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-