Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 827

ESPN Great Outdoor Games in Reno

Well, the Great Outdoor Games are headed west for the first time. They’ve been in Lake Placid, N.Y. for three highly successful years, but this year we have them in Reno.... and they’ll be in Tahoe too......read more

Scobe's Quick Tips: #20 and #21 (Blackjack Strategy, Tipping the Dealer)

Scobe's Quick Tip #20: You've got to know how to play your hands to have a good chance to win at blackjack. Some things you always do in blackjack and some things you never do. Always split aces and 8s, but never split 5s and 10s. No matter what the dealer's upcards, these two "always" and "nevers" apply! For more information on blackjack read Best Blackjack by Frank Scoblete and Blackjack Take the Money and Run by Henry Tamburin.   Scobe's Quick Tip #21: Want to earn a little extra in comp points on your rating? Then always place your tip on top of your bet but let the dealer know it...read more

Inverse Gambler's Fallacy

Let's continue with discussion of the gambler's fallacies that we began a few weeks ago. You may recall that the first fallacy we spoke about was that "the odds have to even out." That is, in slot terms, if we've been getting a lot of losing spins during a certain period, we're due to have a hot streak because the machine isn't supposed to be so stingy...read more

Are Disordered Gambling Regulations Based on Science?

Wednesday, April 9, the American Gaming Association and the DetroitWindsor Chapter of Casino Management Association co-sponsored a Responsible Gaming Lecture Series program at Detroit's MGM Grand Detroit Casino. The program included a presentation by Dr...read more

Examining Some New Slot Games

When it comes to picking and choosing new slot machines to play, some are definitely better than others. The program math that the manufacturers install in the machines makes some games more exciting than others but not necessarily more advantageous to play...read more

Spanish 21 Quiz Answers

Last week I popped a 10-question quiz on Spanish 21, a variation on blackjack that adds a number of player options and bonuses. Those wrinkles are really tempting, but Spanish 21 actually has a house edge that is a little higher than that in blackjack...read more

Judicious Standing Below 17 is the Blackjack Player's Best Weapon

Most connoisseurs of casino blackjack know that the house edge in the game arises because the dealer acts after the players. This has nothing to do with the kitchen table advantage of seeing everyone else's totals before deciding how to proceed...read more

Have You Made a Friend at the Craps Table Today?

Craps, with its multitude of different bets that resolve at different times, is the most complicated game in the casino to learn, both to play and to deal. To my knowledge, craps is also the only game in the casino where the players cannot set up every bet available to them (i.e., they must give some wagers to a dealer to set up for them)...read more

Slots and pots revisited

Dear Mark,If the house edge is only .05% on a 9/6 video poker machine, how important is hitting the royal flush in the overall payback? I usually play a $1 machine. Joe L. As stated in past columns, 9/6 (full house: 9, flush: 6, one coin inserted) Jacks or Better video poker is associated with a house edge of 0.5%. But if you do not hit a royal flush, the casino advantage will be higher...read more

Poker Tells: When a Player Unexpectedly Bets

The other day I was playing some 7 Stud Hi/Lo Split - 8 or Better. A deuce brought it in and a queen immediately raised, signifying a probable pair of queens. A player showing a 6 called, and then it came to me with an ace up...read more