In my last couple of trips to Atlantic City, I've noticed that the casino has started offering a table version of Hold'em on the casino floor where players play only against the dealer instead of each other. Here's an example of one such table game offered at the Taj Mahal:

http://www.trumptaj.com/index.cfm/no...n/content.page

Have any of you tried this game, and if so, to what extent can you use the knowledge that you have about pot odds and hand matchups to maximize your expectations?

My guess is that the casinos play these games with more than one deck, and that probably makes it almost impossible to calculate your odds and play your hand as if it were a heads-up match with the dealer. Any comments from someone who has tried it?

I cant imagine they would use 2 decks, would look really stupid when both players have quad 5's.

I agree with the sentiment, but I think they would have to use multiple decks to keep the game moving. The set up is like a blackjack table, and as I said, players win or lose depending on how their hand matches up against the dealer. So on that front, it shouldn't matter whether two players have the same hand. And from the casino standpoint, it wants to maximize the number of hands that it deals, so it probably is not shuffling after every deal, which it would have to do if the game were played with only one deck. But I'd love to hear from anyone who has actually tried the game.

Originally Posted by mxp2004

My guess is that the casinos play these games with more than one deck, and that probably makes it almost impossible to calculate your odds and play your hand as if it were a heads-up match with the dealer. Any comments from someone who has tried it?

Odds wouldn't change - 6 outs in 47 cards or 12 in 94 is still 12.7%. But for poker you can only use one deck due to the hand rankings - there can only be 4 of a kind never 5 of a kind and only one royal flush never two.

Multiple decks are only used in games where hand rankings are not involved - i.e Blackjack.

Originally Posted by Aces-o-8s

Multiple decks are only used in games where hand rankings are not involved - i.e Blackjack.

That's an interesting point... I never thought about that. It definitely makes sense. But don't they use multiple decks in games like Caribbean Stud, Three-Card Poker, or Pai Gow Poker?

Originally Posted by mxp2004

That's an interesting point... I never thought about that. It definitely makes sense. But don't they use multiple decks in games like Caribbean Stud, Three-Card Poker, or Pai Gow Poker?

no they use one deck

Sounds like a mutation of Carribbean (sp) Stud

The house ALWAYS has an edge in these games.

well for one the only way to win back your ante is flush or better

The wizard of odds (great site by the way) will have a breakdown of the house edge and strategy of this game Nov 5th.


http://wizardofodds.com/