The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-06-23

are heavy. unless he also has a strong
hand. And in the meantime there may
have been another raise, and new ODDS
have TO be figured each time.
Thus far we have only considered the
case Of an ordinary pot. When we come
to the jackpot we find the conditions
entirely different. though the principles
remain the same. The odds TO be flg-
ured are different, and are much greater
in favor of coming in. so that a player
is justified in drawing to smaller cards
than IN an ordinary pot, even though
1t is certain that the opener has jacks
or better. These odds, again. vary ac-
cording to the amount the pot has been
opened for, and the position in which
the player sits, or rather. on how many
players have come in before he has his
say. There is also the probability to
be estimated of raise before the draw,
SO that only the man on the right Of
the opener can know positively what
odds he viii have to play. The only
reason why it is good play to come into
jack pot on a smaller hand than it
is wise to back in an ordinary pot is
that the odds in the betting are better,
for it must always be remembered that
the player is betting against the whole
pot, regardless of how much he may
have put into il already. Otherwise the
fact OF the opener certainly having
jacks or better would indicate the wis
dom of staying out with a smaller pair.
1T is good player who knows when
to throw down a good hand" the say
ing II often heard, and the foregoing
/ analysis of the odds which can be
figured, and OF those which can only
be guessed at, makes the meaning of
the saying clear. At all events, enough
has been told to show how a player
who has studied the tables enough to
know the chances of the draw can de-
eide as to the wisdom of drawing
cards. That is, the wisdom on the basis
of mathematical computation. The
further proposition that it is always
wise TO back your luck is seldom dis
| puted by experienced players. so that
/ it is held good play, or at least justi-
/ fable, TO draw to a single card or
/ even a three flush or a intermediate
straight, If the player is sitting in eX-
| ceptiOnal luck. The question of how far
/ to press the luck is practically an
/ sWered by each player according to his
temperament, and since a run of luck
/ in itself consists of a series of con-
D Predictions of the law of mathematical
/ probabilities, no positive judgment can
/ be passed, except in extreme cases.
/ The fact that no run of luck can be
! expected TO continue indefinitely should
! keep the player on the watch for the
/ first indication Of its turn.
The Importance of studying the
/ chances of the draw and the wisdom
of passing out on poor cards are dues
! tiOnable- AS a mater OF experience 1t
/ can be stated positively that more
money is lost at poker in the long run
/ by paying to draw cards when the
/ chances are against the player than
! is lost by betting on hands after the
draw In the betting, unless ones luck
/ is peTsistently bad he Will win some
/ times, but the player who chips in
/ constantly without holding the cards
/ to justify his ante has no probability
/ of recovering. It is true that he will
/ sometimes make an extraordinary
draw, but he has to figure the chances
] that he viii not win enough on such
q hand to pay for his frequent chip
ping in without results.