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Mark Pilarski Gaming Guru - Page 44  Some useful shirt-pocket truths12 October 2007
Dear Mark: What are your thoughts on a blackjack game where all the cards are dealt face up, including the dealer's cards? Why is the casino giving you such an advantage by exposing both of their cards? Alex M.
Of all the possible blackjack rule variations, viewing both of the dealer's cards before you play your hand is the absolute best. ... (read more)
Separating sound strategies from sham systems5 October 2007
Dear Mark: All over the Internet you find offers of betting systems to beat the casino. You have claimed before that none of these systems are worth the paper they're printed on, and yet, you have also stated that with correct play, certain casino games are beatable. I'm confused? Charles G.
I ... (read more)
Sorry Charlie, no CSM for you28 September 2007
Dear Mark: Recently, I was playing blackjack on a cruise boat. The table had a constant shuffle machine with either 6 or 8 decks, although I can't be certain. What effect, if any, does this have on the house advantage on a basic strategy player? Charlie L.
With a typical shoe game, any time the number of decks in play is increased, the casino's edge goes up slightly. ... (read more)
Anything can and will happen21 September 2007
Dear Mark: During a recent trip to Tunica, I played extensively on a $1 video blackjack machine (max bet $5). As long as I bet $1 and used basic blackjack strategy, I did fairly well. The moment I bet $3, $4 or $5 (but stayed with the same playing strategy), my percentage of wins plummeted and the dealer's natural blackjacks increased exponentially. ... (read more)
If Kenny got it right, it must be easy14 September 2007
Dear Mark: What do you think is the most important decision recreational Texas Hold'em players have to make to be successful at the game? Is it what limit to play on, playing tight versus loose, something else? Andy I.
Poker is a unique game in that it allows you to use the laws of probability to maximize the value of your decisions. ... (read more)
Opulence has its place and price7 September 2007
Dear Mark: I am interested in how, or if, the casino's carpets guide visitors through the space, whether it aims to work sort of like Muzak, keeping their attention focused on the gambling options rather than on the floor; and, of course, if you think it's a successful move for casinos. Alex ... (read more)
Bonehead play: help or hindrance?31 August 2007
Dear Mark: I don't play at the $25 blackjack tables in Atlantic City where players are apt to know basic blackjack because I use a progression and $25 is too high a starting point. At the $10 or $15 tables I find players use hunches and don't even play identical hands in the same manner. I know they are not card counters. ... (read more)
Is it football season already?24 August 2007
Dear Mark: Sorry for the dumb question, but how do you play a football parlay card? Any help would be appreciated. Emily M.
The only dumb question, Emily, is an unasked question. But before I take on your parlay card inquiry, let's decipher what a straight and a parlay bet are. You'll see why.
With a ... (read more)
A machine that is due is a glittering myth20 August 2007
Dear Mark: A slot attendant in a UP casino [note: what Larry refers to with "UP" is a casino in Michigan's Upper Peninsula] advised me to play a particular one-dollar progressive video poker machine because it was due to hit. It didn't, and I ended up losing my evening's allotted bankroll. Did she really have a clue on the machine's ability to hit a royal flush? Larry L. ... (read more)
Two-timing the casino could get you tossed10 August 2007
Dear Mark: On an online video poker forum, it was recommended that just before you hit the draw button, you pull your slot card out of the machine to reduce your recorded winnings. Does this system have any merit? Nate T.
Sounds to me, Nate, like Darth Vader is luring you to the Dark Side.
What you ... (read more)
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