Double21: SCORE Question for Don.

[Double21]

In BJA3, Chapter 9 on SCORE, I have a few questions for you. Throughout the chapter you continually intermingle the words "value", "win", "most money"; etc. in describing SCORE. I think your SCORE dollar amount is nothing more than an attempt to monetize a game considering risk versus reward, and thereby form a basis for comparing the desirability of one game to another. As such, the dollar SCORE is not your expected win per hundred hands, but rather a basis for evaluating different games for desirability based on risk versus reward. If this is the case then why do you refer to SCORE many times throughout this and other chapters as "hourly wages", "dollar win"; etc.?

My second question is about the use of SCORE. I understand it is calculated based on several specific assumptions; i.e $10,000 bank; full Kelly ROR; etc. I find that by doing things like always betting two hands; using a different betting scheme (1/4 Kelly)I come up with a vastly larger SCORE (or should I say Adjusted SCORE?).In your opinion, is this a valid basis for valuing a game and comparing it to another one?

Thanks for your patience and consideration of these questions.

[Don Schlesinger]

> In BJA3, Chapter 9 on SCORE, I have a few questions
> for you. Throughout the chapter you continually
> intermingle the words "value",
> "win", "most money"; etc. in
> describing SCORE. I think your SCORE dollar amount is
> nothing more than an attempt to monetize a game
> considering risk versus reward, and thereby form a
> basis for comparing the desirability of one game to
> another.

Is there some place where I say otherwise?

> As such, the dollar SCORE is not your
> expected win per hundred hands,

Yes it is. It's your expected win per 100 hands, if you follow each of the parameters that lead to the SCORE of the game. If you don't, then your mileage may vary.

> but rather a basis for
> evaluating different games for desirability based on
> risk versus reward.

It can't be both, huh?

> If this is the case then why do
> you refer to SCORE many times throughout this and
> other chapters as "hourly wages",
> "dollar win"; etc.?

Because if you play the various games catalogued in the manner that SCORE suggests, then the SCORE will also be your "hourly wages," dollar win," etc. If you don't, then it won't. Not sure what you're driving at here.

> My second question is about the use of SCORE. I
> understand it is calculated based on several specific
> assumptions; i.e $10,000 bank; full Kelly ROR; etc. I
> find that by doing things like always betting two
> hands; using a different betting scheme (1/4 Kelly)I
> come up with a vastly larger SCORE (or should I say
> Adjusted SCORE?).

Why in the world would your SCORE be larger if you bet 1/4 the amount of full Kelly? Besides, I would ask you to please read very carefully the "More on SCORE" discussion that follows the main chapter. Each game has one, and only one, SCORE. Once you deviate from the parameters, you can get a thousand different "hourly win rates," but the official SCORE can't change.

> In your opinion, is this a valid
> basis for valuing a game and comparing it to another
> one?

You can choose any parameters you like, provided you then analyze every other game using the exact same parameters. I listed mine and called the results SCOREs. When you do yours, you'll have to call them something else! :-)

> Thanks for your patience and consideration of these
> questions.

Any time.

Don