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Alan Krigman Gaming Guru - Page 7  A guide to anticipating bankroll swings in games you haven't tried yet10 September 2012
Exceptional instances or runs of good or bad luck can make or break a casino visit for anybody. Few players ever encounter either. Most tend to bet the same amount or press or regress wagers over a modest range from round to round. Their fortunes therefore typically rise and fall gradually, albeit at rates ... (read more)
Beware of rule variations: little things can mean a lot3 September 2012
New table games and fresh features or variations on old standbys appear on casino floors occasionally. If you’re tempted by a novel game or modification to something otherwise familiar, it’s OK to go for it. Preferably making small enough bets that you can gain intuition about the ebb and flow of your fortune without getting sandbagged. ... (read more)
Should you bet on the Field at craps?27 August 2012
One-roll bets at craps are resolved whenever the dice are thrown. Because the game is fast-paced, wagers of this type may induce steep bankroll climbs and falls during runs of good and bad luck, respectively. Usually, however, wins and loses occur in roughly the theoretical proportions, and frequent ... (read more)
Everything you need to or should know about soft blackjack hands20 August 2012
Soft hands at blackjack are those which total 13 or above when an ace is present and tabulated as 11. For instance, A-4 is a soft 15, A-2-5 is a soft 18, and A-9 is a soft 20. Technically, A-A could be viewed as a soft 12 but solid citizens normally treat it as a pair to be split; after a split, if one or ... (read more)
Do your chances of winning get better if you keep playing?13 August 2012
Casinos have an edge or advantage over players because bets are structured with offsets between payoffs and odds that must be overcome to win. With $10 on the nine at craps, for instance, solid citizens are paid $14 when the dice show a nine and lose $10 when a seven pops. Other outcomes get no action. ... (read more)
How much more can casino gamblers bet than they bring?6 August 2012
Win or lose in the end, most casino buffs bet lots more money than they bring to the machines or tables. Few aficionados risk big enough fractions of their stakes, or wager on all-or-nothing propositions with such long odds, that they go kablooie on one pass through their fanny packs by losing every coup. ... (read more)
Would you rather have $50 in match play or $25 to bet in cash?30 July 2012
Which is a stronger inducement for solid citizens to visit a casino? Two $25 match play coupons or one $25 cash token the dealer will exchange for chips at any table (shades of those rolls of quarters). Assuming you won’t or can’t violate the letter or spirit of the incentive by doing other than betting with ... (read more)
How does choice affect the odds of forming ranked five-card poker hands?23 July 2012
Most poker games are resolved on the basis of a five-card-hand hierarchy. Common sense suggests that rankings within the hierarchy track the odds against forming the various hands. That is, royals should be the toughest to get, followed by lower-order straight flushes, quads, full houses, and so forth. ... (read more)
Realistically, how often can slot players expect to hit jackpots?16 July 2012
Chances of various final hands at video poker are no great secrets, assuming that players adhere to the optimal strategies. The theoretical frequency of trials that yield returns, at any particular level or on the whole, can be ascertained by anyone who cares to check into the matter. And, by multiplying the ... (read more)
How does edge on Pass and Come bets at craps change during the game?9 July 2012
If you play craps and bet Pass or Come, which are identical except for the stage of a hand when they’re made, the edge you’re fighting is among the lowest in the casino. Blackjack with decent rules has less of a house advantage, assuming you follow Basic Strategy reasonably closely or, better, get a leg up on the bosses by counting cards. ... (read more)
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