By John Grochowski on Monday October 29, 2018

There's nothing quite like snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to make you feel good about a day in the casino. One big win at the end that erases previous losses and makes you a winner doesn't happen anywhere near often enough, but it feels great when it does. Paul, a video poker player I've known for years, had one of those days with a nice win on Triple Double Bonus Poker after a day when Bonus Poker had grinded down his bankroll. All were 25-cent, single-hand games. "I budget $100 for the day," he said. "Bonus Poker is…

There's nothing quite like snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to make you feel good about a day in the casino. One big win at the end that erases previous losses and makes you a winner doesn't happen anywhere near often enough, but it feels great when it does.…

By John Grochowski on Thursday October 25, 2018

Table games players have their own styles and preferences. One of the divisions is between those who will play all night and those who prefer short sessions. In the long run, the house edge remains the same. You can't change it by playing shorter or longer times. That's something I explained not long ago to a player who was having luck playing short sessions. He asked about the house edge in short vs. long sessions. As it happens, there's nothing in the math of the game that makes it more likely for you to win in multiple short sessions than…

Table games players have their own styles and preferences. One of the divisions is between those who will play all night and those who prefer short sessions. In the long run, the house edge remains the same. You can't change it by playing shorter or longer times. That's something I…

By John Grochowski on Monday October 15, 2018

I've often told slot machine players that when they play pick'em bonus rounds, their choices make a real difference. If you choose an icon hiding a big prize, you'll get the big prize. The machine doesn't decide you should get a lower award and change the hidden value. As long as all potential prizes are displayed at the end of the round, you can be confident your win is not pre-determined. Often, readers ask how that is possible. One recently asked, "There's a programmed payback percentage, right? How can they do that if they don't know how much the bonus…

I've often told slot machine players that when they play pick'em bonus rounds, their choices make a real difference. If you choose an icon hiding a big prize, you'll get the big prize. The machine doesn't decide you should get a lower award and change the hidden value. As long…

By John Grochowski on Tuesday October 9, 2018

Blackjack basic strategy includes a number of decisions that can give a player second and third thoughts. One of those comes when you have a two-card 11 and the dealer has a 10-value card face up. Basic strategy calls for you to double down -- you make a second bet equal to your first, then get just one more card on the draw. That second bet against a strong dealer card is what gives players pause. One reader emailed me to ask, "Why should I double down on 11 when the dealer has a 10 up? It seems to me…

Blackjack basic strategy includes a number of decisions that can give a player second and third thoughts. One of those comes when you have a two-card 11 and the dealer has a 10-value card face up. Basic strategy calls for you to double down -- you make a second bet…