G2E Preview

Advance publication of a story that will run next month in a bunch of the trade mags:


LAS VEGAS—Free Bet Blackjack will head a lineup of 11 new table games for SHFL entertainment at this year’s Global Gaming Expo.

Free Bet is currently played in the United Kingdom and the United States, including Aria and the Mirage in Las Vegas. It was created by Geoff Hall of England, the man behind such hits as Blackjack Switch, Burn 20 Blackjack and Never Bust Blackjack.

“This is his best game, hands down,” says Roger Snow, the chief product officer for SHFL entertainment. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Free Bet eventually became the best-selling blackjack game of all time.”

Free Bet lets players split and double down without risking any more money. The claw back for the house is that players push if the dealer draws to 22.

“You’re starting to hear some buzz around town,” says Snow. “It started off a year ago at the Golden Nugget and now it’s spreading to the Strip. By this time next year, it could be everywhere.”

In addition to Free Bet, SHFL will display four other games created outside the company. Double Draw Poker (Ron Laduca of New Jersey); Gold Jack (Atanis Manwin of Australia); Three Card Poker Exposed (Ofir Ventura of Las Vegas) and Big Raise Stud Poker (Mark Yoseloff of Las Vegas). Yoseloff is the former chief executive officer of SHFL (back when it was called Shuffle Master) and is the inventor of Mississippi Stud, one of the most popular specialty games in the industry.

“We look anywhere and everywhere for ideas,” says John Hemberger, the worldwide general manager of proprietary table games for SHFL. “Sometimes it’s someone with a strong track record and sometimes is someone who’s coming up with his first game. Either way, if we like it, we will take it on.”

The other six titles were developed internally. Snow says his favorite is Ultimate 7 Card Stud, which features head-to-head play against the dealer and several bonus bets.

“People are either going to love it or hate it,” he says. “It’s a super-aggressive betting game, even more so than Ultimate Texas Hold’em. I’m anxious to see the reaction it gets.”

The Global Gaming Expo will take place Sept. 24-26 at the Sands Expo Hall in Las Vegas.

I'm looking forward to trying some of those new games.

Note that the article might mislead someone into thinking that Free Bet is no longer at GN. I enjoyed playing it last month there.

And I agree that it's a fantastic game. Had I known when created the House Money - Friggin' Fantastic! thread what I know now, I might have used lesser adjectives. It's Free Bet that's Friggin' Fantastic (no offense Roger...) Maybe merge the two?

I think it's a great article - not that I'm biased or anything :-)

11 New Games, Wow!!! SHFL's Booth is always a highlight at the Show.

SHFL's games ... or its dealers?

Quote: Pacman

SHFL's games ... or its dealers?

I can answer that one. Definitely the dealers.

Quote: Pacman

SHFL's games ... or its dealers?

Haha.....the dealer's are great, obviously, but I come to see the games.....really :-). There is a reason there are plenty of SHFL Logo'd polo shirted trainers inside the pits as well to address real game questions when they come up. I am really looking forward to Geoff in a SHFL Logo'd Oxford....I think Roger makes that a requirement since they are pumping up Free Bet BJ this year.....Geoff, what size shirt do you need ;-)?

Quote: Paradigm

... ... ... I am really looking forward to Geoff in a SHFL Logo'd Oxford....I think Roger makes that a requirement since they are pumping up Free Bet BJ this year.....Geoff, what size shirt do you need ;-)?

Hehe, XXL preferably a gold color as in the Free Bet coin :-)

Quote: Switch

Hehe, XXL preferably a gold color as in the Free Bet coin :-)

Too many trips to Binion's Steak House. :)

Quote: Paigowdan

Too many trips to Binion's Steak House. :)

Hehe, I kid myself into thinking it's the chest size rather than anything else.

Go Geoff!!

And Ultimate 7-card stud is MORE aggressive than UTH? How can the average player have a chance then? lol

I also hope "Double Draw Poker" does well because I did a lot of amateur math over this game to help random internet people...

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/tables/14098-double-draw-poker/2/

Profile of the game "Ultimate 7 Card Stud." Again, this will run next month in the trade mags:


LAS VEGAS—Among the six homegrown table games SHFL entertainment will display at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo, the company’s head of design thinks one will ultimately prove the most successful.

That game, aptly enough, is called Ultimate 7 Card Stud.

