It's everyone's dream to beat the casinos, and professional video
poker player and gaming author Rob Singer says he has done it by playing video poker.
On this page, and the next four pages of our website, we present the unique strategy and key examples
of the video poker strategy of gaming author and professional video poker player Rob Singer. We havevideos
below and on the next three pages with Rob discussing his strategy for specific hands. Rob says these hands outline
his overall play.
Rob is probably the most controversial
video poker player known because he does not necessarily follow the
"math" of the game 100% of the time, and he will deviate from what others consider to be the correct strategy dictated
by the "math" of the game.
Rob Singer says
his "play strategy is 95% based on the math and perfect play." But "perfect play" is not enough
for him and for you to make you a winner. Singer is more concerned about "short term play" because in reality,
he says, we are all short term players. "And it is only because of the math and what it tells me in the short-term
(which is how everyone only and always plays) that dictates these special play deviations -- which are all the result
of risk analyses performed during the stragety's development."
And if you have a comment about his play, or a question about your own play, please discuss it on the "Vegas Casino Talk Forum." I am sure that others would like to discuss your strategy, Rob's strategy, and Rob might even comment
himself.
Before we look at the specific examples of how Rob Singer plays according
to his strategy, listen to this brief description of his strategy. You may not agree with what he does, but he says
he has the proof to show it works and it wins and that it can beat the casinos. Singer says with this strategy
he has walked out of the casinos as a winner. You will have your doubts as I have. I do not agree with everything
that he says, but I think it is important that for the first time his strategy is shown in detail and with video examples.
EXAMPLES OF SPECIAL PLAYS BY ROB SINGER FOR VARIOUS POPULAR GAMES
The first game that we present here is 8/5 Bonus Video Poker (full
house 8, flush 5) and these are examples of these dealt hands would be played "according to the math"
and their "optimum hold" according to the math, and how Rob Singer would play these dealt hands using his "special
play" strategy which he says will actually give the player a better chance of winning. As you read through this
list, the first group represents the cards dealt, then the "optimum hold" is presented which the "math"
dictates and the value of playing those cards, and then the third item is Rob Singer's "special play" and the "value"
that the "math" says Rob's special play has. But note that while Rob's "special play" may not be
as "valuable" as the "optimal hold" dictated by the "math" of the game, Rob believes his special
play will give you a better chance of coming out ahead. Some of these strategies may not make sense to you until our
videos are added with Rob explaining each play and why he makes each play.
Update November
12, 2010 We recorded the video explanations with Rob in Las Vegas. Each video explanation will follow the
text of the play he uses along with the values of the various plays in each example. Be sure you listen to Rob carefully
so you understand why he holds and discards the cards his way.
1.
In this first example, so-called "proper strategy" says to hold the two high cards, the Jack and Queen,
but Rob elects to only hold the Jack.
Jd
3s 7h Qh 4h: Optimal Hold (OH)=JQ @
$2.54; Special Play (SP)=J @ $2.34.
2. In this next hand, instead
of holding two high cards, Rob's special play is to hold only the Ace, increasing the chances for quad aces.
Ah
Qd 6c 7c 2s: OH=AQ @ $2.40; SP=A @ $2.36.
3. In
the next hand, Rob elects to hold only the ace, and discards the open ended straight draw. He notes that if there were
at least one high card in the open ended straight draw he would have held the open ended straight instead of the single Ace.
4c
5d 6h 7s Ad: OH=4567 @ $3.40; SP=A @ $2.40**There must be at least one high card in an open-ended straight to hold it over an Ace.
4. In the next hand Singer
gives us an example of where the special play is not used. Look carefully. He is holding
the four-card open-ended straight simply because there is at least one high card included in the four cards.
This is a critical difference. And here he presents a secondary option (the alternate optional hold) of holding
the Ace and Jack which he notes has a slightly higher value than holding only the Ace.
8c 9d 10h Js Ad: OH=8910J
@ $3.72; Alternate OH (AOH)=AJ @ $2.38; SP=A @ $2.34 is NOT used here since 1 hi card is in the
closed-ended straight.
5. In the next hand, Rob is
again opting for the chance for a big win with quad Aces, and discarding the chance for smaller wins that might actually be
only "break even" plays.
6. In this next special play
hand, Rob is discarding a flush draw to hold only an Ace. Holding only the Ace gives Rob a better chance to hit
an ace plus other high pairs, while holding only the four clubs means that if the single draw card isn't a club, the hand
will be a total loss.
4c
6c 8c 9c Ad: OH=4689 @ $4.79; SP=A @ $2.43**There must be at least
one high card in a 4 card flush to hold it over an Ace.
7.
In this next hand, Rob is discarding the three-card open-ended straight flush draw to hold only the Ace.Remember
from an earlier video that Rob wants to go for quad Aces and argues that when he has held one ace in the past, he has four
opportunities to fill in for the quads.
