winning cards – something like, a pair of Jacks for example, or even a lower pair is worth keeping. If you know the game well enough, you can be a tad adventurous and discard a pair hoping to receive cards of a better value. An occasion when this might work for you is if you have 3 or 4 cards that could form part of a Royal Flush. If this happens, then, yes, take the risk to go for the flush. And yes again, you will more than likely lose, but it won’t have cost you very much. You have a 1 in 52 chance of winning 800 to 4 00 coins depending on the stakes of the game.

If you are dealt a hand of cards with no winning combinations of pairs or straights, then it is always a good idea to keep the cards of high value and discard the cards of low value. A high value card is considered to be anything over a Jack or what is known as a ‘face’ card. Always hold on to a high card because it gives you a 1 in 13 chance of receiving a matching card, and in turn a better opportunity of getting a winning hand. Discarding all 5 of your cards should only be a last resort. Be aware that 3 or more cards can sometimes lead to you getting a straight or maybe 5 face cards will win you the game if you discarded two and then got the other half of a pair in the 2 new cards you receive. Be absolutely sure that the cards you have will lead to nothing. Don’t be too quick to throw away your hand.

Knowing a basic strategy in video poker, will eliminate any confusion over what is known as a straight (five sequential cards of any suit). If you have any sequential cards in your hand, keep those and get rid of the others. The payout for a straight is very high so it’s worth taking the risk to try and get one. At the same time, the odds of actually getting a straight are not very good. You should maybe also keep a pair as then at least you have a base from which to build something. Trying to judge what is better between a pair and a few cards in numerical order is difficult, but once you have the experience of numerous games behind you, you will be able to make an informed decision. In addition, understanding the difference between an outside straight and an inside straight is essential when playing a tight game of video poker. An ‘outside’ straight is when you have 4 sequential cards which can be added to at either end (an open ended straight), and an ‘inside’ straight is 4 cards that need a card in the middle to make them flow in numerical order. An inside straight is obviously far more difficult to get that an outside straight.

And, finally, always try and carry out a little research before you start playing your game. Become familiar with as many video poker games as possible so that you have a good clear picture of exactly how the game is played and how the different hands are figured out. Don’t try and jump in on the deep end as you will not win on a whim. Video poker is a game firmly based on statistics and anyone with reasonable ability can work out a strategy. It is not enough to simply know the rules of the game; it is wise to invest a little time in learning how to play correctly and how to take advantage of every possible opportunity. Video poker is ultimately a game where you can have fun and amuse yourself with some entertainment.

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