How To Play
"The price of a day's entertainment"
Thursday, February 02, 2012
When readers share stories about their casino exploits, it’s usually about big wins. Let’s face it, the wins are more memorable and more memorable to talk about than the more common losing sessions. Still, every now and then a reader looking for a sympathetic ear will e-mail me with a tale of a day when nothing went right.
On the future of online poker
Thursday, February 02, 2012
A quick note on the future of online poker: as things stand right now, individual states are writing legislation to make online poker legal on a state level pending a federal decision that would allow this to be regulated on a state-by-state level.
Don’t pass on doubling opportunities
Thursday, February 02, 2012
If you could start with any two cards in the game of blackjack, what would they be? The obvious answer is an Ace and a 10, but what would be your second choice? I think that if you eliminate a blackjack, most players would choose to be dealt a 20. While this is a great choice, I would personally prefer to sit at a table where I am dealt a 10 or an 11 on every hand. Part of this is because I really enjoy doubling down, but the other part is because doubling on a 10 or an 11 in the right situations presents a unique opportunity.
Dealer not to blame for negative result
Monday, January 30, 2012
By Alan Vaughn
There are lots of things to blame when a player loses his or her money at the blackjack table: poor play, insufficient funds, bad luck, horrible timing, etc. One thing that a player cannot blame is the dealer.
Book a good primer for Three Card Poker
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
By Mark Lasser
Three Card Poker is an increasingly available and popular game and yet very little has been written about it, and certainly not with the authority that Avery Cardoza brings to the table.
8 for '12: Tips for a prosperous new year in casinos
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
By John G.
Casinos are filled with temptations. They’re fantasy zones, where most of the time we don’t bet with actual money. We play with chips, or credits on a meter. Those chips and credits are bought with money, and can be exchanged for the real thing, but while we’re playing it sometimes doesn’t feel like we’re spending money. For some, it’s easy to get carried away and overbet until it’s all gone. They’re only chips, right?
Talkative guy goes silent on big winner
Thursday, January 19, 2012
By John G
Two to four times a year, I find myself in Las Vegas. It’s mostly business – and I’ve even convinced my wife of that – but I make a little time to play. And in the interest of getting the best blackjack rules and best video poker pay tables, I take my play away from the Strip, to places where the locals play.
Chip capping a crime that doesn’t pay
Friday, January 13, 2012
By Alan Vaughn
Back in November, a San Diego-based blackjack team made the news for winning over $7 million. Unlike blackjack players in the movies, this team will be forced to return their winnings, and several of the players will face jail time for their efforts. The FBI labeled them as one of the most elaborate card-cheating rings in recent history and as such they will be prosecuted by the casinos for defrauding them of millions of dollars.
Look for progress in world of online poker
Friday, January 13, 2012
By Mark Lasser
Happy 2012 everyone. I’m predicting this is the year where we will see some progress in the world of online poker. Last year was pretty darn bad for online players in the U.S. and I think two things will happen this year (with the qualifier that I think they’ll happen late into 2012).
Tale of beginner’s luck boggles the mind
Friday, January 13, 2012
By John G
Given enough trials, anything that can happen eventually will. A Megabucks slot jackpot can be years in the making, but eventually there will be a new multimillionaire. A craps shooter holding the dice for a couple of hours? It happens. And then there’s the best streak of beginner’s luck I’ve ever heard.
Splitting at correct times can lower casino advantage
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
In the game of blackjack, splitting pairs is one of the biggest advantages that a player has against the dealer. Despite the infrequency that players are dealt pairs that should be split, knowing the correct strategies can help the player to regain about .5% of the casino advantage against them.
The ways of chopping a prize pool
Thursday, December 15, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Last week I played in one of the tournaments at the Golden Gates. I hadn’t played a tourney in awhile and it was starting right when I got there, so I took a shot. I think their breakdown for a $90 buy in is $10 for the dealers, $17 for the house and $63 for the prize pool. We had 40 players so the event paid four spots. With 20-minute rounds, things move pretty fast and I figured it would be four to five hours.
Looking for an edge? Take comps into account
Monday, December 12, 2011
By John G
There’s only a handful of casino games in which the player can get an edge. Start with blackjack for card counters, video poker at certain pay, craps for a select few dice controllers. Add in live poker for those more skilled and disciplined than their opponents, and sports and racing betting for serious handicappers. That’s about it. But there are opportunities to play on the positive side if you take into account the value of cash back, free play, room and meal comps and other perks.
The word on Buffalo Bonus Blackjack
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
There’s a new blackjack side bet in town and it can pay as much as 75 to 1 if you are lucky enough bet at the right time. Like most side bets, the payout schedule is tempting but the casino advantage is big.
The truth about blackjack streaks
Monday, November 28, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
It’s 7 p.m. and you just hit the casino floor. Money in hand, you find a seat and start playing. After placing a $25 bet you are dealt a 9 and a 2 against the dealer’s 6. You double the bet, draw an 8, and the dealer busts. It continues like this for the entire shoe, and 15 minutes later you are up over $500. Now what?
Log-on technology keeps players coming back
Friday, November 18, 2011
By John G
Casinos are always looking for ways to drive repeat business, to entice players to come again. International Game Technology has come up with a video poker variation that certainly would keep me coming back, provided the casino put a high enough pay table on the game to attract my business in the first place.
Live coverage of WSOP made it one to remember
Friday, November 18, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Somewhere around 1 a.m. on a recent night I wondered if I was going to see the sunrise as I watched the final two players in the World Series of Poker battle six hours and through 119 hands in one of the longest heads-up matches in the history of the main event.
The faulty reasoning behind progressive betting
Friday, November 18, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
In my time at the tables I have seen a lot of players that claim to have a winning system. I have even read books by authors claiming that their “system” is a guide to riches. Unfortunately, many of these systems do more harm than good. The most popular losing system used today is called progressive betting.
'Big Buck' draws big crowds at Gaming Expo
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
By John G
For three days, I watched the hunters, stalking their prey. They’d raise their rifles, fire, lights would flash … and bonus credits would appear on the screen. “We’re kind of blurring the line between the slot and the arcade game,” said Boris Hallerbach, Megajackpots product manager for International Game Technology.
