 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! John Grochowski Archives
More Strategy Experts
|
John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 96  The machine blackjack versus the live blackjack5 September 2013
I’ve been playing blackjack a long time --- 25 years if we’re just talking about the casino game, 40-plus if we include occasional interludes in poker games in my college dorm, and 50 in just-for-fun games. I learned the basics from some second cousins and the annual New Year’s Day extended family gathering at my great-grandfather’s house in Chicago. ... (read more)
Hitting soft 17 and video poker shuffles1 September 2013
QUESTION: I was grumbling at a blackjack table about the switch to dealer hits soft 17. The casino closest to me had the dealer stand on all 17s ever since it opened, close to 20 years ago. Last year, they switched. The dealer tried to convince me that it really was better for the player this way. She said, “I bust more than I used to. ... (read more)
Playing games you like29 August 2013
Casino players do not live by odds and strategies alone. Most play for fun, and what’s fun for one can be a crashing bore for another. That’s why we have the array of tables and electronic games, cards and dice, video and reel-spinning slots. Players can choose their own good time. I asked players at several different games why they like their chosen games. ... (read more)
Flushes and gambling25 August 2013
QUESTION: Please explain something to me about video poker and straight flushes. My strategy card for 9-6 Double Double Bonus Poker says that if I have a three-card straight flush with no gaps, it’s a better play than holding a suited King-Queen. So far, so good, but it also lists suited 2-3-4 and Ace-2-3 ... (read more)
You flush for royal flushes22 August 2013
For video poker players, every royal flush is a thrill, and that first royal is the thrill of a lifetime. Greg, a Chicago reader, remembers his as being an unequaled shock. “It was back in the late 1980s,” he told me. “At the time, Trump was running cheap day trips to Atlantic City, and not just for high rollers. ... (read more)
Slot machine payback ranges and money management18 August 2013
QUESTION: A follow-up question to your answer that advantage players don’t need to follow the same kind of win/loss limit money management as average players. Is there any fear that even on a game where you have an edge, that you might run into a string of bad luck which could offset your edge and take away ... (read more)
My wild roulette streak15 August 2013
Streaks happen in any game of chance. They’re not predictable, nor are they indicators of what is to come. But when you’re riding a streak, the good times roll. It was my turn to ride a streak this June. It was a family birthday, we had a group at a casino, and I was playing some cheap roulette. I don’t play roulette often, but when I do, I’m all about table minimums and family birthdays. ... (read more)
Why government won't help players11 August 2013
QUESTION: I started going to casinos in 1986 and the federal threshold for making you sign a W-2G on jackpots was $1,200, just as it is now. Do you think the government will ever raise it to adjust for inflation? According to an inflation calculator I used, a dollar in 1986 is worth $2.13 now. Shouldn't the ... (read more)
The truth about blackjack side bets8 August 2013
Side bets at blackjack are offered for two basic reasons: to add a little excitement for players who want more out of the game than trying to grind out a profit one bet at a time, and to increase action to generate more profit for the house. The house edge on side bets tends to be higher than on blackjack itself, provided the player knows basic strategy. ... (read more)
Money management for all types of players4 August 2013
QUESTION: I have a question about your "money management" column. If you were at a positive expectation game -- a game with a positive pay table -- and if you also had the benefits of cash back or some other comps from your play -- would the advice in your article still hold? Or, can players who are playing ... (read more)
< Previous 10 Articles | Next 10 Articles > John Grochowski |
John Grochowski |
