[GeeBeeQED]

I love how you ask the question with a story. You had my interest all the way. I do hope you post a photo of Betty at some point.

I'd say of significance is with Betty, your playing solitare, at a poker table your playing against other players. With betty there is nothing to lose, If the Ace does not come out, she leaves the room and your assets have not been reduced. You are still whole. You're correct, the burn hurts you here.

However, when your playing against other players they are effected equally by the random removal of a card from the deck. Also, when a small card is removed, there are more big cards (as a percentage of the remaining deck) to help you with your good starting hands. But then, they are there to help the other players as well.

The burn is used to make cheating more difficult. It's easy for the dealer to show the top and bottom card to somebody seated next to them or at either end of the table. Thus the reason for a cut card on the bottom of the deck and burning the top card. Online it's presumed we don't have to worry about the dealer helping a conspirator so in this way you are correct, the burn is not nessasary.

However, consistant and deliberate procedure where money is concerned (at the bank or the poker table) goes a long way towards keeping customers contented. How the deck is handled is in effect how the games money is handled. If they did not burn (who's to say they really are??) it would be noticed and a great many more customers would question this.

I can hear it now from the teaming luck based players. "Hey, you jerks failed to burn and the other player got my card!!!!"

Another thought, since more of the deck is 10 or above (commonly refered to as big cards) than 9 and below then a burn procedure would tend to slant the deck contents towards increasing the ratio of larger cards as it's more likley a small card will be burnt. I'm not sure this could be used in any way with strategy other than to offer some slight support to the idea that it's better to play bigger cards.

Dave