Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 523

How Often Will the Dealer Bust That Blackjack Hand?

Say you're sitting at the blackjack table and are dealt an 11 as your starting hand. The dealer has a wimpy-looking 5 up. The obviously correct play is to double down. So you put another chip next to your original bet and take your one card for a double bet...read more

Two winning sessions do not a dice controller make

Dear Mr.Scoblete, I usually lose money at the craps table, but the fun and excitement keep me coming back, what a game. I happen to read some of your articles about craps and also some of the books you seem to believe will help you enjoy the experience...read more

Ploy to "Trick" Slot Machines Is a Lemon

The American Gaming Association (www.americangaming.org) published an interesting pamphlet several years ago titled "The House Advantage – A Guide to Understanding the Odds". It explains to gamblers that "house advantage" means just that; casinos ALWAYS come out ahead, emphasizing most emphatically that "…with few exceptions, it's important to remember that the house continues to have a statistical advantage in every play of every game, even against a skillful player". In the section about the "hold" percentages on slot machines, I found this very important fact regarding how long an individual plays them, the speed with which that person plays, and the amount of money wagered: "As the betting continues, over time players are more likely to lose money, rather than win...read more

The odds bet in craps

Ron is a novice craps player, or he will be the first time he plays. "I've read your book, and one by Henry Tamburin and another by Frank Scoblete," he told me on the phone. "You all make it sound so easy, but every time I go to a table, I chicken out." I laughed...read more

More "truth" about slots

Dear John, Thank you for posting my comments and accepting the discussion. My evidence? Let's first define what the evidence is? To me, real evidence is the court evidence. In other words, have you ever developed any firmware for the slot machines? If the answer is "yes" then your evidences are much stronger than mine...read more

How did Frank Scoblete get so smart about blackjack?

I'm curious on how Frank Scoblete got so smart on the game of blackjack? Jimmy Dear Jimmy: It wasn't easy — but it isn't easy for anyone, I guess. When I first went to a casino in the mid-1980s, I watched a blackjack game and realized that if all the aces came out there couldn't be a blackjack...read more

Reaction to the "truth" about slot machines

Dear John: Very interesting article: The "Truth" About Slot Machines, July 14, 2008. Both you and Mike have slot knowledge that surpasses my slot savvy. I don't go much beyond term RNG. And here is my thought on RNG. A casino set any slot to hit, for example, three single bars one hundred times a day...read more

Deal Me In: Coins will slow you down — and that's a good thing

Dear Mark: I liked your column last week where you told Ruth to slow down her play by inserting coins instead of using credits. Unfortunately, where I play, they only use bill acceptors. Still, it's good advice, just not here. Denny B. A friend of mine has a yellow ski boot where he hoards all his change thru the year, separates it in different denominations for slot play, and then hits the casino for fun and frolic...read more

Poker Is a Game of Intimidation and Respect

I know you. You're a regular poker buff. When you play poker, you study the cards, you analyze the players and figure your odds. Nevertheless, you're probably not the best player at the table each time you play. There will almost always be people who can outplay you – and people you can outplay. Remember that, theoretically, the cards are supposed to break even for everybody in the long run...read more

Dice grip advice

Dear Frank: I have been using the tong grip with some success (depending on the day, SRR between 7-11). Read Frank's book, changed my grip to three-finger grip, I'm able to hit a couple of points, but now my SRR is way too low. Any suggestions. I play in Tunica when I can...read more