Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 201

Being harassed by another player

QUESTION: What do you do when you're being harrassed by another player?I was using a Hi-Lo count at blackjack, and got into a big positive count. I stood on 16 against a dealer's 10, and this other player started in on me.He asked if I ever hit 16s against 10s, and I said sometimes...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Paybacks on penny slot machines

Question: Do you answer all questions? Or just the ones that agree with you? Answer: No and no. I don't answer all questions. I get too many to be able to answer all of them. I answer the questions that I think are the most interesting or that are about something new or are about something old but in a new way...read more

Please be gentle

Playing in a casino for the very first time can be an intimidating experience. Many first-time players tend to head right for the slot machines, since these machines will rarely have other players watching them.Table games are a different story...read more

Top 10 steps to ensure permanent success in poker

Many players think that it is difficult to obtain consistent success in poker. However, this is not necessarily true if you know how to study and are ready to dedicate some serious time to your play.Obviously, you have to understand many crucial topics to see good results, but it is doable with some determination and proper guidance...read more

Better payouts for bets?

Over lunch at a casino buffet, my friend Will and I got into a discussion about roulette.It was unusual because Will is a blackjack player who doesn't play roulette, but he raised a point about bringing the high house edge on American double-zero roulette more into line with other games...read more

Altering video poker payouts

Hello Stickman,There are 9/6 Jacks or Better progressives at two Indian casinos in Oklahoma that appear to be class III (based on previous articles you have written regarding class II vs III). They are IGH Game Kings (see below).My question is, can these machines still be altered in a way despite being class III? Or does the manufacturer not allow manipulation of class III? My concern is that these are being represented as class III machines but are not playing out like Vegas-style ones.I signed up for a player’s card and ran through $40,000 in action (no royal or straight flush) and I was given $1,200 back in free play as a mailer...read more

Holding the low pair at video poker

QUESTION: Video poker question: I know you've written that low pairs are more valuable than high cards, but what if you have two high cards in a hand? What if you have a hand like K-Q-8-8-4? Is it still better to hold the low pair instead of the two high cards? Does it make a difference if the king and queen are the same suit or different suits?Please explain for 9/6 Double Double Bonus, because that's the game I play.ANSWER: Let's do this assuming king of spades, queen of hearts, 8 of diamonds, 8 of clubs and 4 of clubs, and again with the king and queen both being spades.Either way, if you hold the pair of 8s and discard the other three cards, there are 16,125 possible draws, with 11,559 being losing hands.Of the 4,556 winners, 2,592 are two pairs bring 1-for-1 payoffs, 1,854 are three of a kind paying 3-for-1, 165 are full houses paying 9-for-1 and 45 are four of a kind paying 250-for-1.The average return per five coins wagered is 3.67 coins.If the king and queen are different suits, the 16,215 possible draws include 6,154 winners, with 5,015 high pairs (1-for-1), 717 two pairs (1-for-1), 283 three of a kind (3-for-1), 128 straights (4-for-1), 18 full houses (9-for-1) and two four of a kind (250-for-1).The average return is 2.27 coins.If the king and queen are the same suit, winners rise to 6,237 combinations because of possible flushes...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Do keno machines use RNGs?

Question: In Las Vegas, do keno machines operate under an RNG as do poker and slot machines? Or are they independent of an RNG and determine the outcome based on the numbers you played that game? The reason I ask is that all too often it seems I can play a five-number game for hours and the minute I change my numbers, those five come in? It could be coincidental, but it does seem to happen more often than it should. Answer: How often has this happened to you? How many times have you changed numbers and had your old numbers come out and how many times have you changed numbers and not had your old numbers come out? And have you done the math to calculate how often it should happen? If you don't keep records, the best you can say is that it "seems" to be happening...read more

What do losses mean?

FROM THEODORE: I am totally confused by certain things I have read about casino gambling. I am a novice and I have not played so far and therefore maybe I am misreading what I have read. Take craps for instance. The pass line bet is supposed to be a good bet and the house edge is something like 1.4%...read more

Slot games of yore

Slot machines come and slot machines go as gamemakers introduce hundreds of new themes every year.That doesn't stop players from yearning for old favorites. I asked slot players who have written to me in the past if there are games of yore they wish they could still play.ERICA: Saturday Night Live...read more