Easy at the tables

10 June 2014

By Frank Scoblete

Many slot players don’t want to play the table games because at first many of these games seem quite intimidating. Just one look at the craps layout is enough to make just about any new player run – it certainly had that effect on me when I first stepped up to the game. There are all these symbols and numbers on the layout; there are all these players yelling out incomprehensible phrases; there are so many dealers.

Craps just seemed way too difficult.

Even roulette can be somewhat intimidating with rows upon rows of numbers and different combinations of bets and colors and all those players scrambling to get all these bets down. Blackjack doesn’t look so tough, except how are you supposed to play your hands? You get so many hands of so many types, does anyone know how to handle them all?

Baccarat looks easy, but why are all those players keeping a scorecard and looking as if they are figuring out the secrets of the universe?

If you are in this realm of wanting to try your hand at the tables but simultaneously somewhat cowed at the thought, don’t worry, as Macbeth said, “Nothing is but what is not.” These table games are not hard to play; in fact they are easy to play and I’ll show you just what to do at our major ones; those being craps, blackjack, roulette and baccarat.

Forget the layout on the craps table. All those images and numbers in the center of the table are terrible bets, so ignore them. Right now you don’t even have to know their names; save that for when you are comfortable playing.

Here is what you want to know. See that line that goes all around the table that says Pass Line? That’s the heart of the game. You put a bet down on the Pass Line – at first make it a small bet – and this is what you want to see. As the shooter rolls the dice, this is called the “come-out” roll. If he rolls a 7 or 11, you will win immediately. If he rolls a 2, 3 or 12, you will lose the bet immediately and have to replace it.

However, should the shooter roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 then a white puck that says “ON” will be put on that number which is in a box at the top line of the layout. Now the shooter has to make that number for Pass Line bettors to win or, if a 7 shows, the shooter will lose – as will everyone else on the Pass Line.

That is the basic dimension of the game. You can even make it simpler than that if you wish. Just throw out $6 (or multiples of $6) and say, “Six dollars on the six!” Now, the dealer will take your chips and place them on the 6. From here on out you want the 6 to hit and not the 7. That is the game you are playing. Easy as can be.

Certainly if you wish to truly delve into the game there are plenty of things you can learn, but if you want to play it tonight, with no experience, just do what I told you above and you will be just fine. The bets above are also low-house-edge bets so you do have a decent chance of beating the game making such bets.

Blackjack is even simpler. Go to the gift shop at the casino and they will probably have computer-derived blackjack “basic strategy” cards. These cards will tell you exactly how to play each hand you get against the dealer’s up card. You’ll learn which hands to hit on, stand on, split on, double down on and which things to avoid such as insurance when a dealer shows an ace.

These “basic strategy” cards are generic and not perfect but they will reduce the house edge to around a half percent and that is just fine. Blackjack is something you can do tonight even if you have never played a hand before. Just follow the card and ignore any advice anyone else gives at the table.

Roulette has essentially two types of bets; inside numbers where you place your bet on the number you wish to see hit or outside bets, called proposition bets. I recommend the outside bet of red/black. Each spin of the wheel will result in a win (your color is hit) or a loss (your color isn’t hit). Let us say you bet red. All decisions in black will lose for you and the green 0 and 00 will also lose for you. However, usually you’ll win some, lose some and at least get the pleasure of feeling you have a shot at a win.

There is also something many casinos do for red/black players that lowers the house edge in half. If the 0 or 00 shows, you will only lose half of your bet. This is called “surrender” and it is a really helpful rule for the roulette player.

Baccarat is simpler than simple. You have three choices on which to bet: Banker, Player and Tie. Forget the Tie bet as the house has a huge edge on it. Just decide if you wish to bet on Bank or Player. And you do not have to worry about keeping a scorecard. The game is random and these scorecards have no meaning whatsoever.

See, there you have it – an easy way to get into the four most popular table games. Why not give these games a try; they are a tremendous amount of fun.