The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-25
STUD-HoRSE POKER.
The Evil the Game is Working Upon our
Young Men.
IN. Y. Mail and Express.l

Young Men.
IN. Y. Mail and Express.l
Stud-horse poker is dangerous becmse
1t has the air of innocence and fair play.
Five cards are dealt, the same as in other
poker, with this exception, that all but one
are exposed, and it is upon the strength or
weakness of this hidden card that the
players win or lose their money, as tho
case may be. For instance, one player
may have an ace in sight, another king,
and so on. Should any one Of these pair
the down card it would constitute the
strongest hand. The players can only
Judge from the cards thrown around by the
dealer as to what pairs are out. The high
est card or pair in sight must DO the bet
ting. This gives the player holding q
strong pair, one of the cards Of which Is
exposed, the other hidden, a decided ad-
vantage, as the others may not be playing
him for pair The tables form semi
circle, and are so arranged that ten or o
dozen men can play at one time. The
dealer with his chips sits In the center and
requires each player to "ante" one chip,
which entities him to draw two cards, the
first one Of which is dealt with face down,
the second being exposed. The betting
then begins and continues until the cards
are all drawn out. This looks like very
fair game and probably would be were II
not for the "rake-off" or percentage and
other little points which are kept secret
among the favorites Of the green-cloth cir
I Gle.
The percentage taken by the house absorbs
at least one-half, and is SO great that old
and experienced gamblers will not play
their money against the game. Where
the greatest evil exists is in the cheapnesi
Of the game. The chips in the majority o.
the houses are sold at the rate of two TO-
five cents, the player being required y
buy fifty cents worth at time, of a
many more as he likes. Should luch rui
in his favor, he may make quite goo
winning of half dollar. In nine case
out of ten II goes the other way.
This, then, is where tho fascination
the game comes In. Each player imagine
that he can play the game better tha
some one else, and that there is fortun
in store for him IL he only has nerve IN
follows II up. Young men who could no
be induced to play their money agains
other games at chance are daily caught 1
the meshes at stud poker" and, once II
they find it hard to extricate themselves
"Fifty cents worth, just for amuse
ment," says the smiling tempter, and th
half dollar Is exchanged for small stac
Of worries; the cards are dealt, and the be
ginner, ut the end OF several plays, find
that his capital has been increased foul
fold. "Great gamew cries the movie
"No good" growls the capper, who ht
been losing. "Try again." suggests ii
dealer; "perhaps you will have better luC
next time.n He does try again, and Il
! result invariably Is that either he or Il
dealer has all the chips when tho gan
| closes. These, then, are the recruiting
, posts for the gambling houses. Let ma
, once become victim to "stud-poker" an
, IL will clinch him like the old man OF q
} sea. The best friend that can come to Il
D rescue OF these poor fellows Is the law.
= is the only thing that can save them fro
| ,,tter ,.uin