Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 723

Early, middle and late in poker lingo

Dear Mark, You briefly mentioned in a past column the importance of position in Texas Hold'em. What did you mean by that? Dale O. What position is NOT, Dale, is your bun-warming seat assignment in a game. Position refers to your place at the table relative to other players who are active in a particular pot...read more

Hot Rollers

Dear Frank: I can't believe there is something that can be identified as a "hot roller" other than after the fact. Would not this now defined "hot roller" mean nothing for future rolls? Thanks, Bob Dear Bob: If the game of craps is strictly a random game, then you are absolutely correct...read more

It's Not Just About Voting

Should 14-year-olds be allowed to play poker for money in California card clubs? As silly as the idea sounds, that could be the unexpected result of an even sillier proposal by State Sen. John Vasconcellos' (D-Santa Clara), to give 14-year-olds one-quarter of a vote and 16-year-olds one-half in state elections. Until the mid-1960s, American society conventionally viewed 21 as the most appropriate age for full adult status, as reflected in most state and federal laws...read more

MGM / Mandalay: State Law Ownership Restriction Will Require Sale

Several readers have asked why there is talk of the potential sale of either the MotorCity Casino or, more recently, the MGM Grand Detroit Casino. Both casinos have performed well, and would seem to be an attractive investment notwithstanding the recent tax increase from the Legislature...read more

What Does "Theoretical Payback" Tell You?

The topic of "theoretical payback" percentage on casino slot machines is a topic that this column has addressed in the past, but every once in a while it's worth revisiting. The following e-mail sent in by John C. is representative of how the one statistic that casinos flaunt about slot machines is as misunderstood as it is vague: "I'm curious about the so-called 'theoretical' percentages that a lot of casinos post for their patrons and just how accurate they actually are...read more

Grochowski Reviews "The Vegas Kid"

Last week's column of book reviews eased the strain on my shelves only slightly. Let's check out a few more worthy contenders for your reading list, with a new book on Texas Hold'em by a poker pro, some light, fun fiction by a casino veteran and an outstanding biography I've been meaning to review for months. Poker: The Real Deal, by Phil Gordon and Jonathan Grotenstein (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $19.95, hardcover, 271 pages) Texas Hold'em is the hottest thing going in gambling today, and Phil Gordon is one of the hottest names in Hold'em thanks to his dual role as a pro on the World Poker Tour and expert analyst on Bravo's telecasts of "Celebrity Poker Showdown." In Poker: The Real Deal, Gordon and co-author Jonathan Grotenstein give an inside look at what it takes to play a winning game...read more

Where Have Those Payback Signs Gone?

Dear John, What does "nudge"/nudging" mean in playing slot machines? How does a person "nudge" a machine? "Nudge" is the technical term for when a symbol lands above or below the payline, and then moves to the payline. An example of a machine with the nudge feature is IGT's Double Diamond Deluxe...read more

Higher ginko biloba dosage needed for yours truly

Dear Mark, In poker, could you please explain the difference between a loose and an aggressive player? Fred T. An aggressive player is NOT the same as a loose player though the two are often confused. Frequent raising and re-raising characterize an aggressive style of poker play...read more

Fun and (Table) Games: Try Roulette

You may have itched to try roulette ever since you heard Captain Louis Renault say he was "shocked, shocked" to find it being played at Rick's Cafe Americain in Casablanca. It's a good game for solid citizens seeking a leisurely pace, a menu of bets with a range from highly probable small wins to remotely possible big returns, and almost nothing they can do to look foolish. Start by finding a table where the limits let you size your bets to your budget...read more

Bankroll for 20x Odds

Dear Larry, Am I allowed to call off my place bets and hard number bets anytime? Thank you, Robert Hi, Robert, Yes, you can call off your place bets and hard way bets anytime. You can also increase or decrease them, and call them off for one or more rolls and then back on again...read more