BEAT THE HOUSE

BEAT THE HOUSE (Interplay, floppy disk for PC, $39.95) Like a low-budget casino in Atlantic City, this gambling tutorial isn't much to look at, but it delivers the goods -- instructing would-be bank breakers on the best way to buck the odds at blackjack, craps, and poker, among other games. However, as any slot jockey knows, it's one thing to run through a simulation in the comfort of your home, and quite another to plunk yourself down in a real casino, where you're likely to be distracted by complimentary drinks or gyrating showgirls. That's what makes Beat the House oddly dispiriting: No matter how good you think you're getting, you know the odds are still against you. B