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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 134  Changes at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond19 August 2008
A few minutes before the official media tour of the new half-billion dollar barge at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, I mentioned to a colleague that I'd taken a little private walk around the casino floor.
"Is it all they say?" she asked. "Is it really like Vegas?"
It really is, I told her. The ... (read more)
Changes at the Ameristar in East Chicago16 August 2008
That this is a time of change for casinos in northwest Indiana is hardly news in East Chicago.
Horseshoe in Hammond soon has opened its huge new facility — nicknamed MOAB, for "mother of all boats" — that is sure to become a showpiece for gaming in the Midwest. Blue Chip in Michigan City is preparing for ... (read more)
Roulette odds12 August 2008
Until I received a phone call from my old friend Greg a couple of weeks ago, I didn't know he played roulette. For that matter, I didn't know he gambled — he was never part of our late-night college poker games.
"I've loosened up a lot since then," said Greg, who was more into grades than games all those years ago. ... (read more)
A shuffle through the gaming mailbag5 August 2008
Q. Recently at the Grand Victoria in Elgin I was playing video poker (Double Bonus Poker or Double Double Bonus — I was switching).
A king, queen, jack and ace of clubs came up, along with a 10 of hearts. My husband said I should keep that hand because it was a winning hand, a straight. I keep thinking I should have gone for the royal. ... (read more)
Why I write about casino games29 July 2008
After 14 years of writing this column, I don't often get asked a question I've never been asked before. But I received one via e-mail in June, one that I've sometimes wondered why nobody has asked.
"Why do you do what you do?" asked the e-mailer, who identified himself as Chas. "It seems to me that being an expert on casino games doesn't amount to much. ... (read more)
The odds bet in craps22 July 2008
Ron is a novice craps player, or he will be the first time he plays.
"I've read your book, and one by Henry Tamburin and another by Frank Scoblete," he told me on the phone. "You all make it sound so easy, but every time I go to a table, I chicken out."
I laughed. That sounds like dozens, if not hundreds, of casino players I've spoken with over the years. ... (read more)
A shuffle through the gaming mailbag15 July 2008
Q. What can you tell me about playing with coupons? My wife and I were playing blackjack together, and we each had a coupon. If you bet $5 plus the coupon, they'd pay you $10 on a winning hand. She won on her coupon, and I lost on mine, so I guess we broke even.
We played for a couple of hours, so even if we'd both won, the extra $10 would have been a drop in the bucket. ... (read more)
More first-time casino experiences8 July 2008
It seems my request for first-time casino stories has struck a chord. The stories keep on coming, so let's share a few more:
Pat: I have to tell you about our first Vegas trip. We didn't make the trip to gamble but rather to see Elvis at the International. What an experience that was! And what an eye-opener coming to Vegas was. ... (read more)
Casino message boards1 July 2008
Just like any other topic under the sun nowadays, casino gambling is discussed endlessly on Internet message boards. Online, players gather to swap stories about wins, losses, restaurants, rooms and comps, report on their latest trips and trade strategy tips.
I check in on a few message boards from time to time, many of which have no fee to join in the fun. ... (read more)
Holding low pairs in Double Double Bonus24 June 2008
On a flight to Las Vegas, I was whiling away the time practicing 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker on my laptop. That's not one of my favorite Vegas games, because with the 9/6 pay table, Double Double Bonus returns a mere 99.0% with expert play. You can do better than that in Las Vegas, with games including ... (read more)
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