AndyGB
AndyGB
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July 8th, 2013 at 2:27:02 PM permalink
They replaced a table of Texas Shootout in a local casino with High Card Flush, which I played for the first time this weekend. I have been wanting to try it out and I was glad to see it. 8 minutes later I was wishing I had never seen it. Ok, that's an exaggeration, but that was one mean game for me, the Mrs., and two friends who sat down with us; none of us could get going in the right direction. My first hand I folded, as I only had a 2-card. Dealer didn't qualify. Second hand I folded, dealer didn't qualify. Dang, should have protected my bets. Okay, third hand 3-card flush, played it. Dealer had a 4-card. Next hand, only had a 2-card, but learned my lesson (ugh) from the first 2 hands, and played rooting for a dealer un-qualified hand... dealer gets a three card Ace. Played a few more, actually won a hand or two, but knew it was time to go when I got a 4-card 10-high beaten by a 4-card Jack high.

Upsides: Actually fun. Nice to always have a "good" hand even if it's a bad good hand. Two bonus bets for suckers like me to keep plenty of excitement.
Downsides: We all seemed to lose way too fast, I was shocked to see it has a house edge of less than 3% (and was only putting $1 on the bonuses, I know, but still).
Pace: Nice and slow, at least in its first week of operation. Lots of player and dealer questions, with floorperson hovering around to keep an eye out meant we were playing really slowly. Thank god.
Layout and instructions: Very user friendly
Ideas for improvement: Next time let me win.
tringlomane
tringlomane
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July 8th, 2013 at 3:04:19 PM permalink
What casino actually had Texas Shootout left, if you don't mind me asking? I know KC casinos have them, so I wondered if HCF made it to Missouri where I might make a trip to bother to go try it...lol And were both bonus bets allowed for $1? I might bother to bet $1 for the hell of it...lol

And FYI, you can play close to optimal if you raise as much as possible with 3-card flushes ranked T86 or higher, and fold all others.
Zcore13
Zcore13
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July 8th, 2013 at 3:37:45 PM permalink
We have 3 Texas Shootout tables in Prescott. Going to 2 with the addition of High Card Flush in a few months though.

ZCore13
I am an employee of a Casino. Former Table Games Director,, current Pit Supervisor. All the personal opinions I post are my own and do not represent the opinions of the Casino or Tribe that I work for.
tringlomane
tringlomane
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July 8th, 2013 at 3:45:57 PM permalink
Yeah, definitely not KC, I should have googled the approved games list first. It has yet to be approved in Missouri as of the most recent list.
Nareed
Nareed
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July 8th, 2013 at 3:46:01 PM permalink
Did you ccheck the WoO page on it for strategy and house edge?

Quote: AndyGB

Downsides: We all seemed to lose way too fast, I was shocked to see it has a house edge of less than 3% (and was only putting $1 on the bonuses, I know, but still).



Actually a house edge of 3% is rather high. Reasonable for carnival games, really, but high compared to BJ, craps and other older games (except 00 roulette). If you don't catch a winning streak, and of course there's no way to tell while you're playing, your money will dissipate like dew in a hot summer morning.

As to the bonus... I drew a 4-card straight flush right on the hand where I decided to stop playing the side bet <sigh>

Quote:

Ideas for improvement: Next time let me win.



"You know you're not supposed to win, right?" Told to me twice, in successive trips, by a bellhop at the 4 Queens.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
tringlomane
tringlomane
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July 8th, 2013 at 3:50:36 PM permalink
FWIW, HCF is on the lower end for "carny game" house edges. Also the variance is much lower than say, Mississippi Stud and Ultimate Texas Hold 'em.
Paigowdan
Paigowdan
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July 8th, 2013 at 5:56:16 PM permalink
Quote: Nareed

Did you ccheck the WoO page on it for strategy and house edge?



Actually a house edge of 3% is rather high. Reasonable for carnival games, really, but high compared to BJ, craps and other older games (except 00 roulette). If you don't catch a winning streak, and of course there's no way to tell while you're playing, your money will dissipate like dew in a hot summer morning.


