| Trade Up starts out as Triple Play or Five Play Poker, but the player has the opportunity to increase the number of hands whenever you're dealt three of a kind. Just as in Triple Play/Five Play, the initial deal is a single hand. And just as in Triple Play/Five Play, once the player decides which cards to hold, the hand is played out with either three (Triple Play) or five (Five Play) different draws. However, when the initial hand includes three of a kind, the player is offered the chance to play at least twice as many hands as usual. In Triple Play, a player who starts with three of a kind can get 10 hands instead of three in Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker, or six hands in Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus or Bonus Poker Deluxe. The player can decline to trade up, and just play out the hand as usual. However, if the trade up is accepted, the player receives payoffs only on hands that improve on the draw--there is no payoff on hands that remain at three of a kind. That leaves a decision of whether to play it safe or take the plunge and go for the bigger full house and four of a kind payoffs. That's just a small taste of what IGT has to offer--I can't begin to do the sheer volume of variety of games justice in one column. Players have plenty to look forward to as the new games make their way onto casino floors in the coming months. The Guide, which started with little else but the listings, has evolved into much more than that. Its articles and essays on practically every casino game make it a handy primer on playing in the casino. Bourie contributes articles on basics of many casino games, including video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat and slot machines. He includes table diagrams, as well as basic strategy charts for blackjack and video poker. All that is augmented by essays by many well-known gambling authors. Henry Tamburin checks in with best bets in the casino, disturbing trends in blackjack and continuous shuffling machines. Craps expert Larry Edell writes about controlling the dice. Frank Scoblete explores just how good "other games" are, with emphasis on Spanish 21, Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker, pai-gow poker and Let It Ride. Bob Dancer, Tomski and I all check in on video poker, while Max Rubin, Jean Scott, H. Scot Krause and Dancer explore different aspects of casino comps. Mixed in with the casino listings in some states are essays on the best places to play--the best of Atlantic City, the best of Las Vegas, the best of Reno. the best of Tunica and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The last 88 pages of the 432-page softcover book are devoted to coupons from many casino jurisdictions. It's a little light in the Midwest--the only Chicago-area coupon is for a free Skyline Buffet for new members of Club Majestic at Majestic Star Casino in Gary. The strength of the coupon package is in Las Vegas, with room deals, match play vouchers, meal discounts and more. |
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