Trick to beating new breed of player
Monday, November 14, 2011
By Mark Lasser
When I started playing poker, making a bet usually meant you had some semblance of a hand, or it meant that you were making a calculated bluff. Checking was generally a sign you had a weak or near worthless hand. And so tight aggressive play was the way to beat the game. Play good cards and be aggressive when you have them. Life was good. Sunshine. Big pots. Cheap buffets. Your house was still worth something.
Cheats: Separating fact from fiction
Thursday, October 27, 2011
By Mark Lasser
If you’ve ever watched a movie about gambling, there was probably a character that was a cheat. “The Sting” is all about an elaborate horse racing scam. There’s the backroom scene in “Casino” where a blackjack cheat has his hand broken with a hammer. Ed Norton in “Rounders” is what we call a mechanic, someone good at physically manipulating cards. Paul Newman in “The Hustler” is a pool con artist. There’s team of card counters in “21.” The list goes on.
Shuffling through the Gaming mailbag
Thursday, October 27, 2011
By John Grochowski
Q. The random number generator on a slot machine stops as soon as you press the button or pull the handle. So how does the RNG work when you play a cascading machine? You don’t press any buttons, you just watch. So how does the RNG determine what comes up and when to stop? Read on for the answer to this and other questions.
Separate side-bet decisions from hand
Friday, October 21, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
Side bets at the blackjack table allow you to bet on various aspects of the game ranging from the number of player wins to whether or not the dealer will bust. These bets are different from wagers like splitting or doubling down because they have no impact on the outcome of the hand.
How to make aggressive play work for you
Friday, October 21, 2011
By Mark Lasser
One of the big changes that poker players have learned to incorporate into their game in the post-$5 betting cap era is to manage betting aggression.
Let's get back to blackjack basics
Friday, October 07, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
For the average, player proper basic strategy, coupled with money management techniques, can make the game of blackjack one of the best bets in the casino. Unfortunately, most players only learn the most obvious parts of basic strategy and rely on their logic to guess at the remaining play decisions. For the most part these guesses are accurate, but I routinely hear players explain the faulty logic that they use to avoid correct basic strategy. In this segment I am going to explain why this reasoning falls short and explain why the appropriate basic strategy play is superior in the long run.
No gain, all pain in roulette wagers
Friday, October 07, 2011
By John Grochowski
Nearly every wager on a double-zero roulette table gives the house a 5.26 percent edge. It makes no difference whether you bet single numbers or 18-number combinations such as red or black, or anything in between. As long as you steer clear of the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, where the house edge soars to 7.89 percent, the house expects to keep $5.26 per $100 wagered.
Book ‘Read’em and Reap’ tells all on ‘tells’
Friday, October 07, 2011
By Mark Lasser
I’ve been having fun this summer catching up on my poker book reading. Some folks get more reading done during the cold months of our Colorado winter, but I like to sit outside with a cigar and a drink, work on my tan and read like crazy.
Theory of slot randomness not a theory at all
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
By John Grochowski
Not a month goes by that I don’t receive at least one e-mail with a slot machine question that starts, “If your randomness theory is correct, then … ” I have to issue a disclaimer. That slot machine results are determined by random number generators is not my theory. It’s not a theory at all. It’s a fact of slot machine life, and it certainly didn’t originate with me.
How does the number of decks affect house advantage?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
You know what they say about dealers with big shoes… they have a large advantage. OK, so no one actually says that – but they should. It is a commonly accepted fact that the fewer decks in a blackjack shoe the more advantageous it is, but very few players know why.
Money management key to prolonging play
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
By John Grochowski
I once was giving a daylong seminar for a park district, teaching the basics of blackjack, craps and roulette. Most the attendees were beginners whose main gambling had been playing the slots, often while on park district bus trips to casinos. But one gentleman spoke up as I was walking players through basic strategy at blackjack, and playing a few sample hands.
Bet big and go home (broke)
Monday, September 12, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
Have you ever wondered why you lose so much money at blackjack when the house edge is supposedly so small? For most players this problem is a result of over-betting. While the amount that you bet does not change the math behind the game of blackjack, it is one of the easiest ways to give the casino more money than they deserve. Let’s look at an example.
Never give up, sometimes surrender
Monday, September 12, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
Probably my favorite blackjack variation is when a casino offers surrender. Surrender is a little known rule that favors the player. Even though the option to surrender does not make a huge impact on the house advantage it is easy to learn and helps you avoid some of the most frustrating situations in the game.
Small house edge makes blackjack attractive
Thursday, September 01, 2011
By Alan Vaughn
It sounds so simple: the person closest to 21 without going over wins. But it is a game that is so complex you could spend a lifetime learning it and only scratch the surface. I have spent years studying the game of blackjack and it is my hope that over the next several months I can teach you some of the basic elements of this fascinating game. Let’s start with the first question that any player should ask before playing a new casino game: why does the house have an advantage and how big is it?
Poker Beat: Be careful what you wish for
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
By Mark Lasser
I’m going to revisit a topic I’ve written about before: playing weak starting cards in any game of poker from Hold’em to Stud to Razz. By now ESPN has been running a few weeks of coverage of the World Series of Poker main event, and we’ve seen some pretty crazy play. Now, keep in mind that when you’re watching the version of poker on ESPN where you get to see the hole cards, you’re watching an edited version of the tournament. The producers and editors of this show have the hindsight of who made the November Nine, so – spoiler alert – they’re focusing on guys like Ben Lamb for a reason.
New poker book tastes good, is good for you
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Some poker books are like Fruit Loops. They taste good, they’re sweet, easy to digest, and make claims of nutrition but you know you’re eating candy for breakfast. Other poker books are like All Bran. Lots of nutrition, fiber and vitamins. Tasty? Not so much. These books are a grind to get through and although they are good for you, the process of consuming them feels more like an obligation and work than fun.
