Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 462

Should you take insurance in blackjack without counting cards?

A, if not the, prime directive of Basic Strategy in blackjack is never to take insurance. The reason is that, under normal circumstances, this bet gives the house a huge advantage. Pretend, for example, you're in a six-deck game, know nothing about the proportions of ranks previously withdrawn from the shoe, and ignore what's in sight on the table at the moment...read more

Are craps box people rooting against me?

Hi Frank, I watched the DVD (Beat Craps by Controlling the Dice) and I am a believer. Still working on my technique, had some good successes though. My question is a little hard to describe. I find myself getting nervous at the table...read more

The RNG and free spins

Thanks for your columns. I have learned a lot through them. One question on RNGs and bonuses. If the outcome is determined at the microsecond one hits the button, I have a question about bonuses. I often wonder during a bonus whether I should let the machine count up the individual free spins on its own, or whether I can speed up the process without affecting the outcome...read more

Sizing Up the Game

When I play Texas Hold'em if I get seated in an established game I will not play my first seven hands unless I am in the blind or I have a strong hand that I can raise with. I do this for two reasons. One reason is that I want to establish an image of a tight player...read more

Compact casino guides cover a multitude of games

For the occasional gambler who's not sure which games to play, one book can often do the job. This is especially good for the family with diverse interests. After all, why buy three different books when one will suffice? Here are several titles worth considering which offer the basics, with ideas and alternatives. Beat the House by Frederick Lembeck (183 pages, paperbound, $6.50): a one-volume package of ideas and stories primarily on craps and roulette, with theories, systems, explanations of the various bets, including ways of "hedging." Each game gets equal treatment with basic term definitions and table etiquette. 109 Ways to Beat the Casinos by Walter Thomason (147 pages, paperbound, $7): packed with tips and shortcuts to playing the casino games, Thomason focuses on some intangibles such as table etiquette, money management, tipping, game strategy, getting and using comps...read more

Cruise control

The first time I ever used my "cruise control" on my new car disoriented me to some degree. I had to get used to the road without my foot on the gas pedal. Strange as it might seem, the feel of the road is entirely different when you drive using your car's cruise control...read more

Kentucky Derby Themed Slot Hits Winner's Circle

In spite of the fact casinos and race tracks are related through gambling, slot machine manufacturers have been unsuccessful in developing a game that incorporates the excitement of horse racing. That could be about to change now that one of the world's leading gaming companies, Aristocrat Technologies, Inc., has joined forces with historic Churchill Downs to create the first Kentucky Derby themed slot machine. The company unveiled the product at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas late last year...read more

Conversation with a slot player

Maggie is a friend of a friend of my wife's, someone I met at a holiday party when someone told her I was just the person she needed to talk to about slot machines. "Tell me how to win," she said, and I laughed. That's the most common request I get about slot machines, and it's one I can't fulfill...read more

More on the RNG

John, Thanks for the info on the RNG. That helps out quite a bit but leaves me to question as to how random the results actually are. If the system uses the last calculated value and generates a number from it wouldn't the results follow some sort of sequence over time? I do realize that unless you're "Rain Man" you would never be able to memorize the sequence, nor would you able to stop the reels at exact intervals to follow the pattern...read more

What kind of person is gambling one seat over from you?

Harrah's Entertainment has long been commissioning biennial surveys profiling American gamblers. The American Gaming Association (AGA) has also been producing studies of this topic, using data from Harrah's as well as from polls sponsored on its own...read more