“It’s sort of the sequel to Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and not merely because the names are similar,” says Roger Snow, the chief product officer for SHFL. “Hopefully it will be more like Godfather II and less like Ghostbusters II.”

This original certainly is a tough act to follow. Snow says Ultimate Texas Hold’em, or UTH for short, is the No. 2 revenue-generating game in the industry, behind only Three Card Poker. Snow says there are licensed UTH tables in 31 countries, making it the most widely-played title in the company’s portfolio.

So what do you do for an encore?

Just as Ultimate Texas Hold’em is a house-banked version of the dominant poker-room game of today, Ultimate 7 Card Stud is a house-banked version of the dominant poker-room game of yesterday.

“I was always a big fan of seven card stud,” says Snow. “You just don’t see it around anymore. Maybe if there’s still an itch out there, this game can scratch it.”

In UTH, a game known for its volatility, players may risk up to four times their original “Ante” wager. In Ultimate 7, players can risk six times.

“You’re talking 50% more betting,” says Snow. “But players can also mitigate their exposure. As they get more cards, they can either stomp on the gas or tap on the brakes. We don’t have another game that combines action and control like this one does.”

There is something else in Ultimate 7 that Snow says is unique. If the dealer doesn’t qualify (it takes a pair or better), bonus payouts double. So getting three of a kind pays 3 to 1`if the dealer qualifies and 6 to 1 if he doesn’t.

“It’s kind of a cute feature,” says Snow. “There are times you will root for the dealer to not qualify.”

Will the game prove a worthy sequel? Ultimately, no pun intended, Snow says it all comes down to player acceptance.

“At this point, what I think means nothing,” says Snow. “I’ve had my chance to think about this game the past few months as I was developing it. All that matters now is what players think. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed.”

He will find out soon enough. G2E is scheduled for Sept. 24-26 at the Sands Expo Hall in Las Vegas.

Damn Roger, you're evil. Bonus bet payouts double without a dealer qualifying hand (~15% or so, correct)? Genius!

Quote: tringlomane

Damn Roger, you're evil. Bonus bet payouts double without a dealer qualifying hand (~15% or so, correct)? Genius!

Close. 17.4%.

Root for a non-qualifier? Interesting concept.

Except I think any players that have minor winners, who need the dealer to qualify, might not like to hear the other player rooting the other way.

At least dark side craps players know to keep quiet...

Bought my plane tickets last night (thanks southwest for the $158 round trip). Already played free bet bj, and look forward to trying out the other new games.

Quote: Pacman

...There is something else in Ultimate 7 that Snow says is unique. If the dealer doesn’t qualify (it takes a pair or better), bonus payouts double. So getting three of a kind pays 3 to 1`if the dealer qualifies and 6 to 1 if he doesn’t.

“It’s kind of a cute feature,” says Snow. “There are times you will root for the dealer to not qualify.”...

The "bonus payouts" referenced here are on an optional side bet pay table or on an "ante bonus" table that is part of the main game?

I was also thinking about the SHFL Demo Day, were any of those entrants far enough along in development to make it to SHFL's booth at G2E?

Quote: Paradigm

I was also thinking about the SHFL Demo Day, were any of those entrants far enough along in development to make it to SHFL's booth at G2E?

The short answer is yes.

Note that none of those games were picked up by SHFL. I'm not sure why Roger hasn't made that announcement yet but I don't think I'm violating any confidentiality here.

For what it's worth, I believe that if SHFL DID sign any if them, they still might not be in their booth this year for any number of reasons.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

The short answer is yes.

Note that none of those games were picked up by SHFL. I'm not sure why Roger hasn't made that announcement yet but I don't think I'm violating any confidentiality here.

For what it's worth, I believe that if SHFL DID sign any if them, they still might not be in their booth this year for any number of reasons.

You are correct. We did not sign any of the games shown last month.

Roger, is it an ante bonus or a optional side bet bonus pay table that gets doubled if the dealer doesn't qualify?

Quote: Paradigm

Roger, is it an ante bonus or a optional side bet bonus pay table that gets doubled if the dealer doesn't qualify?

Optional.

I like that answer. Then you didn't need the double of the pay table to get the main game HE in the appropriate range and the volatility on the optional bet is increased, which is normally a good thing. It will be interesting to get a feel for the variance/volatility in this game.

UTH is already a heart pumping experience, I shy away from $10 min tables as I don't want $60 out there (ante/blind & a 4X raise) hoping my pair of 5's holds up.