Big bankrolls can play 100x odds
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
By John Grochowski
Of all the most popular casino table games, craps seems the most mystifying to casual players. I often hear from players who tell me they just can’t understand what’s going on at the craps tables. And of all the things casual players don’t understand about craps, it seems they don’t understand the free odds most of all. So when a Midwestern casino opened in mid-July boasting of 100x odds in craps, I received e-mails and phone calls from readers wondering what that meant.
A night out in Central City
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
By Mark Lasser
The weather this summer in Denver has been funny. Not haha funny. OMG-it’s-so-hot-and-when-the-heck-is-the-rain-gonna-stop-funny. One gets to a point where between the heat and the monsoon, one just needs a break. And so it was a recent weekend that my wife and I decided that a night on the town in Central City would be a good idea. Bought a few tickets for Central City Opera. Check. ATM cards. Check. Hunger for crab legs. Check. Off we go.
Basic strategy still offers best chance of winning
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
By John Grochowski
It was time for a get-together with my old blackjack-playing buddy Bob. I’ve mentioned him before. We’ll talk about kids – and in his case, grandkids – baseball and life in general, just like normal people. But at some point, a blackjack issue always pops up. “You know me,” he said. “I’ve played basic strategy for about a hundred years, and have picked up some wrinkles beyond the basics. But a guy at the office has been trying to convince me it’s all wrong.” I asked what was supposed to be all wrong.
‘Hangover’ slot fun, even for the uninitiated
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
By John Grochowski
I’ve never seen “The Hangover.” You might think anything with an iconic “Vegas, baby!” trek would be automatic for me, but life fills up, and this is one movie I missed. “The Hangover” slot machine is another matter. I make it my business to check out as many new casino games as I can. I’d seen “The Hangover” in demo mode at Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas last fall. And now I found myself spending a day in Hammond, Ind., where the Horseshoe Casino is one of the Caesars Entertainment properties that has rolled out the game.
Job 1 at WSOP: Take in the chaotic surroundings
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
By Mark Lasser
The World Series of Poker, held annually now at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, is mayhem. Not organized mayhem like a big concert and not quite the free-for-all mayhem of a Canadian city after losing the Stanley Cup, but mayhem nonetheless. Walking into the Rio, one starts to see signage for the WSOP event. As the convention center nears, one is welcomed by 30-foot pictures of previous winners and player of the year heads: Lisandro, Negreanu, Duhamel.
House edge is 1.36 for don’t-pass bettors
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
By John Grochowski
Craps can be a game of opposites. You can bet the shooter’s going to make his points on pass and come, or bet he won’t make ‘em on don’t pass or don’t come. You can place the 6, betting the shooter will roll a 6 before a 7 or lay the 6, betting the 7 will come first. And so on.
A reader who identified himself as Jason phoned last month, asking about don’t pass. “It’s the opposite of pass, right?” he asked. “So if the house has an edge on pass, why don’t I have an edge on don’t pass?”
Justice drops hammer on poker sites
Friday, June 17, 2011
By Mark Lasser
I’ve been remiss in writing about this, yet anyone who plays poker or knows someone who plays poker has probably heard that on April 15, the Department of Justice shut down three of the largest online poker sites, and a few weeks later closed another 10. It’s probably no surprise to you that I’m politically in favor of online gaming and without any question, in favor of online poker. For most of us players, the idea that poker is a more important priority for Justice than anything else in the country is nails-on-a-blackboard irritating.
Vegas with Dad seems like old times
Friday, June 17, 2011
By John Grochowski
It was just like old times, staying and playing in Las Vegas with my dad Jerry and brother Jay. It used to be an annual tradition, until Jay’s kids and mine got to the age where school activities were taking too much of our time for a guys-only getaway.
Best payback on video poker requires expert play
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
By John Grochowski
Different video poker games, and different pay tables within the same game theme, have different payback percentages. That’s not because the odds of drawing any particular hand are different in one game than another. It’s down to two factors: Some games pay more on winning hands than others, and player strategy changes to account for those differences in payoffs.
Waiting: Airports not so different from poker rooms
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Playing poker all over the country requires a certain amount of travel. So, today, like many other poker players, I find myself waiting in an airport. It’s sort of like being at a poker table. “Huh?” you’re thinking. How is waiting in an airport like sitting at a poker table? Well, there are some things about dealing with travel that are in your control and some things that aren’t. Granted, I never get patted down by guys in smurf blue shirts in the card rooms.
Keep those wild-and-crazy guys in game
Thursday, May 19, 2011
By Mark Lasser
The last month or so I’ve managed to get myself wedged into games with some pretty wild characters. Before I go any further, I should probably talk about player types. Sometimes in poker, we talk about players being tight or loose. Passive or aggressive. For this column, I’m talking about more general types of characters.
Hand vs. machine shuffled? No difference
Thursday, May 19, 2011
In his Gaming Mailbag column, insider John G. answers a question regarding the odds on hand-dealt vs. machine-dealt Three-Card Poker games. Is there any difference in the odds based on these two different manners of dealing?
'Straddling' a gamble with little strategic value
Thursday, May 12, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Here’s something you don’t see much of when poker is played on TV. It’s a straddle. OK, you might see the move on some random games when things get loose on “Poker After Dark,” but you will see it frequently in live play.
Slot payback percentages explained
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
By John Grochowski
It was a quiet Monday morning, and I was strolling down an aisle of a casino on a barge, dollar slots to my left, video poker to my right. A voice rose over the background hum – not that difficult in this relatively quiet corner, away from the clamor of the penny video slots and their bonus events. “Ninety-five percent! Hah!”
'Albuquerque Turkey' a solid work of fiction
Friday, April 15, 2011
By Mark Lasser
We’re taking a little departure this week to review a novel that will be of interest to gamblers and fans of con-artist literature by a well-known poker player. John Vorhaus is an interesting guy. A regular contributor to Card Player magazine and creative consultant to the film and television industry, Vorhaus has just delivered an intriguing and utterly enjoyable novel called “The Albuquerque Turkey.”
