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How to Win at Video Poker
Video poker is a game of cold, calculated exactness. A pitting of man against machine, the often daunting mathematical odds prove that only the very brave step up to face the sickly, menacing glow of screen of the online casino video poker game.
And some are willing. A few brave souls rise, unwavering, to the task, and with mathematical prowess, offer tangible human challenge to the terrifyingly alien and inhuman stare of the video poker game.
But for those without that mathematical prowess, there are ways to meet the video poker machine head-on.
You know you’re brave enough, and the day is far in the future where you succumb to a mere machine.
The Tips
The first rule to besting video poker is to know the fundamentals of the game. You may be battling an entity devoid of emotion, a cold steel box from which you cannot pluck an inkling of feeling, or a bluff or a give-away. Knowing the basics of the game will help with this factor. As it is only when we know the basics that all other aspects are disregarded and the game becomes raw, stripped and real; which the only way a computer knows how to play.
Next, use those like you. Join a players’ club and practice the fundamentals. A human-being can conduct thought patterns which transcend those of a randomly generating machine brain. Practicing with fellow poker enthusiasts will open you up to those levels, and if mastered, will help you operate as a poker player, far beyond the linear capabilities of the video poker machine.
Check card combinations online. There are websites available that have on-hand, an array of possible video poker card combinations. If you know the combinations which favour retaining certain cards and discarding others, you automatically stand a chance of better anticipating the machine’s next move. These card combinations can obviously be used with many hands, and it’s up to you to decide whether to ‘stand’ or ‘fold’ as these combinations come at you. Memorising these combinations can only stand you in good stead, whatever the hand.
Adding to this, each game comes with certain pay tables afforded to it and knowing these pay tables, gives you another distinct advantage when deciding on cards. Remember, you need to retain the cards that improve your hand, and discard those that don’t. Knowing the pay tables allows you to decipher which combinations match with which paying structures, and gives you a head start advantage over that stationary opponent.
At the end of the day, though, it’s always best to cut your losses. Decide on a total loss and stop playing when you reach that total. The Online Casino video poker machine can never be the true winner, as it cannot turn from the challenge and live to fight another day. As you practice, memorise combinations, get familiar with different hands and pay tables, and build your poker assault with practice and the knowledge of the basics, you’ll triumph…you’ll triumph in the glow of that inhuman stare, and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
Slots – Past Present and Future
Slots have come a long way since Charles Fey created the first one in his auto shop in 1895. Since then, those “One Armed Bandits,” as they are commonly called, have captivated our eyes, our minds, and most certainly, our wallets. What is it that draws us to these machines of fortune and failure?
At first, slots were big clunky devices made out of cast-iron. They were so big and heavy, Fey couldn’t make them fast enough. His first machine was called “Liberty Bell,” and consisted of three reels with pictures of hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades and a cracked liberty bell. When the reels were spun, they would stop in a random order, and if you lined up the liberty bells, the big jackpot payout was 50 cents, paid in ten nickels. The machine became popular, and sparked a new revolution in gambling.
As time progressed, slots were made of less heavy material, and eventually the mechanical gears and lever controls were replaced with electric components. Also, the number of reels varies from machine to machine. Gone are the days of three reels – now some machines have up to seven. That hasn’t changed the appeal that makes these machines one of the most popular games in the casino.
Slots are most certainly a game of chance, but their play style remains the same, no matter what type of machine you are playing on. First thing you need to do, of course, is to drop your coins into the slot. Next, select how many coins you want to wager on each “pay line” Then, depending on the machine, grab that big lever and pull, or push the button. What happens next will amaze some people. In modern games, a random number generator will start to work. The part that will amaze you is that the outcome has already been determined before the reels even start to turn. The random number generator determines the stopping order, as well as the position of each reel. When the reels stop, if you have a winning combination, the coins are added to your “bankroll” or drop out of the chute into the tray at the bottom. In video slot machines, which most modern ones are, payout can occur in multiple combinations. You can win across, diagonally, and in some cases, even in a v-pattern. Some video slots have a “bonus” game which will trigger on certain combinations, and those bonus games can spell big winnings. Of course, the more you wager per line, the bigger your winnings.
One of the biggest misconceptions of slots is that if a machine has paid out big, it won’t pay out again for a long time. In fact, every spin you make on a video slot is in no way related or affected by the last. Each spin has exactly the same odds of winning. Those odds can vary from casino to casino, but you can be assured that slots will continue to attract gamblers for years to come.