Going six times your ante is going to be unbelievable and then with a doubling of the pay table on the side bet on dealer non-qualifiers......hang on to your seats ladies and gentlemen, you may be in for quite a ride.

Looking forward to seeing it played at G2E!!

Quote: Pacman

Profile of the game "Ultimate 7 Card Stud." Again, this will run next month in the trade mags:


LAS VEGAS—Among the six homegrown table games SHFL entertainment will display at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo, the company’s head of design thinks one will ultimately prove the most successful.

That game, aptly enough, is called Ultimate 7 Card Stud.

“It’s sort of the sequel to Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and not merely because the names are similar,” says Roger Snow, the chief product officer for SHFL. “Hopefully it will be more like Godfather II and less like Ghostbusters II.”

This original certainly is a tough act to follow. Snow says Ultimate Texas Hold’em, or UTH for short, is the No. 2 revenue-generating game in the industry, behind only Three Card Poker. Snow says there are licensed UTH tables in 31 countries, making it the most widely-played title in the company’s portfolio.

So what do you do for an encore?
Just as Ultimate Texas Hold’em is a house-banked version of the dominant poker-room game of today, Ultimate 7 Card Stud is a house-banked version of the dominant poker-room game of yesterday.

“I was always a big fan of seven card stud,” says Snow. “You just don’t see it around anymore. Maybe if there’s still an itch out there, this game can scratch it.”

In UTH, a game known for its volatility, players may risk up to four times their original “Ante” wager. In Ultimate 7, players can risk six times.

“You’re talking 50% more betting,” says Snow. “But players can also mitigate their exposure. As they get more cards, they can either stomp on the gas or tap on the brakes. We don’t have another game that combines action and control like this one does.”

There is something else in Ultimate 7 that Snow says is unique. If the dealer doesn’t qualify (it takes a pair or better), bonus payouts double. So getting three of a kind pays 3 to 1`if the dealer qualifies and 6 to 1 if he doesn’t.

“It’s kind of a cute feature,” says Snow. “There are times you will root for the dealer to not qualify.”

Didn't comment earlier on the 'Bonus-upon-Bonus' feature when the dealer doesn't qualify. Was sitting in my office saying, "Dang! My evil arch-nemeses, the diabolical Roger Show, cooking stuff up, not like Roger Snow-White (his hyphenated Anglo birth name - and be sure to razz him, now!), but as Roger Snow-Walter-White, his real name, - apparently! That's different, and I'm cooked! He did some tweaking here on this!"

It is very sharp, indeed. Royally pissed as all hell I didn't think of it. The Bonus-upon-the-bonus makes the qualifier your friend as a catch, and takes little of you, giving back quite a bit, - especially with a rare qualifier. But we will see - at G2E....

The third--and final, I promise--article on SHFL table games at G2E:


LAS VEGAS—SHFL entertainment, the world leader in proprietary table games, will display commission-free versions of baccarat and pai gow poker at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

“This is a segment that historically we’ve been more of a spectator than a participant,” says Roger Snow, the chief product officer for SHFL. “In some cases we were blocked by patents and in other cases we just had writer’s block for good ideas.”

That apparently is no longer the case.

SHFL’s initial foray into no-commission baccarat will piggyback on its highly successful Dragon Bonus side bet. Commission Free Dragon Bonus Baccarat, as it’s called, pays all winning bets even money; there is no 5% vig on the banker. To offset the lack of commission, banker bets push when that hand has a three-card winning total of seven points.

“People don’t realize this, but Dragon Bonus is the top proprietary baccarat game in the industry,” says John Hemberger, the worldwide general manager of table games for SHFL. “We are just taking what’s already very popular and adding a no-commission element.”

Dragon Bonus is an optional side bet that pays odds if the player’s selected hand wins by four or more points. The top payout is 30 to 1 for a nine-point margin of victory. SHFL says there are more than 700 tables at casinos in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Unlike no-commission baccarat, which will have its coming out party at G2E, the company’s no-commission pai gow game is live at Bear River Casino in California and the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Commission is eliminated by making it a push for all players when the house rules force the dealer to play 9-high in his two-card “low” hand.

“We fumbled around with another version for a while, but it wouldn’t stick,” says Snow. “But this one has a chance. It’s smooth. It’s easy to explain. And it happens infrequently enough that it’s not offensive.”

As with Dragon Bonus, SHFL has added the no-commission tag to another of its powerhouse brands, naming it Commission Free Fortune Pai Gow Poker.

