Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 138

Mining Information

Connor is a New York player with a difference: He’s been spending his down time trying to see what he can glean from casino revenue reports.“They tell us how much casinos are earning from slot machines, from table games, from sports betting,” he said via email...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Casinos and COVID-19

Red Rock has reopened some of its restaurants for takeout and limited dine-in, so I went there on Sunday to get takeout from Lucille's BBQ. I was surprised at how crowded the parking lot was. Then I saw that 90% of the parking lot was still blocked off and we had only a couple of aisles in which to park...read more

Tilt Time

Please note: Going on tilt can have various meanings but generally it means losing control of some type. Could mean betting for too long; betting much too much; or just acting foolishly. It can happen to the best of players and is something to be avoided...read more

Top 10 reasons poker players should choose cash games over tournaments

People often ask me if they should play cash games or tournaments. And my answer is that you should play the format that you enjoy the most.However, for somebody who is on the fence and likes to play both, I would recommend cash games for a number of reasons.After all, most long-term professional poker players play cash games over tournaments and more people play cash games than tournaments overall.So here are the top 10 reasons why I recommend playing poker cash games over tournaments.10...read more

Hitting Soft Hands

QUESTION: My friends and I were joking about doubling down on blackjack, not that we’d really do it.But it got us to talking. How high would you really go in hitting or doubling on a soft hand? I guess you’re supposed to hit or double on soft 17, but what about soft 18 or soft 19? Surely not soft 20?ANSWER: In a six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17, basic strategy calls for us to double down on soft 19 if doubling is allowed.Some tables don’t allow soft doubling, and, of course, you can’t double in standard blackjack games if you have three or more cards...read more

Multiple Video Poker Hands

A follow-up question about video poker play from Dave. The previous reply to Dave stated that there is a total of 940 possible initially dealt hands containing four cards of a royal flush.Hello stickmanjerry,I appreciate your email. Never expected that...read more

Fast Video Poker Games

If Double Double Bonus Poker is a roller coaster and Triple Double Bonus Poker is a bungee jump, what do you make of Triple Triple Bonus Poker?A skydive? A skydive with a hole in the parachute?Triple Triple just recently came to my attention, the newest in International Game Technologies’ line of video poker games.Over the decades, IGT has added games with increasing volatility, more chances to win big and greater chances of depleting your bankroll at lightning speed.Triple Triple takes that to a new level with multiple hands that can land you a 4,000-coin jackpot for a five-coin bet.As in most games, you get 4,000 for a royal flush...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Readers' comments about reopening casinos

Here are some of your comments about reopening casinos. Question: I really don't care what kind of regulations they come up with, just get it together so they can open. I have a reservation to the Nugget in Biloxi in June, so hoping that will be open by then...read more

Playing Blackjack Correctly

Some interesting comments can be made by other players at the blackjack tables. All of the following I have heard or seen written about by “experts” at the game. Which ones are right? Which ones are wrong? Here are some:• “Never hit your twelve against the dealer’s two!”• “If you are on third base you are responsible for the dealer’s hand.”• “If you have a ace and a six never double down against the dealer’s six.”• “Do not split aces when the dealer shows a power card of ten or face card.”• “Do not split eights against power cards as well.”• “Split fives if the dealer is showing a six or lower.”• “Basic strategy is just some egg-heads’ opinion...read more

Reopening of the Casinos

QUESTION: When casinos are allowed to reopen, will they be able to offer a full range of games? Will social distancing make a difference?ANSWER: Every jurisdiction will have its own regulations for reopening. New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois and Oklahoma regulations won’t necessarily all look the same.It would be safe to assume social distancing protocols will be in place, with specifics to be determined...read more