Dear Mark, Yes or no, would video poker on a machine be considered a true “draw” poker game?
Larry L. Elitists of table poker would say, NO WAY. But look at it this way, Larry: video poker is one player against a machine that displays the player’s cards as graphic images on a screen; the player still has to place a stake, is dealt five cards from a standard 52-card deck, and has an opportunity to discard any number of unwanted cards, and to “draw” an equal number of replacement cards from the deck. Many I have debated in the past have dissected the word “draw” to suit their argument, yet in both table draw poker and video draw poker, there is a second round of cards during the hand where you are allowed to discard some of your cards, and draw more cards with the hope of improving your hand. As for me, a connoisseur of any kind of poker, I swallow yes, demi-glace with the finest Traverse City dried cherries, red wine and shallots. If it looks, walks and quacks like duck, it must be a duck, even if your opponent is a cybernetic one-armed bandit and not a big mouth mortal who hap
