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Mark Pilarski Gaming Guru - Page 23  From goon to moon on the good ol' Top Deck15 June 2012
Dear Mark: I saw a guy outside the Cal Neva and he said it was his last day of pitching cards as he fanned a deck towards the moon. Something about the primates on the upper deck! Randy S. It has been just a day short of a quarter-century since I dealt my last hand at the Cal Neva, but thank you, Randy, for allowing me to reminisce on some of the great times I had in gaming. ... (read more)
The grim relationship between the Wild Deuces and the royal flush8 June 2012
Dear Mark: My wife and I play a lot of video poker, playing all the different games. Are Deuces Wild games preprogrammed to give you more wild 2s, or is it the same deck and a random number generator? Also, is a natural royal flush harder to get on that format than on Jacks or Better? John S. All video ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Skilled play offers no guarantees of winning1 June 2012
Dear Mark: Having taken into account the random behavior of a chip, my recent video poker play, using perfect basic strategy, has me concerned. Lately, I seem to have far more losing sessions than winning ones. I am not screaming conspiracy here, yet, but… Jason A. Your "but…" has a straightforward explanation. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Breaking down roulette odds25 May 2012
Dear Mark: I heard there are a couple of good bets on a roulette table. Is there a specific number I should be playing, or are the bets located where red/black or odd/even are located? Cheryl D. Allow me, Cheryl, to streamline Albert Einstein’s roulette quote, "You cannot beat a roulette table unless you ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Beware of those odds on single-deck blackjack18 May 2012
Dear Mark: I was in Las Vegas last week for the first time in about six years and was disappointed to see all the casinos on the Strip changed to single deck with a payout of 6 to 5 for blackjacks. I was curious to know if it were more advantageous to double down on a blackjack if the dealer was holding a bust card, or just take the 6 to 5 deal. ... (read more)
Deal me in: Be 'put' off by this bet11 May 2012
Dear Mark: Some casinos offer a wager on the crap game called a “put” bet; others do not. Should I be playing craps where they offer it, since it might be a bet that is favorable to the player? Rick K. A "put" bet, Rick, is a seldom-played wager that you can make on the pass line after a point is established. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Making doing OK even better4 May 2012
Dear Mark: In today's article in the Detroit Free Press, you answered a question about playing craps. You mention the pass line wager and a place bet on the 6 or 8, giving the house edge of about 1.5 percent. You then state that this is lowered even more when taking odds. What exactly is taking odds? I bet ... (read more)
Deal Me In: To assure a win, hold your breath and count to 1327 April 2012
Dear Mark: Why is it that when a player jumps in while I’m playing blackjack, it seems to screw up the order of the cards in the shoe for the worse? Brian M. Many players’ superstitions lead to strong, dubious, beliefs, such as: a new player enters the game in the middle of a shoe, changing the order of the cards and causing the innocent believer-in-magic to lose. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Those costly bargains20 April 2012
Dear Mark: Both my wife and I have separate casino club cards at the same casino. She plays slots while I mostly play video poker. We play about the same amount, $100 per visit, and yet, she receives more in comps that I do. Does that sound right to you? Martin G. The reason your wife is getting more ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Early worm in robin-swallowing spring training13 April 2012
Dear Mark: I have been reading your column for years and very much enjoy your comments and insight. My question is this: Over the long haul, with many players and many cumulative hours played, casinos approach the statistical advantages you so often cite. Yet, on a shorter-term basis, when an individual ... (read more)
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