'Age of innovation' changing slots
Thursday, April 14, 2011
By John Grochowski
When a slot machine innovation is successful, it quickly brings new spins on the idea – or at least imitators. If the new spins and innovations are successful, you have a trend on your hands. We’re in an age of innovation at the slots, and also in an age of trends. Let’s take a stroll through the slot aisles and see what trends we can spot.
Know what to hold, what to fold
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
By John Grochowski
Video poker, as played in state-regulated casinos or on Class 3 machines in Native American casinos, is a game of chance with strong elements of skill. Your choices in drawing and discarding cards make a difference. At a seminar I gave not long ago, one younger man was unclear on where the skill makes a difference.
The art of making the deal
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Unlike most competitive endeavors like baseball or football, poker sometimes allows participants to make agreements amongst themselves that results in a tie or settlement. We call this a chop, and it occurs in four prominent scenarios, three of which are very acceptable and one of which is basically cheating.
Playing favorites bad for the game
Friday, April 08, 2011
By Mark Lasser
Poker is not a game lacking emotion. A table of 10 people confronting each other in Black Hawk for money and proof of skill is bound to draw out our competitive spirits and that’s a positive thing. Sometimes we internalize emotions and that can manifest itself as tilt or become the cause of inflated egos. Other times, players externalize emotions and that can also influence the game.
A shuffle through the gaming mailbag
Thursday, March 17, 2011
By John Grochoeski
Nearly all games remain random when you stop the reels yourself. Game designers call it “illusion of skill.” You feel like you have control of the game, but the random number generator has already determined your result immediately after you start the reels spinning. Your timing in stopping the reels doesn’t really make any difference.
Video slots have players rethinking approach
Thursday, March 03, 2011
By John Grochowski
It used to be so easy, advising players on whether to bet maximum coins on slot machines. You’ll get the highest payback percentage when you bet maximum coins, I’d tell them. Stay within your budget, but if you’re going to bet less than the max, don’t play progressive slots, and don’t play buy-a-pays where you need to bet the max to unlock all the winning symbols. In the age of the video slot, things are different.
Live to play again with 'Stop-and-Go'
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
By Mark Lasser
If you’ve ever played chess or bridge or backgammon, you probably know some games have well-rehearsed moves executed by advanced players. Poker is no different. Sometimes poker strategy is less than intuitive. Here’s a move you may have seen, but not understood why a player acted the way they did. This is exclusively a Texas Hold’em tournament maneuver and takes place when you find yourself short stacked against an opponent.
Are roulette wheel flaws trackable?
Monday, February 21, 2011
(Second of two parts)
By Mark Lasser
In a recent column we got into the difference between single- and double-zero roulette and basic betting etiquette. We discussed inside and outside bets and basic payoffs. I also explained the important differences between felts that list payouts as being “for” and “to.” In this column we’ll look at betting systems and biased wheels.
John G tackles readers' questions
Thursday, February 17, 2011
By John Grochowski
A reader wants to know, if he plays almost exclusively video poker (on a “keep perspective and play for fun” basis only), if it is worth the effort to try to find the machines that pay the best odds, and what the best way to do that is. What does he look for? The “full house” odds, the “straight” odds, the “flush” odds, or a combination of all? John G takes on these and other questions.
Talkin' poker on the way to the Tech Center
Thursday, February 17, 2011
By Mark Lasser
I recently had Kevin Boudreau on my radio show and we drove down to the station in the Denver Tech Center together. It gave us a chance to talk about some poker scenarios before he took off for a nice, month-long vacation. I knew he’d been playing a ton of poker, often 12 to 18 simultaneous games on Poker Stars. If you want to quietly observe his play, look him up on Poker Stars. He plays as Phwap.
Take a chance on iconic casino game
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
(First of two parts)
By Mark Lasser
I’ve been getting beat up pretty bad lately in poker, so this week so I decided to shake things up a bit and write about one of the oldest casino games, roulette. I play roulette once in a while, but I’ve never been a huge player so I dipped into my bookcase and found a book called “Secrets of Winning Roulette,” by Marten Jensen.
Author Scoblete an entertaining read
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
By John Grochowski
The year 2010 was a busy one for Frank Scoblete, one of gambling’s most prolific, as well as entertaining, writers. He rolled out four books through his new publisher, with “Slots Conquest” ($16.95, Triumph Books) rounding out the quartet late in the year.
John G's gaming resolutions for 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
By John Grochowski
Over the course of a year, I give a lot of advice to gamblers. Split Aces and 8s against any dealer up card in blackjack, but not 5s or 10s. Stay away from the one-roll propositions in craps. Break up a full house that includes four Aces to go for the big payoff in any video poker game that pays 800 credits or more for four Aces on a five-coin bet. When you play in 2011, try to keep these other tips in mind.:
'Check raising' a legit strategy
Thursday, January 06, 2011
By Mark Lasser
“Check raising” is one of those funny things that get people heated up. In case you haven’t executed this play or been victim to it, a check raise occurs when a player checks or does not bet when the opportunity arises, but then raises if a player acting after them does bet. Here’s Mark Lasser’s take.
Casinos can hold out for the long run
Thursday, January 06, 2011
By John Grochowski
Suppose a casino offered a game with no edge at all, such as a coin flipping game. Would the casino make money over time on it? The obvious answer of course is no, as they have no edge. But there’s a concept called gambler’s ruin that comes into play, even in a dead-even game.
Expecting to lose not the right mindset at table
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
By Mark Lasser
I hadn’t played poker at the Lady Luck Casino in a while and thought I’d stop in to see the new poker room digs. The good news is Sunday night had lively games with three tables going until about 11 p.m. and then two reasonably full tables after that. The new room is a section of the upstairs casino paired with a selection of machines. This is nicer than the basement, but the popcorn machine is gone, which is kind of a bummer.
Making sense of free odds wagers at Colorado craps tables
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
By John Grochowski
For those who understand the possibilities, the payoffs on free odds wagers in craps make perfect sense. Given two six-sided dice, there are 36 possible rolls. Six of those rolls total 7 and are losers on pass or come bets, and also losers on the free odds. There are five ways to roll 6, and five ways to roll 8. So the odds against winning with 6 as your number are 6-5. The payoff on a free odds wager on 6 or 8? Yep, 6-5.
