Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 408

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. I have heard a couple things concerning video poker. First is that royal flushes hit roughly every 48,000 spins. I also have heard that when a machine is not being played, that it still continues to "spin" maybe hundreds of times per minute...read more

Is playing a found ticket a crime?

In my June 8, 2011 column, I printed a letter from Ginger, who was afraid that a casino might come after her because she found a ticket worth about $20 and played it after the rightful owner failed to claim it after 15 or so minutes. I received this letter chastising me for my reply. "I think you acted in a reasonable manner...read more

Don't play when blackjacks pay 6-5

As rules change in blackjack, so does our best strategy. In a six-deck game, basic strategy calls for doubling down on 11 against any dealer face-up card if the dealer hits soft 17, but not to double down against an ace if the dealer stands on all 17s. In a six-deck game, we'll never split a pair of 4s if we're not allowed to double down after splitting pairs, but will split 'em against a 5 or 6 if we can double...read more

When can I put down a pass bet?

Dear Frank: I have not seen anything about when I can bet the pass/don't pass line. Is it permitted after the point is established? I know I can't take a pass/don't pass bet off the table. Thanks, Ron Dear Ron: You can put down a pass and/or a don't pass bet when the shooter is coming out...read more

Playing Pick'Em Poker

It was just like old times, staying and playing in Las Vegas with my dad Jerry and brother Jay. It used to be an annual tradition, until Jay's kids and mine got to the age where school activities were taking too much of our time for a guys-only getaway. We were staying at Boyd Gaming's Fremont in Las Vegas' older, downtown area...read more

Golden Touch dice control class in Vegas in June by Melissa A. Kaplan

Most casino players know that the game of blackjack can be beaten by the use of card counting. There's nothing illegal about that, even though the casinos are not happy that some players have figured out a way to beat one of their games. Now a second game has been added to the arsenal of advantage-play for those who wish to get an edge over the house at the game of craps...read more

Blackjack Ruin Again

I recently received the following letter from Amy, one of my readers: Dear Sir, Alan Krigman says if you go for winning 10 hands at Blackjack (with a bankroll of 50 times your bet) you have a 4:1 chance of winning and a 9:1 chance of winning if you go for winning 4 hands...read more

Paying Attention While Playing

Paying attention is very important to help the memory process while playing in a casino. The likelihood that data will move from your working memory to your long-term memory depends a great deal on how intensely you pay attention. It has been proven over and over again that your physical and mental condition will vastly affect your overall learning ability...read more

Deal Me In: Your state lottery has better odds

Dear Mark: As usual, we do not have the time or energy to calculate what the odds are of hitting the “Super Royal in Diamonds” hand, but we will certainly “borrow” that information for this blog should an actual journalist or mathematician care to bust out an abacus...read more

Texas Hold'em A to Z: J Is for Jacks

Kings, Queens and Jacks are often called face cards, pictures cards or paint cards. The Jacks are sometimes called the "Baby Paints." A pair of Jacks is a powerful hand and computer simulations show that it ranks fourth in hands that make the most money...read more