Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 163

They are out there

Casinos attract players from such a broad cross-section of the population that it would be surprising if they didn't also bring a broad sample of quirks.From time to time, readers tell me about a few of the odd things they've seen at the table...read more

Having fun with slots

Ah, slot machines with their lights flashing and melodies playing – row after row of these ubiquitous machines crammed in every imaginable space on the casino floor. They are by far the most popular game in casinos today. And why not? At what other casino game can a gambler simply drop in a few coins and have the possibility of winning thousands – or even millions – of dollars?Today’s wide selection of slot machines is a far cry from the machines of a few decades ago...read more

Five-card draw video poker

QUESTION: Why are video poker games five-card draw? Casino card rooms don't even offer five-card draw. Why isn't a more popular game like Hold'em the base for video poker?ANSWER: The short answer is that five-card draw has resonated with video players and Hold'em has not...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Should I play multi-hand video poker?

Question: Single play or multiple on video poker? I usually play 9/6 DDB or 8/5 DB at $0.25 ($1.25 per hand). I haven't played any multiple play, but wonder if it is worth it to start. Where can I find out more info and what I'm looking for in a pay table to be equivalent to 98% payback or higher? Would it be worth it to play $0.10 multiples in video poker, and what paytable is best? Answer: The best things about plain, old multi-hand video poker are that it requires no strategy changes from the single-hand game and you can use the tables that give the long-term paybacks and strategies for video poker paytables to know the long-term payback of the paytables on the machine you're considering playing...read more

The Quotable Captain: Empty pockets

(The late Captain was my mentor in gambling. I’ve written six books about him. This series contains some of his quotes, ideas and advice. This particular piece is the story of my fall and rise as an advantage player.)The Captain: “There they are with empty pockets.” — from the book I Am a Card Counter: Inside the World of Advantage-Play Blackjack (2014)I was 40 years old...read more

More on slots

The most-played games in American casinos are slot machines, and the most-played slot machines are the penny games.Naturally enough, questions about slots are high in the mix of e-mail I receive from readers. Let's try to answer a couple that have come in recently."What if there was an obstruction on a slot reel and the same symbol was stuck in place? If it was a multiplier symbol that multiplies all winning combinations, I think you'd want to stick around as long as it was stuck, right? What if it was just a single bar? Would you still want to stay?" If a symbol were stuck in place, there would be many combinations that seemed to be winners on which there would be no payoff...read more

Card counting drills

One of the things a card counting blackjack player needs to be skilled at is keeping up with a fast dealer. Occasionally, a player will run across a dealer who thinks it's important to move the game along at a very rapid pace, regardless of how it affects the players at the table.A skilled advantage player should like this type of play...read more

Where does the blackjack edge begin?

QUESTION: At what point does the house edge in blackjack kick in?I recall reading that a casino would never allow a person to make a one-time bet of a million because the house edge would not factor into a single transaction.So the issue then is at what point does the edge kick in...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Does getting comps from a host at a casino affect the offers you get in the mail?

Question: If I use room and food comps, does that lower my comp balance and then I may not get room comp offers potentially? Answer: I'll answer based on my own experiences with the caveat that your mileage may vary. Other casinos may have different policies, and it may matter if the casino caters to locals or tourists and whether you're a local or a tourist...read more

Players respond

FROM K**THEY: Just read your article today and wanted to confirm that I've taken your advice from previous columns and twice in one week, it's paid off for me.Last week, at Chinook Winds Casino/Resort, on the Oregon coast, I had $10 free slot play on my player’s card...read more