What's coming in 2011
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
By Mark Lasser
I spent last week in Las Vegas. Not to play. Not to eat at fancy restaurants. Not to see the sights. I was at the annual Global Gaming Expo, otherwise known as G2E, the largest showcase of casino products in the world. Imagine several convention hall spaces full of vendors hawking their latest and greatest products to the casino industry. Slot maker IGT’s booth alone seemed about the size of a football field running the entire length of one convention hall.
Poker pros exhibit good sportsmanship
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Well, the World Series of Poker is now over and poker has a new champion. I pushed my deadline so I could stay up and track the play on the WSOP site. This year’s winner for the first time is Canadian – 22-year-old Jonathan Duhamel took home the bracelet, bragging rights and almost $9 million bucks. He defeated the extended short stack of 24-year-old John Racener who can console himself with his $5.5 million. The only poker “veteran” at the table, Michael Mizrachi, failed to capture the bracelet after running into pocket Aces.
Playing the fool in New Orleans
Friday, November 12, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Poker can be kind of funny. I had a chance to play recently at Harrah’s in New Orleans and faced a game that wasn’t what I thought it was. First, I have to give a tip of the hat to The Big Easy. I love being in Denver, but when I am forced to travel, I do have to say that not all cities are created equal. The food in New Orleans is just soooooo good. I had a chance to visit both high-end fancy joints like Emeril’s and also established holes-in-the-wall like Mothers.
It’s 2010, but slot myths persist
Friday, October 29, 2010
By John Grochowski
There are slot machine myths that have waned through the years or become obsolete because of technology. I can’t remember the last time I heard from anyone who believed that you were better off playing slots with fresh money, because the machine could detect the warmth of coins fresh out of the game’s hopper. Some myths persist, though.
Poker stats offer guide to player types
Thursday, October 21, 2010
By Mark Lasser
When I first started playing poker, we used to categorize players along two spectrums. The first was loose vs. tight. Loose players played lots of hands, saw lots of flops and chased flushes and straights when they weren’t getting the right odds. The extreme end of this spectrum was the “maniac.” Tight players had narrow ranges of starting hands and would often fold when they didn’t connect with a flop. The extreme end of this crowd was made up of the “rocks.”
There are plays you should never make
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
By John Grochowski
People play casino games for different reasons, with different goals, and that’s something I try keep in mind when writing about the games. You’re out for some entertainment on the slots? Great, I’m not going to tell you to leave that behind just because the house edge is lower on blackjack. You love roulette? Fine, I’m not going to drag you to the craps table for better odds.
Book details poker champ’s journey to depths and back
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
By Mark Lasser
“Check Raising the Devil” is the autobiography to date of one of poker’s more colorful characters, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow. I’ve been watching Mike play for years and haven’t known much about him beyond what I’ve seen on TV. His reputation is that he’s a constant talker and can be a little – no, considerably – inconsiderate of his fellow players. That said, he’s moneyed in a bunch of WSOP and WPT events and has three WSOP bracelets dangling from his wrists as well.
Omaha: The next big thing?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Stud Poker is a classic, like Sinatra. Hold’em is mainstream, like U2. Omaha is still somewhat of a rogue’s game. I don’t know if it’s punk rock or alternative country, but it’s an action game that seems to be gaining more attention every year. For those of you not familiar with it, Omaha is a flop game like Texas Hold’em except you get dealt four cards instead of two.
Colorado video poker experts play for those 'rare royals'
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
By John Grochowski
No doubt you’ve heard that certain skilled players — blackjack card counters and video poker experts — can swing the math and gain an advantage over the house. This is true. Card counters with sufficient skill, discipline and bankroll can beat the house. Well-funded video poker players who stick to the best-paying games can be long-term winners.
Poker table etiquette for beginners
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
By Mark Lasser
I often see newbie etiquette mistakes at poker tables. I think there are more of them than ever, largely because so many players learn to play online at the big sites like Full Tilt and Poker Stars, and others start casually playing on Facebook.
Video poker decisions rife with consequences
Thursday, September 30, 2010
By John Grochowski
Video poker strategy can be a bit of a balancing act. A decision that increases your chances of drawing one winning hand decreases, or even eliminates, your chances of drawing others. That leads us to make decisions based on fine distinctions between pre-draw hands. One of those fine distinctions led to a note from a reader named Beverly. “The experts all tell you to discard the Ace when dealt three unsuited high cards,” she wrote. “Why?”
Gambling books give players a leg up
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
As with any topic, reading gambling books is a good way to clear the cobwebs, learn the ropes and advance your skills. Here are a few tomes, covering poker, blackjack and craps, that will help give readers a leg up when visiting Colorado’s casinos.
Talk poker like a pro
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Every casino game has traditions and terminology. Craps has its “hardways” and “yo” bets. Blackjack has “anchors” and roulette has “corners” and “columns.” But poker … poker speaks a language so strange it can freak out new players. I talk poker incessantly and my wife still only understands a fraction of what I’m talking about. Perhaps it’s the long history of the game that brings it so much banter. Or, it could be the amount of interaction between players.
Controlling dice? Book makes case
Thursday, September 23, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Craps is maybe the most exciting and adrenaline filled game in the casino. Wins and losses can swing pretty wide and there’s likely no louder spot in the casino than the craps table. The problem with craps has always been a lack of winning strategy. The game delivers a negative expectation for the player that cannot be overcome by strategy like blackjack. It doesn’t have versions that pay over 100 percent – or close enough that with point multipliers it becomes positive like slots or video poker.
ABCs of Slot Machines
Thursday, September 16, 2010
By John Grochowski
Looking at gambling by the numbers is the usual way of going about things – house edges, payback percentages, odds. Let’s do it by the letters for a change, with some ABCs of slot machines. “A” is for Adaptive Gaming, the WMS Gaming line that starts with Star Trek.
Don't let snippy players bother you
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
By John Grochowski
Table games aren’t always easy on new players — and not just because of the odds of the game or unfamiliarity with rules and procedures. Other players can add to the discomfort, especially at a strategy-laden game like blackjack where some veterans feel compelled to critique the play of newbies.
