The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-28

dening to one who knows what these prin-
ciples are.
-Of itself this is sufficient to cause the
generalization Of a community, but the
general adoption OF another modern mistake
has completed the ruin of the game, so that
was once an ennobling and intellectual
pastime, more subtle than chess and more
invigorating h a n cold bath, IL now-as
il is practised- a mere device for gambling,
no more scientific than roulette or the
matching of pennies, calling for no skill
and very little courage.
This second modern mistake il what is
called the limit. II you will take the trouble
to -
Hold on a minute, " said one Of the group
of listeners. Il can understand how you
may call the limit a mistake, but why do
you call il a modern mistake? We have
played a limit game ever since l can re-
member"
They were listening TO the man from
Boston because he was interesting, but they
were "a critical as he and did not propose
to swallow all he said unprotesting. He,
however, was not faxed.
Perhaps your memory isn't very long,
he said, smiling. Il was about TO say
that il you would take the trouble 70 look
pack at Schenck's rules you would find
no mention OF a limit in the game OF draw
poker nor would you find any-reference to
a jackpot. Both OF these things are
modern.
-Th point is that poker without a limit
nay be desperate gambling, but IL must
be scientific. Poker with a limit is petty
gambling and cannot be scientific. Study
that carefully and l think you Will n It
is an axiom.
"In playing a limit game it makes little
difference whether the limit is fixed at
Ave cents OF five dollars
Just here, said the proprietor of the cafe,
Il feel obliged to butt in. l never played
VNoLor NTH xvnuNan an Nan'f aaV any,
thing about that; and l can't say posi-
lively that you are wrong about jack
pots and the limit not being played be-
fore Gen. Schenck's time, but l think you
He wrote his rules about thirty-hve
years ago, and my recollection is that We
played q limit game and that we made
jackpots though we didn't play. the all
jack game, before that time. When you
say, though, that it makes no difference
whether it's a five cent or a five dollar
game, l nave to boot"
Hold onl" said the mar from Boston.
st makes a difference in the size OF the
pots, OF course, but what l meant was that
Il has very little effect on the style OF
1T | am playing real poker and there is
ten dollars in the pot, l may bet ten dollars
il 1 feel like it, no matter whether l have
that much on the table or not. | may take
It from my pocket, for the table stake game
10 VII OAC Nlhhh nv nv
Then, II anybody else comes in, OF IL
am raised, ! know hat l am up against
either a good hand or a strong blum. In
either case I'm called on for good poker
playing il l want to hold my own.
But, IL it's a two dollar limit, for in
stance, and there's ten dollars in the pot,
l car only open il for two dollars. Maybe
, the next man has only a pair of mines. He
sees he is getting six to one in the betting
and he comes in for two dollars.
IF he has a straight flush he will play
just the same, FOR he won't raise for fear
OF soaring the others ont. And perhaps all
tho others will come in. | have no means
OF judging that they hold. and therefore
no chance to exercise n skill.
The game rs nothing but a showdown
| and the question OF going in Is almost en-
tirely governed by the percentage of odds
in the betting. You can't bluff, Tor a man
with a single pair-even " deuces--win play
II he sees that he can't be raised and thai
he can get odds Of Ave or ten to a In ths
betting.