Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 746

RULE BREAKING 101 and 102

Dear Mark, Over the past eight years that you have been writing your column, I have followed your advice of only making bets with less than 2% house edge, with one exception. Occasionally, I play Let It Ride. Would you ever recommend, or do you ever play, a game that has more than a 2% casino advantage? Jill J...read more

Does It Help or Hurt when Blackjack Dealers Hit Soft 17s?

In most casinos, blackjack dealers must stand on soft 17s -- combinations like ace-six or four-ace-two. In some establishments dealers must hit these totals. Which is better for players? Puzzling out the answer intuitively doesn't necessarily work...read more

Grit Your Teeth and Go For It

I was recently in Las Vegas and stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Hilton has some 9/6 Jacks or better machines and, as usual, I was giving one of them a try. Every now and then one is dealt a pat hand, that is, there is already a winner in the hand and I was dealt just such a hand...read more

Jest for Fun

* * * * * Here's a story slot players should take to heart: Once there was a little baby cabbage who said to his mother, "Mommy I'm worried about something. As I sit in this row of cabbages and grow and grow day after day, how will I know when to stop growing?" "The rule to follow," mommy cabbage said, "is to quit when you're a head." * * * * * A...read more

Part One: Is Random Craps Really Random?

I have a mind experiment for you. We know that in 36 rolls of the dice, the probabilities of the various numbers coming up are as follows: 2 – one time 3 – two times 4 – three times 5 – four times 6 – five times 7 – six times 8 – five times 9 – four times 10 – three times 11 – two times 12 – one time If we had perfect probability work itself out in 36 rolls, you would see all the numbers appear their given times...read more

Average or Home Runs?

I'm not talking about Helton vs. Bonds. Although I'm sure I could draw many analogies to baseball beyond the title of this column, I'm talking about Video Poker. How's that? The question is, when you play Video Poker, are you playing to maximize your long term average or are you swinging for the fences? Perhaps a simple test will give you an idea of which type of player you are. Assuming a full-pay jacks or better machine, how would you play the following hand? AH 10H 3C 5D 8S Hopefully, you're only seeing 2 realistic ways to play this...read more

Can a Machine Be Set to Pay at Only a Certain Number of Coins Played?

I am a Pot O Gold multigame maniac. I especially love the Deuces Wild game on these machines which has the DOUBLE DOWN spinning hi - lo card feature. When you make any winning hand, you get the option to double the amount you just won. The particular Pot O Gold machine I play lets you Double Down up to four times...read more

Blue Ribbon College Book; Feist Workbook Among New Gbc Arrivals

Chris Dortch's Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook (384 pages, 8x11 paperbound, $21.95) has arrived at Gambler's Book Shop along with Jim Feist's Football Workbook (305 pages, 8x11 plastic spiralbound) and the National Football League Record and Fact Book (766 pages, paperbound, $16.95)...read more

Majestic Star Casino Unveils "Da Coach"-Inspired Sports Bar

The Majestic Star Casino has added a creative new dimension of entertainment to the Chicago-area gambling scene with the grand opening of Don & Mike's Sports Bar. Gambling enthusiasts who have become accustomed to hotel, fine and casual dining options, Las Vegas-style buffets and entertainment at area casinos will find this innovative addition to the market an exciting change of pace. Don and Mike's is named for Don H...read more

Chicago-Area Slot Paybacks

Slot players looking for a little better run for their money frequently ask which Chicago area casino pays back to players the highest percentage of coins wagered. Month in and month out, the simplest answer would be that Grand Victoria in Elgin has the highest payback percentage...read more