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Table Games Learning to gamble

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by Kinankids, May 13, 2014.

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  1. Kinankids

    Kinankids Newbie

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    So far all I have ever played is slots and video roulette. Are the classes that the casinos give worth it for learning the ropes of table games? I think I would find it too intimidating to just walk up to a game and start watching plus I know I would have questions. Or is it better to go in during a dead time and just develop a rapport with a dealer? Or both? :)
     
  2. wellmel

    wellmel Low-Roller

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    I'd love to hear the answers to this as well. I'm the same, only roulette and slots. I'd love to learn the other table games.
     
  3. Suekel

    Suekel VIP Whale

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    I would say both! The classes in the AM are free so you really have nothing to lose if the timing works out ok for you. That being said, I learned to play 3 Card Poker 7-8 years ago by walking up to an empty table and just saying to the dealer "I've never played before, would you be willing to walk me through it?" She was awesome and it was easy to learn. I did make sure to tip her while playing as a thank you. I did the same thing in New Orleans Harrah's with Carribbean Stud. There were a couple guys playing and I said I'd like to learn but was ok with not sitting down if they did not want a newbie messing up their game. They were super nice and I picked it up in 15 minutes.

    I don't think I'd recommend that method for all games, for example Blackjack has some strategy that can take some time to learn, and you may want to practice on line with a free trainer first. Maybe the same for Craps. In the Gambling thread here there is a really great pinned thread explaining the basics of Craps that was very helpful for me.

    I commend you for wanting to expand your horizons beyond the machines - table games can be a ton of fun, even the so called "carnival games" with a higher house edge. I get that for some people gaming is serious business, for me it's more about having some low stakes fun and maybe hitting a lucky streak and walking away with some money. It's happened quite a few times.
     
  4. paperposter

    paperposter MIA

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    yes they have free craps and bj lessons.

    various casino do at differnt times
     
  5. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    Most casinos will have craps lessons in the morning. I know Monte Carlo does for sure around 10 or 11am. And after they open the table for some low minimum action.

    For roulette the big things between video and live is to not touch your winnings until the dealer removed the marker for the winning number. If you can't reach a number or set of numbers don't be afraid to ask the dealer to place it for you.
     
  6. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    For $20-30 you should be able to buy a pretty good book to explain how to play the different games and some basic strategies for each of them - at your local book store these can be found in the GAMES section (or for free you can try your local library or use a torrent site).

    Then when you get to Las Vegas look in to taking some of the free gambling classes the casinos offer. You are going to find that classes on blackjack, craps, poker and roulette are offered at a lot of different places, but you might have to really search around to find anything on some of the other games and there are going to be a few games not offered.

    Most of the "how to play..." classes are in the morning but sometimes you will find the occasional afternoon class, they usually run 15-30 minutes and are right on the casino floor at one of the tables. While the class is going its all examples and play money and then when its over the table becomes "live" and you can either stay and play for real money or get up and leave.

    The reason I suggest getting a book: Using blackjack as an example, the classes don't teach you "how to play blackjack" in the sense of how to win or how to find a game with good rules or what you should do if you are holding a ____ against a dealer's ____... instead they teach you "how to play blackjack in a casino" focusing on things like how to buy in, how to cash out, what you can do with your hands and cards, what you can't do, what to do if you have a problem, basic rules of the game, how to hit/stand/split/double/surrender, how to play the bonus bets, are you allowed to touch your cards or not, etc
     
  7. aaronw915

    aaronw915 Low-Roller

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    For blackjack I recommend printing off a strategy chart and using it to play an online game until you get comfortable with the strategy and understand why you don't hit a 12 against a dealers 6.

    http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php

    This is the online game I learned on. This game is nice because when you try to hit when you shouldn't it stops you

    http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bst/

    Change it to 6 or 8 deck and hit play

    As for craps, youtube has lots of video tutorials on table games and I've seen quite a few on craps. This way you can watch other people play without the stress of walking up to a full table and trying to see what's going on.
     
  8. Cheap G

    Cheap G Tourist

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    I would go to an online casino like bovada and play for free. When you click on a game it gives you the option to play for real money or play for fun. You could check out the Wizard of odds, too.
     
  9. FountainFiend

    FountainFiend Low-Roller

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    Everything I learned is from wizardofodds.com He has a great site that shows all of the correct strategies to use, as well as informative videos on how to actual play the game. That's 100% where I'd start for sure.
     
  10. Texas Gramma

    Texas Gramma Low-Roller

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    Online Help To Learn New Games

    There are places online you can practice play most games at no cost... I'll give you a few samples of ones I like ... you may find others you like.
    ---
    Blackjack
    http://www.hitorstand.net/game_m.html
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    PaiGow Poker
    http://wizardofvegas.com/games/pai-gow-poker/
    ---
    3 Card Poker
    http://www.3-cardpokeronline.com/mobile.html?utm_source=missstud&utm_medium=mobile_link&utm_campaign=link_promote
    ---
    On the top of the 3 card poker site, there is a link to practice play Let It Ride Mississippi Stud Ultimate Texas Holdem Texas Holdem Bonus Crazy 4 Poker 4-Card Poker Caribbean Stud
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    Video Poker... all kinds of VP games... you have to join this one... but there is a choice to play with no charge and I have done it for years...
    http://www.videopoker.com/players_club/
    ---
    Hope this helps you... I have used these sites for a long time... last year I played PaiGow for the first time and had no problem and the players at the table are real helpful to newbies. Also I played Freebet Blackjack and loved it. I have no website for it, but I played it like regular blackjack with only a couple of differences they explained at the table at The D... it's a new game that has just been invented by someone who posts on this website... and nobody has played it very long... but everyone at the table seemed to really like it.
    ---
    Almost forgot this one... at the wizard of odds website there are a bunch of games you can play besides paigow poker.
    http://wizardofodds.com/play/
     
  11. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    I agree with this completely, except for craps, where I think watching someone walk through the game is immensely more useful than reading about it or having it explained. And in craps, "how to play craps in a casino" is probably the most difficult part to learn, since there's so much going on at the same time.
     
