Craps: Top Superstitions
With more an more believer in superstitions everyday, we have found some of the more popular ones for the ever popular game of craps. Some might sound familiar. Keep these in mind the next time you roll the dice.
Poker: Playing Small Pairs on the Flop
You have 4-4 in the fourth position, and the player in the second position (two seats to the left of the big blind) makes it two bets to go. You’re playing my theory—“three-bet with small pairs”—before the flop, so you make it three bets. No one else calls, and the flop is Q-10-3. The player in the second position then bets out into you and you raise him, thus “representing” a queen (or perhaps K-K or A-A) but also gaining information.
Horseracing: Take What They Are Giving
American Pharoah with Victor Espinoza up wins the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown at Belmont Park Race Track, NY 6.6.2015
Maybe it’s just a sign of the times, but lately, most every horse player I converse with is dead set on procuring a life changing score. The advent, and hence marketing of, elaborate pari-mutual menus which promise acute financial solvency has no doubt led to this “shoot for the moon mentality” among punters yet while attempting to take down Santa Anita Race Course’s pick-6 is admirable, it’s also highly unlikely. On some days (maybe you can relate) I can’t select a single winner never mind six in a row and although keying multiple racers in each leg of a prolonged horizontal wager augments one’s margin for error, bankrolls become devastated when copious equine inclusion goes awry.
Video Poker Versus Table Poker: Similar Name, Different Game
Not too long ago I was heading for my favorite bank of video poker (VP) machines when my friend asked why I didn’t play “real poker” in the card room. This, of course, wasn’t the first time a nose was subtly turned up regarding the felt game’s “superiority” to step-daughter, video poker. I honestly feel no need to get defensive about VP, but must say they are very different games and neither one is entitled to #special bragging rights.
Blackjack: The Insurance Debate
A friend of mine was watching me play blackjack in a casino. I was playing heads-up against the dealer in a double-deck game. He didn’t say much to me while I was playing other than to give me an “atta boy” when I beat the dealer, or offer condolences when the dealer pulled a miracle draw to beat me.
After about forty-five minutes of playing, we broke for lunch. My friend is a typical casual blackjack player and he queried me about some of the insurance bets that I made. “How come you sometimes insured your 20s and other times you didn’t, and why in hell did you insure your 7? I always thought you’re supposed to insure your good hands and not your bad hands?” I proceeded to explain to him the following.
Penny Chenery: The Queen of the Sport of Kings
Secretariat became a national celebrity when he won the Triple Crown in 1973.
The horse racing superstar captured the Kentucky Derby and then rolled in the Preakness Stakes before turning in a dazzling performance in the Belmont Stakes, winning by an astounding 31 lengths.
The colt known as “Big Red” became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years – setting records in all three legs – and ran himself onto the cover of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek magazines.