6c 7c 8c 3h As: OH=678 @ $2.97;
SP=A @ $2.43
8. In this hand, the straight
flush draw is a bit different because it is not an open-ended straight flush draw. Now there is a gap in the straight
flush draw that makes the SF draw a bit less valuable. Again, Rob is going for the quad aces.
6c 7c 9c 3h
As: OH=679 @ $2.48; SP=A @ $2.43
9. A lot of us have had this
problem. We are dealt a pat straight with four to a straight flush. Sometimes it's four to a royal flush.
Well, when it is four to a royal we know to go for the royal. But when it is four to a straight flush the conventional
play is to hold the straight. But that's not what Rob wants us to do.
10. Here's another dealt straight
with four to the straight flush. The conventional play is to hold the dealt straight. But Rob says to go for the
straight flush, and in this case the value of going for the straight flush is slightly higher because of the high card, the
jack, which can be paired.
11. And in this example, another
straight is dealt. The conventional play is to hold the straight but Rob wants to try for the straight flush.
This time there are two high cards in the straight flush draw, the Jack and Queen of spades, and this gives another boost
to the value of holding the four to the straight flush because now there are two potential high cards that can be paired if
you miss the straight flush.
12.
Don't you just hate it when you have this pop up? Three to the royal flush along with a high pair. Should
you go for the royal flush or hold the high, paying pair, which in this case is two kings? I don't know about you, but
most of my royals come when I am holding three to the royal flush. I think I've gotten more royals holding three cards
than holding four cards. Well, in this case, Rob says you just might want to go for the royal flush.
Js Qs Ks Kd
5c: OH=KK @ $7.63; SP=JQK @ $7.24**Only made when stuck at least ½
your bankroll for the session.
13.
I consider this to be the craziest, whackiest, and most incredible of Rob Singer's lucky plays, but even Rob admits he tries
this rarely. Consider this: you are dealt three queens and have the potential for four queens or a full house, and at
the same time you are dealt three high cards to a royal flush with the potential not only for a royal but also for two pair,
and a straight and a flush, as well as a break even high pair if you were to draw another Jack, Queen or King. Of course,
if you were to hold the three to the royal and drew the case Queen you would be kicking yourself for giving up the chance
for those quad Queens. If you picked up the straight, you would be saying a straight pays more than the dealt trips,
and you would be correct. And then, if you happened to keep the royal draw and got the royal, you would be one happy
camper. Well, Rob Singer says to go for the royal in a very rare case -- and forget about the chance for quad Queens.
I guess quad Queens aren't good enough when you are in a deep hole and you need a royal to replenish your bank account and
to pay off your markers and your credit cards. What's amazing is that Rob did go for the royal when dealt this hand
one time -- and he got the royal flush. But you know what? Some gamblers buy a lottery ticket and win that
one out of 7-million gamble too! Watch Rob's explanation for this hand and draw below. And remember, he wouldn't
do this in other bonus games and he wouldn't do it if he wasn't in need of a big win.
Js Qs Ks Qh Qd: OH=QQQ @ $21.21; SP=JQK @ $7.03**Only made in levels 5&6 of Single Play Strategy (SPS) when the quad will not get
you to level 4 Bonus Poker or an overall session win goal.
14.
This is the last example we have for 8/5 Bonus Poker, and please understand that this hand applies to a special situation.
For example, in Double Double Bonus Poker and inTriple Double Bonus Poker when dealt a full house with three Aces, you would
keep only the three aces hoping to draw a fourth ace and an ace with a kicker for the big jackpots. In this case,
and in this type of game, Rob suggests a different play.
Ac Ad Ah 7s 7c: OH=AAA77 @ $40.00; SP=AAA @ $32.93**Only made on 7/5 BP version.
We have five
pages where you can see more about Rob Singer's strategy. Click on the game strategy you are interested in:
You can order Rob Singer's two books
by sending an email to rsinger1111@cox.net for ordering instructions.
"The Undeniable Truth About Video Poker identifies the shortfalls and fallacies of following the
commercialized long-term strategy," says Rob Singer, "and it touches on how I have made the successful transition
from a losing long-term strategist to a winning player who developed his own math-based play strategy. Ramblin' & Gamblin' Thru Nevada is a month-long journey I took around
every nook and cranny in Nevada, going to many out-of-the-way places, meeting people of all types, and playing in
many of the state's casinos. It is an adventure that goes far beyond that of gambling." Each book is $5.
Here on our new media website "Moneyman" Alan Mendelson who is the original Best Deals TV Show reporter
on KCAL9 and consumer advocate, shows you the best deals on TV, and the best buys, bargains and where savvy shoppers
go to save, and how to get the most for "your money" with the best of Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County,
Riverside County and San Bernardino County. Some content on www.alanbestbuys.com is paid advertising. The Best Buys TV Show is a paid infomercial program which may also include news and information
which is not sponsored or paid for by advertisers.