  12. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    Yeah, with craps I was going to add that its one of those games that has a bajillion bets you can make and that the best way to approach it is to learn the true basics of the game (pass, don't pass, come, don't come, odds) and then as you play watch the action and you can pretty much pick up on most of the other bets and how they work as other players make them.

    I remember the first time I played craps: was in Las Vegas with an old business partner and he was constantly going on for the first three days how he wanted to learn craps but there was just so much going on that he didn't understand it all. I knew nothing so I just looked up on the internet that night on how to play and got the fundamentals of pass and odds down and the next day we went and finally played with just that.

    I pretty much stuck with the basics all night but it only took him about 10-15 minutes before he started venture out to other wagers on the table.
     
  13. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    My girlfriend has watched me play a lot of craps in the past 2 years. She enjoys it and "sort of" understands it, at least the basics. But she won't play. I kept telling her about how great "virgin" shooters always do. Finally last week we stopped at the Gold Coast on our way from Rio to the Palms. Both craps tables they had open were empty. She gave up her virginity. Rolled a 9 and a 7 and she was done. But hopefully next time she'll play longer (and shoot longer!) :beer:
     
  14. Badger31

    Badger31 Low-Roller

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    If you have iPad, or even a smart phone...there's a ton of free apps that will simulate a lot of different casino games without the risk of losing money. I did one of those craps lessons at Caesars once, and it just confused me even more. I downloaded the Craps Master app on the iPad and pretty much taught myself.

    I often read posts on VMB about different games that I've never heard of and download an app to try it out. Mississippi Stud was one that heard about on here and liked a lot!
     
  15. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    Some good advice in this thread. For me the key thing is to learn the odds of each bet you make. In craps it varies widely. In blackjack learn basic strategy. I see so many people piss away their money at blackjack and dismiss it as "who cares, I'm on vacation just having fun". Well to me it's a lot more fun to win money than it is to lose it. Why give the house a greater advantage than they already have. Some craps players get their feet wet by making a simple pass line bet and an occasional field bet. That's fine but if you are going to do that play at a casino that pays triple on the 2 or 12 (Gold Coast for example).
     
  16. joshrocker

    joshrocker VIP Whale

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    To the original question of walking up to the table and telling the dealer it's your first time...
    I've done that before and most of the dealers will be very friendly with you, especially if you throw a tip down somewhat early (and really even if you don't). BJ is the only game that I probably would suggest not doing that. Any of the other games should be fairly easy so find a low limit and a empty or slow table.

    BJ is one of the best games and my personal favorite, but a lot of the players are superstitious and aren't always the most friendly to a new person. So with that said, don't skip BJ all together because it's one of the best games to play with a low house advantage. It's just probably not the best game to sit down at completely clueless on how table games work.

    P.S. When I first started going to casinos I was scared to death of the table games. Once I tried them I never went back. I rarely play anything but a table game anymore and much prefer them to hitting a button on a machine a thousand times an hour.
     
  17. tipdrill

    tipdrill Low-Roller

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    This, Learn craps people. By far the most fun game in the casino.
     
  18. BigGTMike

    BigGTMike Low-Roller

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    Read wizard of odds craps section. DL an iPhone craps app. Experiment. Take a morning class to confirm and learn etiquette. Find a slow table and jump in. Profit $$$
     
  19. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Both.
    Take advantage of any offers by the casino to teach, then go find an empty table to play then go back to another lesson to ask some more questions that may arise during actual play. Some questions may be too involved to ask during a live game.

    I did this for Craps.

    I have also walked up to an empty table to inquire about the game and the dealer actually played a dummy hand or two to illustrate. It was very nice of him to do so unfortunately his English wasn't very good and it was very difficult to understand what he was saying.
     
  20. Dean Martin

    Dean Martin VIP Whale

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    I know a lot of people on this board like craps but IMO it's one of the most intimidating table games for a new table game player. As others have said you can stick to the basic bets (pass, don't pass, come bets and odds) but it still moves fast and there is a lot going on and a lot of table etiquette to learn.

    I'd suggest Pai Gow Poker as a great game for a person venturing out into the table game world. It's a pretty simple game once somebody explains it to you as long as you know the basic hierarchy of poker hands. The other reason it's a good game is there is a LOT of pushes, which usually equates to being able to play quite a while on not a lot of money.

    Plus...at a PGP table if you're not sure how to set your 2 and 5 card hands, the rules allow you to ask the dealer to "set your cards" the "house way". The house way being the most logical way to win the hand or get a push.

    Try it on line....you'll have fun and it's a great game once you learn it (which takes only a few minutes). Plus it's an easy game to be social and have drinks:drunk: because there isn't a lot of thinking required.

    BJ is pretty simple too but to learn correct (correct being the most advantageous to winning) strategy takes a little longer to pick up. Plus w/ BJ not everybody plays perfect "correct strategy" so you'll invariably have some dick at the table that "would have done it differently" and starts whining:rolleyes2:

    Just my 2 cents:wave:
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2014
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