The poker-inspired Balatro has become more popular than its designer ever could have imagined, which means more people than ever, including kids, are trying it.
Great interview, thank you! I've gotten Balatro-pilled this past few weeks after avoiding it (bc I don't love Poker, how wrong i was haha). I think its systems are too complex (and opaque, with the pack opening mechanic) for my 7 year old... but playing it DID remind me to introduce her to the board game Dominion finally. I imagine it could be a great introduction to loops and engines in turn based deck-builder types.
The actual game that FIRST taught her about deck builders is... Party House, in Derek Yu's UFO 50. That collection has been such an incredible introduction to traditional game genres and mechanics. A treat.
Well, Roulette red/black isn't actually 50/50, because of the zeroes. Red/black is about 47.4% chance in America, meaning a bet on either gives the house a 52.6% win chance. Same figures apply to even/odd or low/high. That's literally how the house remains advantageous. European roulette has a single zero tile meaning it's actually slightly better odds for players; in America the house edge is doubled..
Great interview, thank you! I've gotten Balatro-pilled this past few weeks after avoiding it (bc I don't love Poker, how wrong i was haha). I think its systems are too complex (and opaque, with the pack opening mechanic) for my 7 year old... but playing it DID remind me to introduce her to the board game Dominion finally. I imagine it could be a great introduction to loops and engines in turn based deck-builder types.
The actual game that FIRST taught her about deck builders is... Party House, in Derek Yu's UFO 50. That collection has been such an incredible introduction to traditional game genres and mechanics. A treat.
Our five year old occasionally sees us playing while she's watching TV and her main contribution is imploring us to open a pack. "Oooh, five jokers!"
Well, Roulette red/black isn't actually 50/50, because of the zeroes. Red/black is about 47.4% chance in America, meaning a bet on either gives the house a 52.6% win chance. Same figures apply to even/odd or low/high. That's literally how the house remains advantageous. European roulette has a single zero tile meaning it's actually slightly better odds for players; in America the house edge is doubled..
See, this is why I stick to gambling on "will Derrick Henry score a touchdown in today's game" which is a nearly foolproof bet.
Did I log in to comment for the very first time on any substack, much less Crossplay, post to talk about the 0 spot in roulette? Yes, I did.
Also my Ravens fan heart appreciates Patrick's Derrick Henry love.
I've been very happy making $2-$3 off him every week lol