Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 74

When Things Go Wrong

I have spent so much time in casinos, sometimes up to 130 days a year. In over three decades of play most of my visits are pleasant, whether I win or lose. Yet, some visits are noteworthy for the things that happen that are not par for the casino course...read more

Another Spin?

QUESTION: Why does the casino floor person make you press the spin button on a slot or the deal button on video poker after you are lucky enough to get a hand payout? What if you refuse?ANSWER: Casinos have long asked players to spin off big winners...read more

Double VP Quiz

This quiz is a bit different from previous quizzes. Rather than being for just one game, each hand is subject to the strategy for 9/6 Jacks or Better as well as 9/6 Double-Double Bonus. All strategy is based on betting the five-credit maximum.Hand number one: Ad Jc Qc 7d KdHow would you play this hand on a 9/6 Jacks or Better game?This hand really has only four possible holds worth considering:1. Two cards of a royal flush (Jc Qc).2. Two cards of a royal flush (Ad Kd).3. Four cards of an open straight with four high cards (Ad Jc Qc Kd).4. Finally, three cards of a flush (Ad 7d Kd).Here are the returns for these holds on a 9/6 Jacks or Better game:1. Two cards of a royal flush (Jc Qc) return 3.0019 credits per five credits bet, on average.2. Two cards of a royal flush (Ad Kd) return 2.7558 credits for five credits.3. Four cards of an open straight with four high cards (Ad Jc Qc Kd) return 2.9787 credits.4. Three cards of a flush (Ad 7d Kd) return 2.4884 credits on average.Holding the Jack and Queen of clubs will get you 3.0019 credits on average...read more

Games We Loved to Play

CINDY: We have played some great games over the decades. And some rotten ones because there was nothing better.ABBY: It’s been decades! The time goes fast, doesn’t it?CINDY: The cruise ships often had so-so games. You’d make your bets really low so the house edges didn’t kill you...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: When good slot machines go bad

I settled in for what I hoped to be an enjoyable -- and profitable -- session playing my favorite Quick Hit Blitz machine. Blitzy was a little glitchy that day. She just wasn't herself. Every once in a while, the reels would take a fraction of a second pause after I hit the Spin button...read more

Proper Craps Play

There are two main games at a craps table. The first is to bet with the dice; that is, you want just about any number to appear except for the dreaded seven during the point cycle of the game. The second game is to bet against the numbers, rooting for the seven to appear and wipe out all the other numbers you are betting against.The first group of bettors are called “right bettors,” while the second group of bettors are called “wrong or darkside bettors.” Most players fall into the “right side” of the ledger, while maybe five percent of the bettors fall within the wrong side of the game.[Please note: On the come-out roll the “right bettors’ actually want the seven to appear while on the come-out roll the “wrong bettors” do not want the seven to appear...read more

The "Poor" Perfect Blackjack Plays

With the holidays past and the New Year begun, it was back to work time.For Blackjack Bob, that meant back to the tables."Apparently my play isn't to everyone's tastes," he said as we had a coffee morning via Zoom.I asked if he was annoying everyone with plays they think are close calls."You know how it goes," he said...read more

VP Return and Variance

Video poker is different from other casino slot games because the player can actually determine the return and variance of the game. This is not true of slot machines. Only those with access to the slot machine’s programming information can make that determination.A large portion of video poker players do not have a clue as to the return and variance of the game they are playing...read more

At Home?

CINDY: Have you noticed that there are far more commercials about playing casino games in your own home? On your own phone too. I think this is becoming a really big movement.ABBY: It is not just sports betting but you can get the app of whatever company and play various casino games...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Anticipation and suspense in slot machine design

One of the slot machine innovations that Charles Fey introduced in his Liberty Bell slot machine was suspense in revealing the outcome. Rather than having all reels stop at the same time, the reels in the Liberty Bell stopped sequentially, one after the other, left to right...read more