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Alan Krigman Gaming Guru - Page 76  Should You Try the One-Roll Bets at Craps?17 August 1998
Most craps bets win or lose only when the associated number or the seven appear. Other results are immaterial. For instance, "placing" the four wins on four, loses on seven. "Laying" the four wins on seven, loses on four. Neither has action otherwise. Craps also includes a variety of one-roll bets. ... (read more)
Why You Split 9s but not 10s in Blackjack10 August 1998
One of the strictest strictures of basic strategy for blackjack is "never split pairs of 10s." But another edict says split nines against dealer upcards of two through six, eight, or nine. Many bettors see this as a contradiction. As one blackjack buff asked, "when the dealer has a low upcard, 18 is almost as good as 20 and starting with 10 is better than starting with nine. ... (read more)
Variable Payoffs Add a Twist to Table Play3 August 1998
In traditional casino table games - blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat - payoffs are, by and large, fixed multiples of the original bet. For instance, blackjack wins normally pay 1-to-1, successfully placing the four at craps always yields 9-to-5, roulette hits on three-number rows pay a set 11-to-1, and so on. ... (read more)
Does Playing Several Slots at Once Make Any Sense?27 July 1998
You've probably seen folks madly attacking multiple slot machines in tandem. Maybe you play this way. Does it make sense? Or is it more silly superstition among otherwise sane solid citizens? To avoid comparing apples and oranges, picture this situation. 1) Imagine two or more identical machines. ... (read more)
Personal Gambling Goals Define Right and Wrong Play20 July 1998
Little you can do in a casino is absolutely right or wrong. The wisdom or folly of a strategy depends on personal motivations. And true gambling skill as much involves knowing how best to meet your own goals as how to minimize the house's edge on every bet. Cover 35 numbers at once with $1 each at ... (read more)
Soft 18 versus Nine through Ace: Make the Best of a Bad Lot13 July 1998
Basic strategy for blackjack says hit soft 18 - ace-seven - against dealer upcards of nine, 10, and ace. However, the apostate often stand on this hand. And more than a few believers wonder whether the bozos who wrote "the book" made a boo-boo. Soft 18 versus a high upcard is enigmatic because no possibility is propitious and dangers dog every decision. ... (read more)
Multiple-Bet Games Have No Loopholes6 July 1998
Craps and roulette fans spend countless hours trying to dope out combinations of wagers and amounts that can't lose, regardless of what number shows. Sorry, folks. Odds and payoffs associated with individual wagers are structured to make such a bet impossible. Unfortunately, this statement is mathematically unprovable. ... (read more)
New Versions of Video Poker May Be Trickier Than They Look29 June 1998
Whenever you visit a casino, new versions of video poker seem to wink at you from screens near where you like to sit. The most noteworthy novelties are knickknacks such as wild cards and fixed or progressive bonuses; more subtle modifications pertain to payouts for conventional winners. True, the basics don't change. ... (read more)
Ace Is the Most Dangerous Up-Card, Blackjack or Not25 June 1998
Rogue theories of gambling are based other than on the math and logic of probability and utility. You can usually spot rogue theories, even if you're uncertain about the statistical engine driving a game. The clue is that players vehemently defend oddball strategies with arguments starting: "Here's ... (read more)
How to Avoid Second Guess Syndrome at the Casinos15 June 1998
When folks leave casinos unhappy, winning as well as losing, it's often because they didn't define their goals beforehand. Solid citizens who neglect this minor precaution are highly susceptible to melancholia brought on by acute chronic second guess syndrome. Here are typical symptoms: Sally starts ... (read more)
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