BJ vs Poker

[golfnut101]

out of general interest, why did the members of this forum choose blackjack, and in some cases, why bj over poker ? Also, why does bj have more appeal to you than poker ?

thnx

[E-town-guy]

I find poker incredibly boring for the most part. The only part of poker I find attractive over blackjack is you can be a good poker player, make money doing it, and never worry about being kicked out.

[Sonny]

I prefer BJ for a few reasons.

First of all, a good BJ player can beat the house edge. Even a winning poker player will lose a percentage of the pot to the house before he gets his cut. I don’t like giving away my hard earned money to the house.

Secondly, I have never been involved in, or even seen, a fight break out at a blackjack table. I have seen countless poker players come to blows at the tables. I prefer taking money from the house, not from some sad sod from some small town. When I play BJ, I can win a few thousand dollars and not have to worry that some guy is waiting for me in the parking lot!

Also, I think BJ is more social than poker. All the players are playing against the dealer so there is a lot of comradely there. Players cheer for each other and give high-fives all the time. The only time poker players talk to you is when they’re trying to throw you on tilt.

I tried poker a little with some friends. Frankly, it’s too damn hard for me! I can’t read players very well and can’t keep track of all the tells and bluffs that I’m supposed to know. I like BJ because I can learn how to play well and just do it. I know plenty of poker players who are incredibly smart. They’ve studied all the books and all the math behind the game. They know exactly how to play every hand perfectly, but they still lose every time they play because they don’t have the psychological side down. On the other hand, I know a few poker players who don’t know much math at all but can psych out most other players enough to win money consistently. With BJ I don’t have to worry about that. I know that I am a good player so I know that I will win money. Poker players do not have that security.

Also, in poker the game is always changing because you are playing against different players. Every time you sit down you will need to use a different strategy to beat certain players. In BJ, the game is always the same. A few of the rules may change from casino to casino, but for the most part you can play in the same casino with the same dealer every day and always get the same game. There are exceptions to this, but the game is much more consistent than poker in my opinion.

Now video poker, on the other hand..

-Sonny-

[zengrifter]

I played a couple hundred mini tornaments while I was stationed at FPC. At first I played real tight, trying to apply my BJ sense to it, Barfy was sending me info to improve my game. Playing tight wasn't cutting it, but eventually I started playing decent tourney strategy and I got pretty good towards the end.

I regret that I didn't learn solid poker way back when... now I feel its too late for me to really grok the game - I don't want to pay my dues.

Since my subequent release two years ago I have played exactly ONE mini-tourney... I'm an inveterate card-counter, it says so in my interview! zg

[Cass]

By the age of 22 i was probably down 10K playing blackjack(now im 23). I was a avg ploppy playing substandard bs...... I would like to win the money back that i have lost at the tables. REVENGE!!! I never got too into poker, and i figure it would take me a long time to get up to par with the avg poker player..

[techster]

It's simple for me. I am a better mathematician than liar!

[jimbiggs]

I don't enjoy taking another persons money, but I do like to win money from the casions. I do ocassionally play poker online for the bonuses. I made $75 in 8 hours playing this weekend. Not really worth my time.

Also, in poker you sit there for hours and hours waiting for cards to play. In blackjack things move much faster.

[Gregory]

Like others have already said: I like to take money from the casino and not the other players.
Still, I do occasionally play in online poker tournaments. These are a real gamble since there can be around a thousand players in the tournament and it only pays the top ten percent.

[Mikeaber]

Originally Posted by zengrifter

I regret that I didn't learn solid poker way back when... now I feel its too late for me to really grok the game - I don't want to pay my dues.

A true "child of the Sixties!"...a Stranger in a Strange Land! Sure miss that old writer!

Poker...too slow. My son is into it though.

[PokerJunky]

I'm a counter and play poker regularly, making money in both games. Both games can be frustrating w/ the swings you experience. Here are my thought on both games.

Poker you can play anytime and online has virtually every type of game w/ limits you can play based on your bankroll. I don't mind taking money from players because everyone understands that it is part of the game, plus(if you play in a bricks and mortar casino) you have some characters on the table that make it fun. Plus you can win huge amounts of money(winning a tourny) w/ a small bankroll. I'm a tight aggressive player, so my bankroll doesn't need to be too huge.

Blackjack boils down to a hourly rate game, therefore you need to find a game w/ good conditions to make a decent hourly rate. I play mostly in AC and most of the games are 6 or 8 decks w/ the house advantage ranging from approx 0.44 to 0.47%, therefore my hourly rate suffers. I need a high avg bet/ bankroll to equate to a decent hourly rate. I've made good money playing BJ, but have had some brutal swings. One advantage is that you see hot chicks on the BJ table, but in poker you spend time in a room that smell like old fart

Right now I prefer to play poker because of my reduced bankroll and not being able to find a "good" BJ game in AC. I do like both games though.