Tastes Change

11 May 2023

By Royal Flushes

CINDY: Over time and sometimes quickly, you can find that your tastes in casino games change. When I started playing some decades ago, I was mostly a slots player. I didn’t really want to play the table games during my first years of going to the casinos. Slots were easy; just put your money in and yank the handle and wait for the results. Easy as could be.

ABBY: Now you play mostly table games. Why were you not a table-game player right off the bat? They seem to have much more oomph to them. You seem to really enjoy them now.

CINDY: For me, and I am being honest here, the table games kind of scared me. Playing next to other people, those who might really know those games, intimidated me. I didn’t want to look like an idiot if they found out I really didn’t know how to play the games. Blackjack looked really intimidating. What were you supposed to do with your hands? It was like a different language and I couldn’t speak it. The blackjack players really seemed to know what they were doing.

ABBY: I gravitated to the machines too. I played slots but I also tried video poker. I had a horrible losing streak on video poker. Right away. It didn’t matter what game I played. It wasn’t until years later that I read about why you tend to lose a lot until you hit a royal flush –

CINDY: Great name!

ABBY: I never hit a royal flush although once or twice I got close. I was a loser at video poker and I just didn’t feel as if I could beat that game, even in a single session. Then I thought I’d give the table games a try. I told myself that I didn’t have anything to lose.

CINDY: I remember that. You went right to blackjack. That was some move. That took guts to do. I was impressed by you; I really was.

ABBY: I bought a card with the basic strategy on it. I told myself to take my time and if any other players criticized me just be cool about it and explain quickly that I was brand new and wanted to play my hands correctly and that was why I was using a strategy card. If I was slowing the game down just forgive me. I guess I thought of myself as a damsel in distress.

CINDY: That’s funny now when you look at it. Today we want the games slowed down because the fewer decisions you face, the less the house edge hurts you. I don’t think many players think that way and that’s why they like fast games. I’ve learned a lot over the years.

ABBY: But you headed right to craps when you got the courage. That was something.

CINDY: Yes. I read a book and figured I’d just do a place bet of the 6 and 8 for table minimum. Once the shooter established his point, I made six-dollar 6 and a six-dollar 8. And waited. I really didn’t feel too much pressure and I wondered why I felt so afraid of playing the table games.

ABBY: I found blackjack to be fun. So, I decided to slowly play other table games.

CINDY: Me too.

ABBY: Our tastes changed, didn’t they? Time opened up the whole casino for us to enjoy.

CINDY: Yes, they still do; tastes change. We’re now doing a roulette attack that we’re keeping track of for an article about our playing styles and results.

ABBY: Coming soon.

CINDY: I am guessing our stories are like many other casino players. You hesitate in the beginning and as time goes by so do your fears.

ABBY: Tastes do change with time, even in the casino.

CINDY: Do you think that some players pick a game and stay with it?

ABBY: Maybe slot players?

CINDY: They may jump from machine to machine to get a new experience.

ABBY: Maybe so.

CINDY: Playing casino games is something like dating. You go from one to another until you find the one.

ABBY: Or you enjoy dating a lot of different games!

CINDY: Touché!