MultiPoker v1.1 Instructions - August 14th, 1998

About the Game

MultiPoker is a generic five card poker playing program.  It simulates many
of the video poker machines found in casinos.  Much unlike the casinos,
MultiPoker also offers advice on optimal playing strategy.

The current version of MultiPoker comes with three of the most popular
video poker games around: Jacks or Better, Bonus Deluxe, and Deuces Wild.

Installation

Copy the executable, MPoker.EXE, to a directory.  Copy all game DLL files to
that same directory.  Make sure that the current path is in your library path
list.  To do this, open CONFIG.SYS from your boot drive.  Look for the
LIBPATH line.  One of the semicolon separated items should be ".".  An example
would be:

    LIBPATH=C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2;C:\;

This line would require the current path to be added as follows:

    LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2;C:\;

Note the ".;" added after the "=" sign.

To Play

From an OS/2 command prompt, enter the MultiPoker directory and type:

    MPoker

A window should appear.  Since a game has not been selected, use the Game->
Select menu to select one of the available games.  When a game is selected, its
name will appear in the titlebar, and the payout table will appear above the
cards.

Playing a hand requires that you wager anywhere between $1 and $5.  Increase
your wager by pressing the "Bet" button (or "+" key).  To bet the maximum of
$5, simply press the "Bet Five" button (spacebar).  Betting $5 automatically
deals the cards, since no more money can be wagered on a single hand.

When the cards are dealt, the initial value of the hand (if any) is shown above
the cards.  Use the Keep/Discard buttons (F5-F9) to select cards to be kept.
The Advice button automatically sets the discard combination which yields the
maximum probable payout given your initial hand.

The Odds button displays the probable outcomes of each hand type given the
presently selected discard combination.

If you run out of money (all too likely in real life), select Game->New to set
the bank back to $25.


Tips

If you were to attempt to bring this game into a real casino, you'd probably
end up in cement overshoes.  The purpose of the "Advice" and "Odds" functions
is to give you increased skill so that when you enter a real casino, you'll
play as close to the optimal strategy as possible.

With this in mind, a good practice is to pick the "keep" cards yourself at
first, then use the "Advice" button to see if your choice matches the
computer's.  The "Odds" button can be used to see how far from the optimal
your selection of keep cards was.  In some cases, there are several "optimal"
selections; the computer only shows one.  In other cases, the difference
between the optimal strategy and your selections might amount to fractions
of a penny.
