I'm not sure if this is the right sub-forum to post to -- sorry in advance if it's not.

I new casino just opened right here in my city (Philadelphia, PA), and as a recreational live small stakes NL Holdem player and online micro stakes player, I was excited to hear that it had table games. I popped my head in the other day and noticed that the only poker table games were (I believe) 6-max with the dealer apparently in every hand ... and not folding. I'm not exactly sure the rules, but it definitely wasn't the full ring games that I was expecting or that I've seen in Atlantic City the one time I was there.

Am I crazy in thinking that these are not profitable games because (as with blackjack) the casino is playing in each hand which I assume completely changes the basic elements & strategy of "normal" poker games?

Should I give it a shot, or am I bound to lose money even if I'm playing against other fish at the table? Thanks.

You'll have to get the exact rules of how this game plays before anyone can offer an opinion.

My guess is that it is similar to other "poker" table games you'll find in the pits mixed in with the blackjack, etc., ones that you aren't playing against the other players but the dealer, and obviously all these games are tilted in favour of the house.

If it does happen to be an actual poker type game where the dealer literally never folds (and always covers), then this game would be insanely profitable as obviously you'd just push all your chips with decent hands and always get paid off by the dealer. Methinks this fits the too-good-to-be-true category.

Yeah this is that bonus hold'em crap. Find a casino with a real poker room.

No it's definitely not a game where the dealer is putting in chips or "playing" in any way. He/she just turns the cards over at the end of the hand and (I'm assuming) wins the pot, or perhaps a portion of the pot, no matter who's in it.

check out this thread

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/31...holdem-539923/

They have this game at my casino. All you have to do is beat the dealer. You must put up a blind and ante bet that are equal to each other. For example $5 ante and $5 blind. If you want to "play" your hand preflop, you can bet up to 4x your blind. So for example if you were dealt AK you could put $20 behind your blind bet, set your cards down and wait to see if you won. If you dont want to bet preflop, you can check and see the flop. If youd like to bet after the flop you can only bet 2x your blind. After the turn you can only bet 1x. Whats cool is everyone at the table can show each other their cards so you can see if your outs are gone.

Of course the house has an edge, but its pretty fun IMO. Way more fun than blackjack, to me.

This is a table game just like blackjack, 3 card poker, and carribean stud. You're not playing against the other people at the table, you're just trying to beat the dealer. It's not real poker in any way shape or form.

It sounds like Texas Hold Em Progressive, which is a game in my casino. Its very similar to playmakers game except...

- You cant show cards to other players
- there is a jackpot just like carib stud
- Bets are fixed at 1x before the cards (ante) 2x on your hole cards, or you can fold and surrender 1x. On the flop and turn, you have the option of betting 1x or checking. No betting on the river.

Decent slow-moving fun if you want to gamble, but I cant see it being +EV. Most people I have seen play dont bet voluntarily enough with A high hands and K high hands AFAIK....