like Andy. I've been playing 7 card at our nearby Indian casino; because of class schedule conflicts and winter weather hadn't played since September. Play $1/$5 stud usually--sometimes $5/$10. But when I went back Friday the card room had put in new rules. Instead of game wide Jackpots, there was an option for a jackpot at each table if all agreed (I didn't agree--the jackpot was all of $616 instead of the thousands of dollars in September]. Second, there is an ante of $3 a hand--all goes to the card room but this time instead of rotating the ante, the winner of each hand, no matter how small a win, had to ante the next hand. Finally, they had a high hand jack pot each two hours and also a payoff for four of a kind. As a result of all this instead of the $50 to $100 pots that were being regularly built last summer, the pots were averaging less than $10 each. I won 10 pots in three hours, averaging about $7 a pot--but had to pay $30 plus $9 in dealer tips (once the pot was so small I refused to tip as I would have lost $3). Why were the pots so small--illustration; rt hand opponent had a jack up on 3rd street--raised the opener (low hand in for a buck) by $1; I called with a pair of tens; One other call and the low hand dropped. Next deal brought a second jack and the guy checks! So I check gladly; this continues to 7th street when I pick up a third ten. This time the jack bets $5 and I and the other limper fold. He exposes three jacks which he had early--why didn't he raise--didn't want everyone to drop and lose out on the jack pot!

All of my wins were on small hands. I had three good hands that got hit--losing a full house (first five cards) to a higher one--which I don't like but accept. Last summer after modest openings the betters were quick to move to $5 bets and raises but not this time. So the upshot was that if one loses a couple of good hands one is out of luck--bet a concealed pair on 3rd street and everyone drops.

So the pigeon either has to play $5/$10 or not play at the Indians. Which I'll do to the detriment of my children's inheritances.

Thanks for listening.