Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 759

RIVER POKER TOUR AT SAM'S TOWN

The new and growing River Poker Tour, Mississippi's no-limit Texas Hold 'em competition, will stage its second event at Sam's Town June 4-6 following the successful debut of the Tour earlier at Grand Casino. "We had such a successful start with our first event that we wanted to play this one in Mississippi as well," said Steve Rosatti, a partner in the new company based in Clarksdale, MS...read more

Is the RNG Programmed to Wipe People Out?

The Borgata casino in Atlantic City is excellent. I have been very lucky there. How come they have so many winners? Who programs the slot machines? Slots are all I play. Love your column. Irisanne Dear Irisanne, I'm glad you've been lucky at the Borgata...read more

Heard it on the River

Lots of great news coming out of TUNICA RESORTS in recent days such as a $65 million waterpark, grand opening of the TUNICA NATIONAL GOLF & TENNIS CLUB, two new casino filings for licenses, and an option exercised to buy over 500 acres for a motor sports complex that could eventually cost $100 million...read more

Rake in the chips with these books on poker

Mark, I got into a friendly low-stakes poker game with friends. I absolutely loved it, though I did not understand some of the different games and rules. I need you to recommend a beginner poker book, one that explains checking, raises and the different games...read more

At Blackjack, Splitting Pairs Is Rarely Splitting Hairs

Splitting pairs is a powerful tool for blackjack buffs. However, as is often true in the casino, there's a price to pay. Splits require second wagers, equal to the first. And some solid citizens hesitate to go out on the limb. Either because they're scared by the sum that will be up for grabs, or due to qualms about the advisability of certain splits. The dilemma posed by the extra money typically results from faulty judgement at the beginning of a round...read more

Ask Larry: Handling Rude Craps Dealers

Dear Larry, You indicated that a person could place a pass line bet both before or after the come out roll. Do you mean that after a come out roll you are placing a number, or really making a pass line bet, with possible odds? R Green Most casinos will allow you to make a pass line bet AFTER the point is established...read more

Technically Not Slot Machines

The most important developments in the world of gaming devices are not the way the new machines look. Design is important, but it means nothing if you cannot legally operate the game. Recent corporate mergers and announcements - GTECH's acquisition of Spielo, Alliance's of Sierra Design Group, IGT's Sodak launching Class II machines - show that major manufacturers and operators understand that there is going to be significant growth in the market of non-traditional slot machines. The most interesting developments are the morphing of various forms of gambling into near-slot machines...read more

Blackjack Is Good or Bad Depending on YOU!

Shakespeare had Hamlet say, "There's nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so." Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." The dopey guy who lives across the road said, "Blackjack? It's all just dumb luck!" For the dopey guy who lives across the road, his thinking has made blackjack a "bad" game and for him the long run will be "the worst of times." Because blackjack is a game where skill will determine just how much you win and lose over the course of your playing career and luck will take a back seat, how you think about the game will be the precursor of what actually happens to you when you play the game. The majority of blackjack players, unfortunately, tend to play blackjack in such a way that they give the house rather large edges when, in fact, had they played correctly, the house would have very little edge, if any edge at all...read more

Should We Always Play Coin Limit?

For some unknown reason, many players consider it mandatory to play all Video Pokers at coin-limit, usually 5 coins. This is not always the smart play. Even if we follow the directions given about finding the only machines to play, those that pay the full-pay schedule which returns from 99.6 to 100.6 percent (without a progressive jackpot), we should consider some other factors. BANKROLL--If we are not adequately bankrolled, even favorable pay schedules may not save us from the Gamblers Ruin phenomenon, which wipes us out early with just a few short cold streaks...read more

Chips in Tournament Machines

Good day, John, This is in re: cell phones. This is strictly information. I do have a question below which may or may not be useful for your column. In my last trip to Biloxi a few weekends ago I was amazed at the number of folks chatting on cell phones...read more