Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 685

Video Poker Improvements at Resorts East Chicago

It seems Mark Kashuda and I are becoming video poker comrades in arms. He wants to offer games that will attract players. I'm only to happy to make suggestions. Kashuda, who is now director of slot operations at Resorts East Chicago, asked me to look over his video poker floor...read more

Poker, Beantown style

Dear Mark, Do you know anything about a game called Boston 5 Card? Karl V. Boston 5 Card is a relatively new poker game that is making an appearance in numerous casinos across America. Some readers have written me stating how much fun it is to play; its ultimate success, however, will depend not on fun, but on how much money it makes for the casino. Play commences when the player makes an ante bet and a "first wager." The first wager must be exactly double that of the ante...read more

When Does the RNG Stop?

I am somewhat confused about the following. Let's say I am playing a three quarter machine. Which of the following is true or happens? Upon dropping in the first of three coins, the RNG stops and the pay line outcome is detrmined no matter if I put in two more coins and then hit the spin button...read more

Why Are Face Cards Called "Monkeys"?

Ok, I got one for ya. Where did the term "monkey" come from when someone asks for a face card in table games such as blackjack and baccarat? The only reference I can find in books, magazines, and online is that it refers to a face card...read more

Betting Angle Books Abound at GBC as Grid Season Nears

For those who believe that history will repeat or that certain teams dominate others like clockwork, we have books for you. Books which focus on "domination" characteristics or consistency attract a certain segment of the betting public as the football season nears...read more

Why Craps Players Can't Have their Cake and Eat It, too

Most craps aficionados like to have three, sometimes more, numbers at work during a shooter's "hand." Aside from the gingerbread (one-roll and hardways bets often made as hedges), this approach to the game typically boils down to one of two strategies...read more

Resorts Destinations CEO Assures Success in East Chicago

Gaming fans who had grown accustomed to Harrah's East Chicago Casino & Hotel were subjected to somewhat of a "gambling culture" shock in late April when the property morphed literally overnight into Resorts Destinations East Chicago. The only popular comparisons I can make to illustrate the impact this can have on a loyal following of gamblers is if Wrigley Field became the home of the New York Yankees starting with the next home stand or if Marshall Field's closed Saturday night and re-opened Monday morning as Harrod's. During a whirlwind 36-hour period when the property was closed to the public, all vestiges of Harrah's were removed and replaced with the identity of the new owner...read more

Choosing What You Play

Casino games come in all shapes and sizes, from craps' rectangular layout to the horseshoe-shaped blackjack tables to traditional upright slot machines to the Death Star towering over the floor on Star Wars video slots. The house edge comes in all shapes and sizes, too...read more

No thinking allowed

Dear Mark, I am writing you to complain about a conflict I was involved in this past weekend. My girlfriend was playing blackjack and I was just finishing up a hot session on the craps table. Still feeling lucky, I walked over to the table she was playing on, and with one circle available, I placed $500 on the layout...read more

How Long Should I Stay at a Non-Paying Machine?

Hello, John, How long would you stay at a slot machine that isn't giving you any payback? 7 pulls, 12 pulls, 15 pulls? I am having difficulty deciding when to give up on a losing cause thinking the next pull just might be the big payoff...read more