“This was a no-brainer,” says Snow. “When it comes to pai gow poker, the Fortune brand has the most loyal following among players. There are more than 800 tables in North America alone.”

According to Hemberger, who created the mechanism that eliminates commission, the plan is to gauge player reaction from these early test sites. If all goes well, SHFL will start—so to speak—decommissioning its massive base of Fortune Pai Gow tables.

“The early feedback we’ve received is terrific,” he says. “Players like it. Dealers like it. The (Golden) Nugget just agreed to take a second table. If this keeps up, you could see a rapid changeover from commission to no-commission games.”

SHFL will display a total of 10 new games at G2E, which is scheduled for Sept. 24-26 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.

In my experience, players like the traditional version of 19 to 20 on the bank. I remember when we introduced Punto 2000 in a central London casino, yonks ago now, the punters loathed it and we binned it within a month. Can't say about Pai Gow, it is not present in the UK, albeit a couple of tables in London.

Quote: Pacman

Commission is eliminated by making it a push for all players when the house rules force the dealer to play 9-high in his two-card “low” hand.

Do you mean "banker" instead of "dealer?" Or is the player required to make the Player bet only?

Wiz -
Reread that paragraph. Roger is talking about Pai Gow Poker.


I'm curious to know what Dan thinks about this. I find it hard to believe he left that back door open in his EZPG patent...

With regard to Pai Gow Poker, sounds like an interesting twist on the game. Obviously many of the dealer pushes would be as a result of the dealer having a straight or a flush where a push is likely, anyway. It also obviously eliminates 10 and 9-high Pai Gows for the dealer, which doesn't happen too often but of course those hands would be annoying going from an almost sure win to a push.

It'll be interesting to see the analysis of the game versus standard and the EZ variation!

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Reread that paragraph. Roger is talking about Pai Gow Poker.

I'm curious to know what Dan thinks about this. I find it hard to believe he left that back door open in his EZPG patent...

Oops, my mistake. And I went down to the Golden Nugget today to look for it.

Indeed, this is the exact thrust of EZ Pai Gow. Well, this sounds like a cliffhanger the Young and the Restless would leave off on in the last minute on a Friday. Dan, what's going on?

deleted

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Dan's version is a push on a Q high "lop" or "paigow." Meaning no pairs or higher can be made. This version sounds as if ANY 9 high is in the two card hand irregardless of the make up of the hand makes it a push. An example would be 9,8 top/flush on bottom.

I like Dan's version better.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Wiz -
Reread that paragraph. Roger is talking about Pai Gow Poker.


I'm curious to know what Dan thinks about this. I find it hard to believe he left that back door open in his EZPG patent...

I hadn't left this door open, and via opinion from Rich. Rich says this is locked up (to include the two-card side qualifiers. This is in addition to other possible issues). We have filed about a half-dozen alternate methods of commission-free Pai Gow poker. And there are existing Patents that cover two-card side qualifiers for Pai Gow Poker owned by others. I do my homework.

But aside from legal issues, a two-card 9-x low side hits about one in 39.9 hands, and not one in 58 hands, so the dealer qualifier interruptions will be a lot more frequent, about 50% greater.

Aside from this, other things and news may happen in this area. One never knows.

What was NOT seriously looked at, I feel, but should have been, were player-based qualifiers for no commission Pai Gow offerings.
Galaxy has also developed a Commission-free Pai Gow poker based on its portfolio from Derek Webb that will be shown at G2E, - which has a VERY low incident of "denied wins" or "pushed hands," - greater than one in 80 hands. It has an even lower frequency qualifier than my own method, not a more frequent qualifier. This I consider a sharp contender to fear, and I would know.

In any case, I feel and accept that both SHFL and Galaxy have absolutely every right to pursue a Commission-free Pai Gow, (of course, on condition that all legal issues are clear in the end), and one would have thought that they would be crazy not to make efforts and attempts in this area, - if they hadn't.

I also think EZ Pai Gow is a very elegant design, the most elegant solution for this area, - about as clean as it gets for implementing a commission-free Pai Gow game, and that the conversion of the Pai Gow market raises all Commission-free Pai Gow boats, especially those that are proven very fine and solid.

deleted

No Commission Baccarat has been around since 1987.

http://www.worldgamingmag.com/en/gaming/baccarat/item/3584-baccarat-without-the-juice

It's not enough to have a good idea. You have ti implement it.

