Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 297

Poker, poker everywhere

Just how many different poker games are there? I've been able to identify at least 120 different games that claim to be poker, in one form or another. Chicago, five-card draw, five-card stud, Texas Hold'em, Omaha, low ball, seven-card, whiskey poker and (of course) strip poker are just some of the variations.The game we know today was developed in the U.S...read more

Blackjack Bob asks about Four-Card Poker

I’ve mentioned my old blackjack-playing pal Bob a few times in this column. Bob’s a solid player who spends most of his casino time at the 21 tables. However, he does take breaks for low-minimum Three-Card Poker, roulette and video poker.“Penny slots, too,” Bob piped in when I saw him in early August...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: I lose more, but my wife gets better rewards

When my wife and I get our fliers from the casino, she always gets a larger dollar amount than I do. I know at times I have spent more dollars and yet I get screwed in the end — what gives? The explanation of ADT was very vague and complicated. Casino rewards can seem arbitrary when you compare your rewards with someone else's...read more

Professional craps play

FROM NESS: I read the letters in your mailbag that people send to you in the Casino Times newsletter I get in my e-mail.A little background information about myself:I am an advantage craps player who sometimes gambles. I have a set system of betting that I am able to adjust to the trends of the craps action...read more

A wild streak indeed!

QUESTION: Something very unusual happened at the casino recently. Playing my usual Double Double Bonus machines, I was dealt three 4s. Of course, I didn’t get the other 4. On the very next round, I was dealt three 4s again. And again I didn’t get the other 4...read more

The Value of Practice

Arnold Palmer once quipped, “It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get.” There is a whole lot of truth to what he said.Practice is important in developing and honing any skill.The greats in sports have rigorous practice sessions...read more

Streaks happen

Streaks happen. You don’t know when they’re coming, and you don’t know when they’re going to end. They can be good, bad or indifferent for your bankroll. But streaks are a part of normal probability.From time to time, I hear from players who have been on unusual streaks...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: More on video poker dealing

I read with interest your early September column about video poker dealing being changed from five cards with five "shadow" cards behind them — and you got the card behind whichever card you threw away. I am wondering if you left out one iteration of dealing before IGT (and others) got to the current system of the second five cards being randomly circulated by the RNG — which changes your result based on the exact second you hit the draw button...read more

Place to lose at craps and Archie Karas

FROM MAC I: Re: The Don't Come BoxIs one able to make place bets per the Don't Come box at craps?I know the best Place bets are the numbers 6 and 8 when playing the Come box and that the player must bet $6 to win $5, the house edge being 1.5 percent.I assume that one can make a "Don't Come Place bet" as well, but I can't findinformation on how to do it and what numbers are the best to place and in what denomination the bet should be.Thanks for any help.FROM MAC II: Hello again, Frank.With regard to my earlier sent e-mail of yesterday, I finally found the answer I was looking for, coincidentally, in an article written by you, per the Casino City Times newsletter.It's fairly easy to find info about making place bets using the "Come Box," but much harder to find same regarding the "Don't Come Box".I'm sure you are familiar with the historic three year run (1993-1996) that Archie Karas had at Binion's Horseshoe on the craps table, whereby he accumulated something like $30 million with a starting bankroll of like $300,000 and then lost most of it back to the casino.If I'm not mistaken, he wasn't allowed to make odds bets because his pass line wagers were so big...read more

Bonehead plays

QUESTION: I know you collect stories about unusual things that happen in casinos, and I have a couple for you. They’re a little embarrassing, since they’re about my own mistakes, but at least they’ve taught me to pay attention. So here goes.I usually play dollar video poker but occasionally I go into the high-limit area and play one coin on a $5 machine...read more