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Alan Krigman Gaming Guru - Page 77  How to Judge a Casino Tournament8 June 1998
Casino tournaments are hot. Are they good deals? Should you try? Probability theory governs whether or not tournaments are good deals. Happily, you don't have to be a Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevski to do the math. No entry fee? Good! An up-front charge but all or most of the tariff returned in prizes? ... (read more)
How to Play Soft 17 when You Can't Double Down1 June 1998
Basic strategy for blackjack is clear about the optimum way to handle the ace-six - soft 17 - combination. Double against a dealer's three, four, five, or six; hit in all other cases. But, what's best if you have soft 17 and are restricted to either hitting or standing? Say, because you already hit an ace-deuce and drew a four so you have a three-card soft total. ... (read more)
Scientific Gobbledygook Won't Help You Win25 May 1998
Players bring a lot of scientific gobbledygook into the casino. Leading the list are ideas involving events coming "due." Sometimes, theories of coming due are rejection of chaos and confidence in order. They may be explained by programming, like a slot machine supposedly set so it builds to a jackpot. ... (read more)
Betting Systems: Verity or Voodoo?18 May 1998
A primary gambling theorem holds that betting systems can't alter expectation - expected percentage gain or loss - in independent-trial games of chance. For instance, raising or lowering bets in some pattern from hand to hand at baccarat doesn't change house advantage. Likewise, big bucks on pass with ... (read more)
Allocating Money on Don't Pass: Flat Bets or Odds?11 May 1998
My childhood chum, Charlie, is a cautious craps player. He loves the game, but has a modest bankroll and is content to look for a small profit while minimizing the chance he'll go belly-up. Normally, Charlie finds a table with a $5 minimum, bets a nickel on don't pass, lays single odds, then waits for a seven. ... (read more)
What Secrets Do Slot Teams Know?4 May 1998
A few weeks ago, I got buttonholed by a bloke who believes the casino bosses know - perhaps decide - when certain slot machines are ready to pay. And they clue-in their confederates. "'Tain't so," I huffed. "'Tis so" he puffed, noting that every so often, teams take over a bank of ... (read more)
Never-Bust Blackjack Strategies Can Cost You Money27 April 1998
In blackjack, stiff hands are hard totals of 12 through 16. Some blackjack buffs won't draw to stiffs regardless of the dealer's up-card. Basic strategy has it otherwise. Playing "by the book" in multi-deck games dictates hitting stiffs when the dealer shows seven or above, and also drawing to hard 12 against two or three. ... (read more)
Making Line Bets with Odds after the Come-out Roll20 April 1998
Craps players sometimes forget, or start a game too late, to bet on the pass line during the come-out roll. When this happens, those itching for action usually make "place" bets on the point. Occasionally, casinos let players make line bets with odds after points are established. Some casinos book comparable wagers in lieu of come bets on any boxes players want. ... (read more)
You Won't Get Rich by Confusing Chance and Skill13 April 1998
My neighbors, Nick and Nora, knew how to beat the casino. They'd met Doug, a 'talented' roulette dealer. Nick schmoozed the guy, 'took care' of him. Doug, finding a kindred spirit, said something like: "I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Watch number 33." Nora chimed in, "three or four spins later, he hit it. ... (read more)
State Regulations Put the Lie to Slot Machine Myths6 April 1998
People believe absurd things about slot machines. That they can be set to pay giant jackpots at specified times or after the casinos have accumulated certain amounts of money. That they run in hot and cold cycles. That they can be sent remote commands from secret control rooms, accessible only by the biggest and most trusted of the casino bosses. ... (read more)
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