Actually, Nareed, it's lower, at 2.64%, which is lower than commission Pai Gow Poker at 2.74%.
For a new game, it is absolutely fair. We played it together at Planet Hollywood not too long ago.

We are also in the process of getting a slew of low edge side bets (both Flush and Straight Flush) and a PROGRESSIVE approved in NV!

Quote: Nareed

"You know you're not supposed to win, right?" Told to me twice, in successive trips, by a bellhop at the 4 Queens.


But you can....Attract Abundance.
Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes - Henry David Thoreau. Like Dealers' uniforms - Dan.
Nareed
Nareed
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July 8th, 2013 at 7:19:22 PM permalink
Quote: Paigowdan

Actually, Nareed, it's lower, at 2.64%, which is lower than commission Pai Gow Poker at 2.74%.



So much the better, then.

Quote:

We played it together at Planet Hollywood not too long ago.



I remember! I liked it! Had Vegas not been doing a fair imitation of an overheated blast furnace at the time, I'd have gone back to PH to play afterwards (braving the heat to meet a friend is no hardship at all, though).

Quote:

We are also in the process of getting a slew of low edge side bets (both Flush and Straight Flush) and a PROGRESSIVE approved in NV!



I'll look it up next year.


Quote:

But you can....Attract Abundance.



I suppose. This trip I told him "Have you informed the Loose Deuces machine at the D?"
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
AndyGB
AndyGB
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July 9th, 2013 at 11:46:37 AM permalink
Quote: tringlomane

What casino actually had Texas Shootout left, if you don't mind me asking? I know KC casinos have them, so I wondered if HCF made it to Missouri where I might make a trip to bother to go try it...lol And were both bonus bets allowed for $1? I might bother to bet $1 for the hell of it...lol

And FYI, you can play close to optimal if you raise as much as possible with 3-card flushes ranked T86 or higher, and fold all others.



This was at an Indian casino here in WA state. It's hard to find Texas Shootout here too, though. HCF seems like a decent replacement, maybe it is just streaky. And maybe next time I'm due for some better variance. In other news, I accidentally almost played optimally, which I found out only after the fact on WoO. Still, I optimally got beaten on even those correctly played hands, which can be really frustrating.
AndyGB
AndyGB
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July 9th, 2013 at 11:52:42 AM permalink
Quote: Paigowdan

Actually, Nareed, it's lower, at 2.64%, which is lower than commission Pai Gow Poker at 2.74%.
For a new game, it is absolutely fair. We played it together at Planet Hollywood not too long ago.



2.64% seems even better! I think that is totally fair for a fun time carnival game, a new experience and all that too. I'd even play it again. Not everything has to be 1.4% if you're having fun with friends and so on. But getting wiped out in such a short time can definitely make it tough.
miplet
miplet
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July 9th, 2013 at 11:58:47 AM permalink
Quote: AndyGB

This was at an Indian casino here in WA state. It's hard to find Texas Shootout here too, though. HCF seems like a decent replacement, maybe it is just streaky. And maybe next time I'm due for some better variance. In other news, I accidentally almost played optimally, which I found out only after the fact on WoO. Still, I optimally got beaten on even those correctly played hands, which can be really frustrating.


The 3 cardrooms on the "Strip de Terrace" (Crazy Moose, Palace Casino, and Red Dragon) all have Texas Shootout at least when I went there last. Red Dragon even has HCF.
“Man Babes” #AxelFabulous
Paradigm
Paradigm
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July 9th, 2013 at 12:12:20 PM permalink
AndyGB, which WA tribal has installed HCF?
AndyGB
AndyGB
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July 9th, 2013 at 12:50:11 PM permalink
Quote: Paradigm

AndyGB, which WA tribal has installed HCF?


The Muckleshoot. They said it was installed very recently, like maybe only a week or so as of this past Friday night.
Paradigm
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July 9th, 2013 at 2:06:45 PM permalink
Got it, thanks! I think they may be the first Tribal to get it on the floor up there as I haven't seen it in any others on my travels up there.
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