Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 171

Take care when playing

I have a saying that I tell my friends and students: “When I win the lottery, I’m not going to play in a casino, I’m going to buy a casino.”During my many visits to casinos around the country and the world, I can’t understand how so many players can make so many mistakes in the way they play, and then charge it up to bad luck...read more

More decks means more edge

QUESTION: Please explain to me why the house edge is higher when there are more decks in blackjack. The proportion of the cards is exactly the same. How does just adding more cards in the same proportions help the dealer?ANSWER: This is a question I used to get a lot more often, but there are many fewer one-deck games than there used to be...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Is the bonus amount predetermined when you have a choice of bonus games?

Question: I was on a ship playing Dancing Drums and sitting next to a friend playing the same machine. She hit the progressive feature and was very deliberate in making her choices (as if she had an influence on the outcome). After she hit the Mini, I tried my best to explain to her that the result was already pre-determined and had nothing to do with her choices...read more

The Quotable Captain: Class or classless?

The Quotable Captain: Class(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 article concerns how the Captain decides which players are classy and which are classless.)The Captain: “How you treat the workers serving you is a true indication of your character.” — Interview for Chance and Circumstance.The Captain had a real animosity for players who publicly showed disdain for the employees of the casinos and the casino hotels.“I think treating workers poorly is a disgrace...read more

Super Double Poker

Video poker is always high on my list of games when I hit the casinos, but on some variations, years can pass between sessions.So on a November outing, when I touched the icon to launch Super Double Bonus Poker, I had to think a little and play a little slower than usual...read more

Playing 8/5 Jacks or Better

The full-pay 9/6 (9-for-1 for a full house and 6-for-1 for a flush) Jacks or Better video poker game used to be readily available. Not so any more. In many casinos the best game that can be found on the main casino floor is 8/5 Jacks or Better...read more

Third base in blackjack

QUESTION: At a football party at my brother’s house, I had the debate on the third baseman’s duties in blackjack. This friend of my brother’s was complaining about a third baseman taking the dealer’s bust card, and a said, “But you don’t know it’s a bust card until it’s dealt.”He said, “It usually is...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Dragon Link denominations and bonus rounds

Question: How does Dragon Link work with the different denominations ($0.01 to $2) and the lines played (50 lines for one and two cents, down to 5 lines for the one and two dollars)? I was playing $0.02 denom for $5 a spin and won more on bonuses than I did playing higher denoms for $5, $10 and $20 a spin...read more

Pursuit of the dream

Mankind is the pursuing of dreams animal; even when we are wide awake, our dreams can drive us forward. Indeed much of man’s accomplishments on this planet come from such pursuits of dreams. Our books and movies reflect our pursuits – often ending in loss of some kind.Indiana Jones feverishly pursued the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark...read more

Expert video poker play

When you see payback percentages listed for video poker games “with expert strategy,” players need to understand that betting maximum coins is part of expert play.If you don’t bet the max, not only is the overall payback percentage reduced, but strategy for holding cards changes, too.What brings this to mind is an e-mail from a reader who asked if the entire reason to bet the max was the jackpot jump on the 1 in 40,000 shot at a royal flush, or if lesser bets also decreased the frequency of lesser winning hands.The full reason is the royal jackpot leap from 250-for-1 with bets of four coins or fewer to a whopping 4,000 when you bet five...read more