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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 29  Picking the Cards9 February 2020
QUESTION: Is it really possible to get an edge on any machine games? Does strategy make a difference on video poker or video blackjack, or is the machine just going to deal paying hands when it wants to? ANSWER: “Want” is not part of the equation for an electronic gaming device. Video poker and blackjack machines don’t deal the cards they “want” to. ... (read more)
Unsolicited Advice6 February 2020
Some casino players are content to focus on their own play. Others are quick to offer advice. The advice may be well-meant, but it isn’t always correct. Let’s listen to some experienced players who have tales of unsolicited advice they’ve received. MARTIN: I read your column about the blackjack bullies a ... (read more)
Video Slots Come and Go2 February 2020
QUESTION: Two friends and I leave our husbands alone for a while once every couple of weeks and go play slots together. This last time got to talking about how long some of those games have been there and how short the stays have been for others. Something like Double Diamond or the three-reel Wheel of Fortune, we’ve been playing those for a good 20 years. ... (read more)
Basic Strategy on Doubling30 January 2020
Whenever blackjack basic strategy charts list doubling down as the best available play, it means you’re in a profitable situation. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win every time, of course. But on balance you’ll win money overall if you double on hard 11 every time the dealer has a 6 up, or double on soft 18 every time the dealer has a 5 up. ... (read more)
Blackjack Shuffle Talk26 January 2020
QUESTION: I started playing blackjack when Atlantic City opened at the end of the 1970s. I guess that dates me, huh? Since then, I’ve played a lot in Las Vegas, too, and later on in some of the newer places. You know what I really miss? Hand-shuffled games. I don’t really feel luckier there, but I miss talking with other players and the dealer during shuffles. ... (read more)
Two Pair Video Poker Hands23 January 2020
Video poker strategy isn’t always about making what seems to be a common-sense play. Two-pair hands are a prime example. That’s something I learned in the 1990s when Double Bonus Poker was a new game. I read a book that said when two pair included two Aces, Kings, Queens or Jacks, the best play was to hold the high pair and discard the other. ... (read more)
It's a New Year!19 January 2020
On a chilly mid-December afternoon, a text alerted me that Blackjack Bob wanted to talk. I had nothing more important going on than a newspaper crossword puzzle, so I got back to him right away,. Bob wanted to know if I was doing my usual New Year’s resolutions column. Once a year, I think it’s important ... (read more)
No Zero Roulette16 January 2020
QUESTION: I have an idea for roulette. What if they were to change the zeroes into just two more ordinary numbers, 37 and 38. Instead of 1 through 36 plus 0 and 00, it would have 1 through 38. Roulette gives the house an edge through the zeroes, right? So if it had 1 through 38, would it be an even game? ... (read more)
Slot Decisions12 January 2020
QUESTION: I recently was playing the IGT Hot Hit game. It’s a five-reel game with progressive jackpots for seven or more Hot Hit symbols. On one spin, the first two reels stopped on three symbols each. I pressed the button to stop the reels and ended up with 12 Hot Hit symbols for a jackpot of almost $1,100. ... (read more)
Blackjack Bullies9 January 2020
A few weeks ago, I relayed the frustrations Kristy, a woman in her 40s who has played in casinos since she was 21. She likes to play many games, but hates blackjack because of bullying by other players when she makes a strategy mistake. A number of readers have responded with their own tales. Most have been sympathetic, though one fellow was adamant that weak players deserve a pile-on. ... (read more)
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