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Alan Krigman Gaming Guru - Page 95  Why Players Are Always Coming from Behind, and How to Handle It25 April 1994
Last week, a dealer asked me why players rarely jump ahead at the get-go and stay there. "I've dealt most games," he said; "players usually fall in a hole and spend most of their time climbing out. Shouldn't nearly as many start ahead as behind in games where there's supposedly a fair chance to win." Good question. ... (read more)
Blackjack Players Alter the Way Cards Flow, But Who Knows How?18 April 1994
Learning the right way to play blackjack is like getting the true religion. Once having accepted "basic strategy" as a creed, proselytes want everyone else to do it, too. And, they're not always subtle at their intolerance of those who don't. The situation passes mere patronizing pedantry like "You ... (read more)
Mistakes Are Always Costly, Otherwise They're Hunches4 April 1994
Gambling mistakes should be easy to identify. They're decisions that raise the casino's mathematical edge, lowering the likelihood or amount you'll win. In practice, it's not so simple. Here's what I mean. Is it a mistake to play blackjack with no surrender or pair resplitting when you can get these ... (read more)
If You Think You've Got a Sure-Fire System, Think Again28 February 1994
Since the Industrial Revolution, screwballs have been inventing what engineers call "perpetual motion machines." Motors that run of their own accord without energy sources. They'd be nice. But they don't can't work. Perpetual motion violates laws of nature. Advocates don't know science. Or try to profit by conning suckers who don't know it. ... (read more)
Pros and Cons of the Three Ways to Hit It Big7 February 1994
To make a bundle in a casino, you've got to hit a jumbo jackpot, win a tournament, or catch a hot streak at a high stakes table game. Each approach has strong and weak points. Weigh them then pick one, or go for a more modest return on the money you risk. Slot Machines The thought of winning $3 million or more for a $3 bet at a Megabucks machine has an undeniable appeal. ... (read more)
Etiquette: A Little Does A Lot31 January 1994
Table manners. Your momma taught you. But you never cared 'til that dinner with the boss, when you knocked over the wine with your elbow while reaching to dunk your bun in the gravy boat. Etiquette helps in a casino, too. Sure, your money's as good as anyone's, and games are random so nothing you do affects other players' chances. ... (read more)
Conjecture and the Cosmos24 January 1994
Games of chance are governed by the laws of probability (not to mention the state where your favorite casino is located). The same laws (probability, not state) rule the known universe. You use them constantly, usually with no second thought. For instance, crossing a street, if the light's with you and the ... (read more)
The Tables or the Slots?10 January 1994
In those halcyon days when the mob skimmed the cream from the top of the cash and casino cafeterias didn't serve quiche, gambling meant tables. And your station in life dictated what you played. Craps was for men, roulette women, blackjack eggheads, and baccarat playboys. Slots were for spouses of real ... (read more)
That Million Dollar Feeling3 January 1994
When you win at the casinos, a lot or just a little, you feel great. Something about gambling makes the prize particularly tantalizing. And, when you're back home, exercising your bragging rights or chortling inwardly over your good fortune, you disregard any minor annoyances you might have endured during your casino visit. ... (read more)
Probability Laws Reign but Hunches Are Remembered1 January 1993
Casino games are governed by the laws of probability (and those enacted by politicians, too). The same laws (probabilistic, not political) rule the entire known universe. You use them constantly, usually with no second thought. For instance, crossing a street, if the light's with you and the truck is ... (read more)
Alan Krigman |
Alan Krigman |