Colorado casinos stack up with Sin City
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Last month I visited the new Aria mega-hotel/casino in the City Center project of Las Vegas to see the newest poker room on The Strip. After a few hours I got a feel for the place and started making a mental list of the pros and cons of poker in Colorado vs. Vegas.
'9-6 Jacks or Better' and other terms
Thursday, September 09, 2010
By John Grochowski
I try as best I can to make this column easy to understand, but every now and again I receive an e-mail from a reader that makes it apparent I have to give a few explanations. Take this e-mail, from a Colorado reader: “Hey John, what the heck do you mean by ‘9-6 Jacks or Better’? What do the numbers mean? I’ve also noticed that when you write about video poker, you’ll say something about a ‘6-for-1’ payoff. Is that the same as ‘6-TO-1’? Explanations, please.
Starting hands in Texas Hold'em
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
By Mark Lasser
A few readers have expressed interest in getting details about starting hands. In some previous columns, I’ve described players as being “donks,” who recklessly play weak starting cards. This week, I want to get into some details about which starting hands are worth playing, which are worth mucking and why.
Take this quiz and learn about the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of blackjack
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
By John Grochowski
Blackjack offers some of the best odds in the casino for those who take the time to learn basic strategy. But not all blackjack games are created equal. Casinos choose among a mix-and-match set of rules, some favorable to the player, some padding the house advantage. In our first blackjack quiz, let’s take a look at some of the hows and whys of blackjack.
A shuffle through the gaming mailbag
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Gaming expert John Grochowski answers reader mail regarding Vegas resort fees, downloaded credits and video poker.
Trying poker for the first time
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
By Mark Lasser
It’s hard for me to remember the very first time I played poker. It might have been at summer camp or on the playground. In those first games, we didn’t have chips or even pennies. We played with toothpicks or Legos … whatever we could amass a few piles of. And – it almost doesn’t need to be said – we weren’t playing Texas Hold’em.
Offense or defense? Both have a place in blackjack
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
By John Grochowski
My friend Ralph has played blackjack for decades, probably longer than I have. He’d never really studied the game, but absorbed enough through all that play that he was zeroed in on basic strategy, as long as we were talking only about hard totals. If he had a hard 16, he was going to hit if the dealer had a 7 or higher and stand if a dealer had a 6 or lower.
Roulette system anything but...
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
By John Grochowski
It was a busy night in Las Vegas, at the end of a busy day. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, all the restaurants were crowded, and I found myself dining at the counter of a casino coffee shop. From my stool, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation to my left.
Slow down there, pardner
Thursday, July 22, 2010
By John Grochowski
Time is money in the casino world as much as anywhere. And time is on the side of whoever has a mathematical edge on the game. Unless you’re a skilled card counter at blackjack or an expert on certain favorable video poker games, that’s not you. The more chances you give the house edge to work against you, the more likely it is that the house edge will grind you down. What’s a player to do? Look for opportunities to keep the tempo from going into hyperdrive.
Odds and ends from the poker table
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
By Mark Lasser
I’ve had a crazy couple of weeks. I managed to finish third out of 166 players in a Full Tilt Poker medium buy-in Pot Limit Omaha Tournament, and then got crushed in live games with pretty much the best hand or coin tosses for the next two weeks. The tournament was a blast and my wife, Stephanie, was watching the final table as we made a list of restaurants where we’d celebrate depending on my finish.
Colorado casinos meet green players halfway
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
By John Grochowski
It seems like a lifetime ago, but in the early days of legalized gambling’s move into markets outside Nevada and New Jersey I was talking with a long-time casino executive, one who had made a career in Nevada but now was on of those new-fangled riverboats. I asked if the move into new markets had forced changes in procedure.
TV poker is not reality poker
Thursday, July 08, 2010
I started playing poker a long time ago. By that, I mean before it was on TV. Sure, ESPN covered the main event of the World Series of Poker. In the ‘90s, the event was played in one day, it was always held at Binions in downtown Las Vegas and the audience never saw hole cards unless there was a showdown and the players turned them over. The entire experience was so different. By not knowing what the players were holding, one couldn’t really judge how well anyone was playing. You couldn’t see the bluffs. You couldn’t see the slow plays. Of course, all that made for a boring viewing experience.
Woman's 'jackpot' exceeded penny record
Thursday, July 08, 2010
The largest jackpot ever awarded on a penny slot machine was just shy of $3 million – $2,995,071.87 – on an IGT Twilight Zone slot in Laughlin, Nev., in 2005. Progressive jackpots keep growing until somebody wins. A percentage of each wager is added to the jackpot. So it’s theoretically possible for a penny jackpot to get as high as $42.9 million, but in practice, years, and perhaps decades would have to pass without anyone winning. To say it’s unlikely would be an understatement.
Basic strategy the right play in blackjack... most of the time
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Sitting at a blackjack table in Black Hawk, I found myself with one of those hands. You know the kind. With the dealer showing a 10, I started with a 5 and a 4. Then I drew another 5. Then a 2. That’s one ugly 16. It’s also a hand almost nothing will help. Hit, and you’re more likely than not to bust. Stand, and the dealer will make 17 or better and beat you about 80 percent of the time. Players who know their basic strategy will bite the bullet and hit, figuring they have to take a risk and try to improve the hand to have a chance. Average players will hem and haw, moan and groan, then probably stand, not wanting to risk busting.
Name of the game
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Everyone knows how casino games get named nowadays. The game inventor, or perhaps the marketing department in a large company, decides what best describes the game, or what will sell the game to the public. Someone at Shufflemaster decided, “Hmmm … You can choose to pull a bet back or let it ride for another card … we’ll call it Let It Ride.” Blackjack, craps and keno weren’t named by anybody’s marketing department. Let’s play the name game, and try to decipher why we call these games the names we do.
