Poker : Can Casino Poker be Beaten?

Dear Mark,
On the radio over the weekend a gambling expert stated that the only game you can truly win at in a casino is poker. Is it true that poker can be beat? David R.

Many would argue that counting cards at blackjack, sports betting, even video poker with lucrative paytables, are casino games that can be beat. But concentrate we will on this authority's statement regarding poker, and we'll see why it is a beatable game.

Let us start, David, with two casino gambling truisms.

You will lose if the casino gambling odds are against you. This truth applies to the majority of casino wagers. You will win if the casino gambling odds are in your favor. This is why casino owners sleep easy. But, if the casino gambling odds are dependent on your playing ability, you can affect the outcome by using skill. If proficiency affects the casino gambling odds in any way, then skillful poker players will eventually fare better than inapt players will.

This feature is what makes poker so appealing to the really keen players. They realize they are not playing against the casino. For all practical purposes, poker is offered as a loss leader by the house, only giving the casino an inconsequential share of the pot. The card shark plays against fellow patrons, well aware that through his skill he will consistently and repeatedly devour weaker opponents.

Consequently, David, it all depends where on the food chain your playing ability ranks whether for you poker is a winnable game.