But
on average, Andy, you can expect to hit a royal
approximately once every 40,000 hands. By factoring
in smaller wins (a pair through a straight flush)
along the way, the average bankroll required is
4000 to 5000 units ($200 to $250 for nickels,
$1000 to $1250 for quarters, and $4000 to $5000
for dollars) to keep you in the game between royal
flushes.
Dear Mark: I love playing in craps tournaments,
yet I have never been able to win one. Either
I can't maintain the lead or catch the leader
when behind. Any suggestions? Jason D.
Successful
tournament players, once ahead in a craps tournament,
mimic every bet of those competitors who are close
behind so their rivals have no chance of catching
up. If the closest challenger makes a $500 pass
line bet, the leaders often do the same.
You
can only catch the leader by betting the opposite
of the leader's bets. Do your best to let them
lead out, and if they are betting $500 on the
Pass line, you bet $500 on the Don't. This way,
you win if they lose.
The
other way to catch up in short order is by making
proposition bets that pay off in large amounts.
The odds remain awful on these long shot wagers,
and I would never recommend them for conventional
craps play, but I've seen a few tournaments won
with these come-from-behind long shot wagers,
especially in the latter stages of a tournament.
Dear Mark: Do you have any idea who in gambling
is credited with the term "beat the house."
Sue F.
I
believe that term, Sue, predates legalized gambling
(1931) in the United States.
Its
genesis, Sue, is a pre-revolutionary expression,
where "house" referred to a merchant's
place of business. Those who could talk a shopkeeper
into giving them a better deal could literally
boast that they had "beaten the house."
In today's usage, "house" refers to
a gambling establishment, and giving it a whopping
is referred to as "bringing down …"
or "beating the house."
Dear
Mark: In last week's column you shared with us
the virtues of doubling down. You didn't mention
it, but what are your thoughts about doubling
down for less? Gene R.
Let's
review. Last week I wrote that the three main
reasons why doubling down is so advantageous to
you are 1) you know the dealer's up-card, 2) the
casino is allowing you to bet more money with
that information, and 3) your chances of winning
the hand are better than the dealer's.
With
those reasons working in your favor, Gene, especially
reason number three, doubling down when you're
more likely to win the hand than not, why would
you not want to put up the maximum amount?
The
primary reason you play blackjack over most other
casino games is because it offers opportunities
where you can have the edge over the casino, not
the other way around. Hereafter, Gene, never shortchange
yourself when a doubling down situation arises.
Dear Mark: Is there any one particular seat
at a blackjack table that gets better cards? Sunny
G.
No
seat, Sunny, be it first base or third, has a
better chance of being dealt good cards.
Considering
expert card counters who track what's been played,
they do get to observe additional cards from the
third base position before they make a decision,
but that extra information only helps them, not
the Average Joe.
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