Big Hands: Poor Position
Thursday, July 08, 2010
There are days at the poker table that can be incredibly boring. You just keep getting dealt bad cards that you know you shouldn’t play. When I have days like these I pull out my iPod to keep me from doing anything stupid. I mean, let’s face it, you didn’t drive up to the card room, wait 45 minutes for a seat and miss out on seeing Lost or American Idol to sit there folding cards for two hours. The temptation after seeing so many bad cards is to want to play something. Anything.
Potential rewards high with Multi-Strike poker
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Q. I often play Multi-Strike poker, which has random “free rides.” It seems to me that frequency of the free rides is controlled by the casino and can be adjusted to suit them. The frequency is not posted as part of the payback table, therefore, although the player has more pay back information than a slot machine would give him, he has significantly less than regular video poker provides.
A. I have come to believe that, where I play, dollar machines are “free riding” more than the quarters. Apart from denominations, a machine could be programmed to free ride more with a max coin bet. A machine could be programmed to simply make more money.
Let's talk about playing craps, Colorado (part 1 of 3)
Thursday, July 08, 2010
The basic rules of craps are pretty simple and the game, despite lots of lingo, is easy to learn. The dice are rolled by a player, and everyone at the table bets on a variety of outcomes. The person rolling is just facilitating the dice. They can bet any way they want to. There are lots of places to place chips on the table, but we’ll focus first on the basic bet called the “Pass Line.”
Let's talk about playing craps, Colorado (part 2 of 3)
Thursday, July 08, 2010
In craps, The Odds are such a good wager for the player that the craps table doesn’t even advertise it.
Let's talk about playing craps, Colorado (part 3 of 3)
Thursday, July 08, 2010
In other columns, we’ve discussed the favorable bets on the craps table, including pass Line, Odds and Place bets. There’s also a big area in the middle of the table that players like to play despite the odds being pretty tough. The dealers like to make calls “advertising” these areas and players like to make a big show of betting them. Some of bets you’ll hear called out are “C and E,” “Hardways” and “Horn Bets.” We call all of these bets “Proposition” bets.
A few clues to playing Colorado casinos
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Following are a few clues to playing at the casinos.
Poker a great choice
What’s the best game to learn if you really want a long-term chance of winning? Hands down, it’s poker.
Poker players are not playing against the house, as in all the other casino games. They’re competing against the skill of other players, as well as a modest “rake” of the pot by the casino as a percentage cost for operating the game.
'Strategy' not that appropriate for winning at Colorado slot machines
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Maggie is a friend of a friend of my wife’s, someone I met at as holiday party when someone told her I was just the person she needed to talk to about slot machines.
“Tell me how to win,” she said, and I laughed. That’s the most common request I get about slot machines, and it’s one I can’t fulfill. There’s nothing you can do to change the results determined by a machine’s random number generator.
Popular new poker game debuts in Colorado
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Poker rooms can be intimidating. I usually peak inside at the players around the tables and then keep on walking to the blackjack pit and video poker machines. Sometimes, I’m tempted to make a splashy entrance, shout my hellos, give everyone a high five — you know, just to break the ice. But there never appear to be many willing high-five partners. Some players seem more likely to give me “closed fives.”
Dealing with Donks in the Colorado gaming towns
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Before I even get into this issue I need to qualify that if you’re new to the game of poker, you’re excused in advance and not the target or subject of this wrath.
Player reward program at Lodge in Black Hawk
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
The Lodge Casino in Black Hawk has a new players’ reward program, with two tiers. Casual players earn $2/hour in comps for 1-2-100 and 4/8, and $5/hour in comps for 10/20 and higher. There’s an option to also take cash in lieu of comps at half that rate. Comps can be used for hotel rooms, merchandise, and food and drinks. More serious players can qualify for the Premium Choice Club by playing an average of 75 hours each month from January to March. These players earn double comps, $4/hour in lower limits and $10/hour in 10/20 and above. These points and comps do not expire and are better than anything offered anywhere in Colorado.
Bankroll management
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Every year promises to be one of new games, new ways to play, new technology, and, of course, some old problems.
To a casino player, the most important of those problems is that sometimes the money just goes too fast. When it does, make sure you’re in control, and not let your losing day spiral into bigger problems:
Roulette 101: Don't forget the wheel
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
The action of roulette is fast and fun, whether you are playing or watching, and is a favorite of social people. The language of the game is just as interesting, with bets such as the corner, street, alley and the Carmelo (straight up 15) or Elway (7). You can place easy, safe bets such as red or black, even and odd – or cover the board with wild combinations of numbers. All have different odds and pay back varying amounts to the winners.
New slots wow 'em at Gaming Expo
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Every year at the Global Gaming Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, slot manufacturers show of their latest and greatest wares, the games that will be drawing in the crowds in the coming months.
Some of these already have been approved by regulators and are in casinos. Most are a little further down the line. Either way, these are a few of the games that caught my eye at G2E 2009:
Public resources for Colorado poker players
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
I’ve found that the Denver Public Libraries have some amazing resources for card players. Some of the following are out of print and only available used or from the library, others can be bought directly from the publishers or via Amazon.com. Either way, you can save a buck and hone your skills on the following DVDs and books. Star ratings are based on five-star potential.
Poker Beat: Flopping flushes at Black Hawk's Ameristar
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By Mark Lasser
A few days ago I was playing in a fairly wild 1-2-100 game at Ameristar. Players were very loose (six to eight players in hands that had been raised before the flop) and extremely aggressive. Almost any raise would be re-raised, even with rags. This makes it really tricky to put reads on other players. Anyone who watches Poker After Dark on NBC and witnessed maniac Dario Minieri beat up on poker greats Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson knows what I’m talking about.
Explaining 'third man walking' rule
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By Mark Lasser
I recently got an e-mail asking about a poker rule often posted in card rooms. The rule states that the cash poker games have a “third man walking” rule in effect. Yesterday, I encountered the ruling in actual practice. I had been playing the 2-5-100 cash game at Ameristar in Black Hawk and hadn’t taken a break in a few hours. I got up to get a drink and the dealer notified me that I’d be the fourth man walking. That’s where the story gets interesting …
Programmed slot machines still random
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Slot machines also are programmed in a way that will lead toward a targeted payback percentage. That mix — programmed, yet random — is something that has confused many a player in the decades since slots went electronic. Slot manufacturers have to be able to program payback percentanges to comply with the law in states that set minimum and maximum returns. And the machines still have to be able to meet state randomness standards.
