3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Full of gamblers' superstitions that are quite simply wrong, March 6, 2001
This review is from: Casino (TM) Magazine's Play Smart and Win: How to Beat Most Popl Casino Games (Paperback)
If you are looking for a brief description of how various casino games are played, this book does provide that information. However, I still recommend avoiding this book because it contains numerous gamblers' superstitions that are quite simply wrong.
For example, Royer indicates that at a Black Jack table, the "Third Base" player helps determine whether the dealer will bust. Smart play by the 3rd baseman will help the other players at the table, while mistakes will hurt. Ridiculous!
The author describes a situation where the 3rd baseman has a 16 and the dealer shows a 6 with a 10 as a hole card. The 3rd baseman "stupidly" asks for a hit, and is dealt a 10 causing him to bust; then the dealer draws a 5 reaching 21. Thus, the 3rd baseman's draw causes the other players to almost certainly lose the hand. If the player had not hit, the dealer would draw the 10, bust, and everyone wins.
While this certainly could happen, it's just as easy to imagine the 5 and 10 being reversed in the deck. In this scenario, the Third Base player "stupidly" hits, stealing the 5 from the dealer for 21. The dealer will deal himself 10 busting with a total of 26. Our jerk 3rd baseman is now the hero.
(The only exception is if the player actually knows the next card in the deck. This would happen if the card is accidentally drawn from the shoe and flipped over. It could also happen if the player is a cheat or scammer.)
The author does at least indicate that with games like Roulette, the gambler's decisions have no impact on the game's outcome. Royer correctly explains that with the exception of a few very lucky gamblers, these games are a losing proposition in the long run. However, that doesn't stop him from sharing some bad advice.
In his chapter on Roulette, Royer advises splitting a bet between two numbers -- instead of betting 35:1 on one number, he suggests a 17:1 bet on two numbers. "The trick to winning in Roulette is not in maximizing your potential wins but in minimizing your certain losses." The truth is that with or without the split, the game's average payout remains the same (approx. 94.7% with a 38 number wheel). Royer gives the false impression that the gambler is playing "smart" and has increased his/her odds of walking away with a fortune; in actuality, nothing has changed. These are the kind of dumb players the casinos love.
Based on these and other bogus statements, I don't give this book any credibility. If you are looking for good advice on gambling, do not read this book. There are many better books out there, so don't put up with this rubbish.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Casino Magazine's Play Smart and Win, December 2, 2002
This review is from: Casino (TM) Magazine's Play Smart and Win: How to Beat Most Popl Casino Games (Paperback)
I have recently read Scott A. Miller's review of my book. Yes, I am the Author. While I appreciate all comments, I would like to point out that Scott is writing a review of a 1994 book with a 2001 view. Things have changed. That's why I now have a new series of books, starting January. I would also like to point out that Scott probably missed the point of that book. It was designed as an entertaining guide to a form of adult entertainment, and not a book for someone like Scott, who obviously feels he is more like a professional gambler.
If you also read the review by Evan Salas, you will know exactly what I mean. Evan perfectly captured the point of that book, and why it was written in the way it was.
My new series of books takes a more detailed approach in many respects, and should satisfy even the diehard believers in the mathematics of gambling. This new series, from Kensington, starting January 2003, and continuing through 2004, focuses on teaching the games simply, while also serving the needs of those who wish to experience more in-depth details. Not all readers will like this, because I tell the truth of the reality of gambling, as opposed to those nice, easy, and very comfortable statistics that gamblers like Scott Miller seem to live by.
Here, I wish to let all readers know that the purpose of this 1994 book was to accomplish exactly what Evan Salas wrote in his review, and not what Scott Miller apparently thought the book should have been. Over the years, I have received hundreds of letters from readers all over the world who found my book informative, easy to understand, and helpful in learning what the casino games are, and how to enjoy them better.
Thank you to both Scott and Evan for your kind efforts in reviewing my book. I hope to offer my readers even more in my new series of books.
Sincerely,
Victor H. Royer
Author
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
