Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 531

Tell me more about dice control

Dear Frank: I am a retired commodity trader and I love the game of craps. I'm a lifelong martial artist and credit my ability to concentrate and focus for the success I achieved on the trading floor. I have tremendous discipline as a result of my Martial Arts training as well. I'm great with numbers and always am looking for an edge, as I always got on the trading floor...read more

Kentucky Derby puts horse racing in gambling spotlight

The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 3, served as a reminder of how close the very different worlds of casino entertainment and horse racing have become. Eleven horse racing states currently have active "racino" operations...read more

My first casino trip

For every casino player, there has to be a first time. But what is it about that first trip to the slots or tables that leads to a second? I can only speak for myself, though if you care to e-mail your stories to casinoanswerman@casinoanswerman.com, I'd be happy to share them in the coming weeks. As for my first time, it was a trip to Las Vegas with my wife Marcy in the days before riverboats, barges and Native American casino made blackjack and video poker accessible as a day trip to nearly everyone...read more

Playing It Smart: Why you rarely get what you expect at craps

Say you throw the dice randomly 36 times. According to the laws of probability, you'll expect to get six sevens, five sixes and five eights, four fives and four nines, three fours and three 10s, two threes and two 11s, and one two and one 12. Payoffs for the various bets and characteristics of the game such as the house advantage, are based on the supposition that what you expect is what you get...read more

Hacking into slot machines

I read your story on How Do They Get Machines to Hit Jackpots. I have to disagree with your logic about not being able to control the software on a machine. They are all run on a computer software program, which can be controlled/or changed by any programmer...read more

What are your thoughts on Ultimate Texas Hold'em?

Dear Frank, I cruised on the NCL Majesty last week and was taking a beating on craps and blackjack so I took a shot at their Ultimate Texas Hold'em game. You play against the dealer and have "bonus" plays in addition to the basic ante/bet...read more

Blackjack basic strategy quiz - answers

It's been a while since I've popped a quiz, and a while since I've delved into blackjack basic strategy. See if you know the best way to play the following five hands, all among the most-often misplayed hands in the game. For all hands, assume a six-deck game in which the dealer stands on all 17s, you may split and resplit any pair except aces, which you may split only once, may double down on any first two cards, and may double down after splitting a pair. 1...read more

Deal Me In: Friend should try Shuffle Master's leg

Dear Mark: I was sitting at a casino bar in casual conversation with another player who said that he was a card counter. I asked him why play here since this casino uses only continuous shuffle machines. He replied that he liked to play on them because it drew less scrutiny versus a hand- or shoe-dealt game...read more

Bad Beats Abound in Both Poker and Blackjack

It hadn't happened to me in quite a while. I was playing two hands of blackjack and was dealt 20 on my first hand and 7/4 on my second. The dealer had an 8 up. I doubled down on the 11 and bought a 9 to make another 20. The dealer turned over 3 in the hole and the rest of the story goes into the "bad beat" column...read more

Gus, ghosts, poker math -- three super arrivals for players

For years, poker observers and opponents have been fascinated with world class player Gus Hansen's style of play. His play has stymied even the most astute opponents. For the past year or so, there were rumors of a tell-all Hansen instructional book...read more