Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 91

The KISS Attack

I mentioned to my wife last night as we settled into bed that the next column I write will be titled “The KISS Attack!”“Oh, lord, no,” she said immediately.“What?”“How can you call your readers stupid?” she asked.“No that’s not what the title means,” I said...read more

Near Misses and Real Misses

QUESTION: I am not a frequent slot player but I do understand how the RNG works in terms of your chances to win on any slot machine. My question has to do with the display a losing play may show.Maybe it’s my imagination but on the slots that I play most frequently Quick Hits and Three Times Pay Free Games, I have noticed that on many losing spins the display will appear that I just missed a nice win by one symbol...read more

Straight or Straight Flush?

Today we have a question from a reader:Hi Stickman,Hope you're doing well.Today I have two good questions for you.1. 7s,10s, Js, Kh, Ad: Win Poker 6 says to hold the 7s,10s, Js.2. 9c,10c, Kc, Qh, Ad: Win Poker 6 says to hold the 10c, Kc, Qh, Ad.I don't understand why the answers are not consistent...read more

Blackjack vs. Pai Gow Poker

CINDY: I think the two of us have a relatively widespread liking and understanding of the games. Still, some games appeal to us more than others and some games are to be played at certain times and not at others.ABBY: You don’t play blackjack when you are tired or nodding out...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: 86'd from a casino

I recently received an email from someone asking for advice with a casino problem and if I had received the first email the writer had sent about the problem. I hadn't received that email. A few days later it occurred to me that I might have deleted the email without reading it because of the subject...read more

Some Serious Questions

Billy: “Casinos would call me an action player. I play just about every game. I do not like to relax. I want to play and play some more. You seem to be the opposite. Your columns are often cautionary and hinge on saving money and keeping your playing time under control...read more

Different Returns Different Pay Scales

Inexperienced video poker players who are just beginning to take strategy seriously often ask the same questions.Why is strategy different for different games? Do the machines deal cards differently to yield different paying hands?Answers: Strategy differs because payoffs are different...read more

A Single Quiz

Today’s quiz is for hands played on a 9/6 Double-Double Poker video poker game.All strategy is based on betting the five-credit maximum.Hand number one: As Ks Jd Ts 3sDo you know how to play this hand?This hand has basically only three reasonably high-paying holds:1. Four cards of an inside straight with three high cards (As Ks Jd Ts).2. Three cards of a royal flush (As Ks Ts).3. Four cards of a flush with two high cards (As Ks Ts 3s).Let’s look at the returns for each of these holds:1. Holding the four cards of an inside straight (As Ks Jd Ts) returns just 2.6596 credits for the five credits wagered, on average.2. Holding the three cards of a royal flush (As Ks Ts) returns 6.2211 credits on average.3. Finally, holding four cards of a flush with two high cards (As Ks Ts 3s) returns an average of 6.3830 credits.As is the case more often than not, saving four of a flush – especially with some high cards – will outperform saving three cards of a royal flush.Holding four cards of an inside straight usually pays poorly.Hand number two: Ac Kc Js 5c 4dThis hand contains only a couple of decent possible holds:1. Three cards of a flush with two high cards (Ac Kc 5c).2. Two cards of a royal flush (Ac Kc).Here are the returns for each of these holds:1. Holding the three cards of a flush with two high cards (Ac Kc 5c) will return an average of 2.5948 credits for five credits played, over the long run.2. Holding the (Ac Kc) and praying for a royal flush will return an average of 2.6340 credits over the long run.With this hand on a Double-Double Bonus Poker game, shooting for the big one is the proper play by a slim margin.Would you have played these hands properly?As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.Jerry “Stickman”.Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play...read more

A Proposition About a Roulette Proposition

CINDY: There are certain betting methods that we can recommend at roulette that we find interesting. None of the methods can give the player the edge over the house, that we all know or should know.ABBY: Both Cindy and I are bankroll conscious...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Bounceback cash or point multiplier?

A friend who lives near the Gulf Coast casinos called a few days ago to get my take on the current video poker conditions in Las Vegas. He visits Las Vegas frequently -- or, at least, used to visit frequently, pre-pandemic. There was almost complete overlap in the Venn diagram of the casinos we visit most frequently...read more