Folding
on all pairs under 5. Since
the call bet is twice the amount
of the ante, some players refuse
to play low pairs. Too risky, they
say. Statistically, however, 44%
of all hands will not even contain
a qualifying set - no pair, no ace-king,
nothing. Another 6.08% of the time,
the dealer will be holding an ace-king-x-x-x,
(where x represents unpaired, non-suited,
non-sequential cards.). The result:
even the weakest pair will beat
the dealer 50.08% of the time
Calling
on an ace-king, but folding on a
pair of twos. This method of
playing is based on the misguided
notion that if they player doesn't
have a pair, then neither does the
dealer. Flat out, it's a bad move.
As I've already shown a pair of
twos will beat the dealer 50.08%
of the time, while ace-king hands
will fall within the range of 44%
to 50.08%, depending on the strength
of the remaining cards in the hand.
Playing
Ace-Queen-X-X-X hands. Inexperienced
players call on this hand because
under the right circumstances it
can look powerful. For example,
the hand A-Q-J-10-9, (unsuited)
looks strong, but is in reality
worthless. Since the only way this
hand can win is for the dealer to
have nothing, there is no good reason
why this play should ever be made
.
Betting
all hands. Some players routinely
"bluff" the dealer, regardless
of the strength of their hand. Since
the dealer will have a qualifying
hand 56% of the time, even a large
bankroll cannot withstand the constant
draw.
Now
that you know what not to do, it's
time to see what you can do to reduce
the edge to the lowest amount.
Making
The Call Bet