Colorado poker players: Beware the demon tilt
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Tilt. It’s the demon that lurks beneath the surface of even the best players. It’s about losing control and playing with raw emotion instead of brains as a result of getting beaten by a ridiculous long shot or a player that has no idea what he’s doing. Tilt is the opposite of a Zen state. It’s Elmer Fudd blowing steam out his ears as Bugs Bunny gets away again and again and again despite having laid the
perfect trap.
Classic slot machines never go out of style at Colorado casinos
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By John Grochowski
It happens when players walk down the aisles of casino slot floors every day. A hot new game catches your eye. You give it a try – and you like it. You like the game play, you like the bonus rounds, maybe you have a couple of pretty good wins. You seek out the game each time you go to the casino. You become old friends.
Blackjack basic strategy still applies with multiple cards
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By John Grochowski
Q. I recently saw 21+3 blackjack games for the first time. The side bet on the player’s two cards plus the dealer’s up card combining for a flush, straight or three of a kind, paid 9 to 1. I assumed with that payoff, the real odds are probably more like 10 or 11 to 1, maybe even higher. I saw a lot of people lose a lot of money on that side bet. What are the true odds on the side bet?
'One of those days' at the casino
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
My friend Jack had just had one of those days at the casino, and he phoned me to vent.
“You know those days when nothing goes right? This wasn’t quite one of those,” he said.
I asked if that meant he didn’t lose his bankroll for the day.
“No,” he said, “but not for lack of trying. I brought $500 with me for the day, and figured I’d play some $5 blackjack and some quarter video poker.”
A man after my own heart.
If soft-hand hit goes bad, follow basic strategy
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Q. This may be a dumb question, but I understand the hitting soft hands in blackjack to try to beat the dealer’s up card, but what if I get a worse hand? Do I go back to hitting a 14, 15, 16 as I normally would? Even after I may have doubled down?
Roulette proving to be a fun diversion in Colorado casinos
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By John Grochowski
An e-mailer apparently was feeling aggrieved about a perceived lack of attention paid to his favorite game. “You must really hate roulette,” he wrote. “You’re doing your readers a disservice. They’re missing out on one of the best games. It seems like it’s almost an even bet.” Now, I don’t hate roulette. I’ve had some good times at the game, mostly when my wife and I have played together at the cheap tables in some of the older joints in Las Vegas. Let us loose at a table with dollar minimum bets with chips that can be broken down to 25-cent level, and we’ll play family birthdays to our hearts’ content.
Poker Beat: Bluffing in Black Hawk
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
This week we’re going to cover a great hand played at the Lodge, and, in the adjoining piece, I’m also going to cover some poker etiquette that should be reviewed once in awhile by even the best players.
Colorado casino poker beat
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
There can be days when you’re playing well and losing. Heck, there can be weeks, months, even years. Sometimes when you’re losing you have to examine the table and make sure you aren’t out of your league. Other times, you look back and realize you’re playing great poker and getting whupped anyway, and there’s just nothing you can do about it. Such was my July.
Hands that separate blackjack players
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
There are times I’m tempted to break blackjack players into two groups. Of course, there are way more than two groups – card counters vs. non-counters, pleasure players vs. money players, basic strategy players vs. hunch players and novices. But given a familiarity with basic strategy, I can pick out those who have really studied the charts from those who have just glanced them over on the basis of two hands: What does the player do with soft 17, and what does the player do with soft 18?
A primer: Colorado casinos happy to assist new players
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
If you’ve watched poker on TV or played with friends on a makeshift table, you should try your hand at a professionally dealt game. Black Hawk and Central City lie only 45 minutes from Denver and offer a wealth of options for both novice and advanced players.
If you’ve never played poker in a casino, it can seem intimidating at first. Don’t worry; it’s not as difficult as it appears. Dealers and poker room supervisors will be glad to help you, and players are generally accommodating to newbies and will be patient as you get used to the rhythms and customs of the tables.
The road to video poker success
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By John Grochowski
No matter how good you are, the majority of video poker sessions will be losers. There’s a lot of marking time, accepting losses until the royal flushes and other big-paying hands come.
Big changes in Colorado's poker rooms
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Big changes have hit Colorado’s poker rooms. The old limitation of a $5 cap on bets created some habits that may be hard to break as the limit is raised to $100.
Colorado card rooms have typically dealt two types of Texas Hold’em as well as a few 7-Card Stud games and an occasional Omaha Hi Lo. Most Hold’em has either been 2-5 or 5-5. These numbers indicate the blinds, so in a 2-5 game, for example, the small blind is $2 and the big blind is $5. Betting on the flop can be anywhere from $2 to $5 dollars. In the 5-5 game, every bet and every raise is exactly $5. This tends to be a more aggressive game with large pots.
Guaranteed win? Don’t bet on it
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By John Grochowski
If someone guaranteed they could make you a winner at casino games, what would you do?
Craps 101 for Colorado gamers
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Craps is an exciting, fast-action game that allows you to wager with or against a shooter (the player throwing the dice). Traditionally, play starts on the “come-out” roll, which is the first roll of the dice for the shooter’s pass line number. Betting options and payoffs are varied, as are the different ways to win.
A day in the life of a Colorado poker table
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By Mark Lasser
Poker tables are like Colorado weather. They can change from warm and sunny to cold and frosty to violent and frightening in seconds. Well, maybe not seconds but certainly in hours. Sit at a table for 24 hours and you’ll see the progressions. All of these conditions can be profitable, but they all require different adjustments.
Rag time at loose tables
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Generally speaking, I’m a big advocate of disciplined and tight aggressive play. That doesn’t mean you should be a rock. Playing only big pocket pairs and top suited connectors is nearly as bad as playing every hand. This is particularly true on loose tables where almost everyone wants to see the flop and there’s not a ton of raising or re-raising pre-flop. In fact, there are certain late position situations where I’ll call with just about anything.
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