Arc, are you grasping at straws? There are no video poker games with an expected return of 0.5. Would I expect to win? You might also ask if you thought I might expect to live going over Niagara Falls wearing boxer shorts.

You also wrote: "What making wrong holds does is change the return from positive to negative." Gee Arc, what are you talking about? The expected return or the actual return? The expected return as you point out is based on optimal holds. So you must be talking about the actual return. Well, Arc, that's what I've been talking about -- the actual return. And the way you play can change the actual return. You might even be able to change a negative expected return to a positive actual return if you do something that "isn't optimal." That would mean "breaking the rules" of play. Doesn't Rob do this in some of his special plays?

I'm tired of discussing this with you. Do stand your ground, even if your feet are firmly planted in quicksand. There is more to playing video poker than just the pay table. Just as there is more to playing live poker than knowing that AA should beat 22. You see Arc, 22 can beat AA -- I saw it happen last night when a third deuce flopped.