The Washington times., 1913-12-27

on the one hand. against a doubtful
promise on the other side; but it is only
good, steady, strict play that can in
| sure the long run success.
| Here we have the hand needed to
come in on when We are first In say;
posed to US when II Is some other player
who has thus come in. This alone gives
us basis to work from, and Is a valu-
able aid, even il We fail to take further
| trouble.
"oh, yes! Here is great trouble. But
| Is lots Of money both ways, In and out
| at poker: and il you still insist, 1t Is
now up to you to learn the game.
Otherwise. here is your chance to win
by staying out
Master, and confine yourself to, the
that are too large for comfort; five
handed with jackpots Is the best
Even though You do no more, a
simple cursory. reading Of this essay
proved conception Of the game; and a
noting of even a few of the points will
easily make dollars of difference in
your results.
1T needs very little well directed
study to beat the slipshod, happy-go-
| lucky game that is usually played
Major Hoffman's tab es Of t"come-in"
hands show that in a seven-hand game
that two of the seven players will fail
to draw .'come-in" hands In II per
one man will be left out without.
In fact" comments Major Hoffman,
the small-handed game is always
with us: II cannot be avoided. 1t 10
highly probable on every deal, even
seven-hand deal all but the second last
player will lack the necessary come-in
hands, and we shall have the two
handed game 26 per cent Of times. and
then only If this player has the hand
Six-handed we shall end in
the two-hand table. 31b Of times
Five-handed We shall end
in the two-hand table: H% Of times
Four-handed we shall end
In the two-hand table,. 47H OF times
Three-handed we shall end
in the two-handed table. 63% OF times
'Tf you have q hand" says the major,
that will win one time in two, one
half the pot belongs to you, and Y
win two times in i've, two-nfths OF the
pot belongs to you. Now, when man
puts his money into poker he must pro-
tect 1.-THE must play the game. And
to get all that belongs to him he must
come in on at least every even chance.
10 defeat. Timidity can never win."
Psychology Great.
Beyond, and even above, mathematics
lies the psychology Of poker, Major
Hoffman declares, ana then adds:
y,nd the simple coming In, we pass
II om pure mathematics to the uncer-
tainties Of judgment and intuition. In
technical parlance, to poker sense and
'hunch.' Poker sense is q sixth sense
developed iE players that responds to
as our ordinary senses respond to ma
terial touch. And 'hunch' is q subtle
intelligence impaired by the said sense.
Before any bet Is made We are guild
ed by the mathematical probabilities,
but when our opponent makes a bet,
thereby asserting that he has a hand,
we can only pass from mathematics to.
abstract logic to find out whether he
speaks true and how much true Tin
most cases, however. 1t IL safest to be-
lieve him, since he Is betting his money
that he speaks true) and from this on
ward the play lies principally in watch
ing every event, word and move, and
in making deductions therefrom"
The logical winner at poker. Major
Hoffman contends, Is the player who
he proceeds to hand out this piece e
good advice to the man who enjoys an
evening around the table:
You own an interest In the pool.
You come in on probability that you
have. at least. an even chance for your
money. You then play only to hold
youH Interest," until you can determine
whether your hand IN best <or worst.
Up to this point no more money
should be played than that necessary to
ton is that you are sufficiently best.
raise; when worst, lay down; and SO.
long as you cannot decide either way,
stay in simply. even to the end.
DO not pass only because you are
afraid to lose.
"Do not call or raise only because you
DO either of these only because you
believe.
the least possible cost, until you get
more light.
'aThe best general advice that can be
given is that you take notice that your
opponent Is also playing poker-that he
is observing. planning, and schsming.
also thinks that his hand is best; and
that therefore you need not be sur
prised if you find yourself surprised.
when two players are hard against
each s the be. sse mps of % mes ns are
kicking up their heels in glee.
: poker is essentially game OF
finesse It Is a struggle OF the players
to misiead each other as to the strength
of their respective hands. and thus Q
series Of efforts to produce false convic-
tions permeates the whole game, and
eliminates In the bluff.
Bluff Is the Fizz.
Two players being against each
other. il Is a common occurrence that
one plays that he has strong hand.
and the other plays that his hand Is
weak. while the truth Is the exact re-
verse in both cases.
Thus, and to this extent, to deceive
is the acme Of poker playing: but this
carries with II no form Of moral turpi-
tude. This is the legitimate rule Of
play, and the bluff is the very life OF the
game-the fizz of the champagne.
"A player who never bluffs Is out Of
harmony, and is not playing poker at
all, and cannot win on any big hands
that may come to him because callers
VIII act On The maximum cave canem,
ard only come against him with big
stick On the other hand, player
who tluffs too often can only end a
loser.
Glass your opponents promptly as
.timid' or bold Bluff against the
tirnid and call against the bold"
Common. hard sense, IN the opinion
Of Major Herman. will go a long way
in poker. In its place we often
fiud." he adds. "the table strewn with
InjudicIously placed money. only await