Josie, get out the aspirin, this is gonna hurt.

WELL DONE, MISTER LUBIN !!!!!!!

One thing that struck me about EZ PGP vs. SHFL's latest version is that EZ PGP may result in less dealer error's. When the dealer has "Pai Gow", no pairs, flushes, straights, etc., the hand by definition stands out. It is rare to have 7 suited cards without at least a pair.

Contrast that with the 9 high two card "Low Hand" rule......you can have a really good 5 card hand with this (i.e. flush or straight as was suggested), but you are also going to have the odd one pair hands with five other cards that start with 9-high....I am sure there are going to be others I am not thinking about (e.g J/9 Seven Card Pai Gow Hand, etc.).....my point is the dealer is going to have to be on their toes a bit more as this 9-high "Low Hand" is going to occur with all kinds of 5 card "High Hands".

I don't know if this is a big issue or not, but it struck me after I was reading through the description.......someone told me once that the game and the procedures need to be "elegant", I need to refer back to my notes and figure out who that was :-)!

Quote: Pacman

....the plan is to gauge player reaction from these early test sites. If all goes well, SHFL will start—so to speak—decommissioning its massive base of Fortune Pai Gow tables....

This can't mean that all Fortune PGP tables are going no commission in the future, can it? Surely there will still be an option to have the old commission based Fortune PGP table.....I ask because in 90% of tribal casinos in WA that I know about, they don't charge any commission on their Fortune or Emperor's Challenge PGP tables as it is right now. They make all of their HE on copies going to the house and side bet participation.

This has been a huge reason that EZ PGP has been a tough sell up in WA from what I have seen, so many properties already offer a no commission version of PGP (either Fortune or Emperor's) and the players don't want to give up the push hand mechanism for the no-commission game currently offered. I have actually had this discussion with several Table Game Manager's asking why they don't offer EZ PGP (I was selling there for you Dan.....ya just didn't know it!) and that was there response.

Quote: Paradigm

This can't mean that all Fortune PGP tables are going no commission in the future, can it? Surely there will still be an option to have the old commission based Fortune PGP table.....I ask because in 90% of tribal casinos in WA that I know about, they don't charge any commission on their Fortune or Emperor's Challenge PGP tables as it is right now. They make all of their HE on copies going to the house and side bet participation.

Not just the tribals, but some of the card rooms too. It's a great deal if you play fairly serious money and even better if you aren't scared to bank. Players point of view: they're giving up something for nothing in return. It will be a tough sell there indeed.

Quote: Paigowdan

Rich says ...

For those out of the loop, Rich is Rich Newman, the gaming patent lawyer that Dan and I use.

Quote: Paigowdan

But aside from legal issues, a two-card 9-x low side hits about one in 39.9 hands, and not one in 58 hands, so the dealer qualifier interruptions will be a lot more frequent, about 50% greater.

It hits more often, but some of those hits turn house winners into a push, like the 9x / flush discussed in the last couple posts.

For the record, I think this new method will introduce new dealer errors. Dan's version has the virtue of having the players already looking for a dealer getting a 7 card garbage hand. They're not currently looking for garbage in the 2 card hand.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

For those out of the loop, Rich is Rich Newman, the gaming patent lawyer that Dan and I use.


It hits more often, but some of those hits turn house winners into a push, like the 9x / flush discussed in the last couple posts.

No. This'll often turn strong player winners also into a bad beat push. What if the player has the Jx/Flush (a common flush hand) - and pushes to a 9x/77432?
The simple fact of the matter is that you've got 50% more "useless pushes" plus the bad beats,
- while this mechanism is really collecting on the lower dealer's Pai Gow push hands, just being diluted by some extra "cover" hands here. A tougher sell....

In reality its using a lot of Pai Gow hands to effect the real house edge, with a bit of extra push-cover hands, about 50%. One can easily argue that EZ Pai Gow Poker was "back-doored" in, - with some neutral meaningless pushes added onto the mix of hands, to fundamentally make use of the Pai Gow push mechanism underneath with some cover pushes added on top now. A break-out analysis of hand types in effect will show this.

Quote: DJTeddybear

For the record, I think this new method will introduce new dealer errors. Dan's version has the virtue of having the players already looking for a dealer getting a 7 card garbage hand. They're not currently looking for garbage in the 2 card hand.

Yes. It'll not only have more qualification disruptions, but will cause questioning on what the push hand really should be, as now much less clear. Not an elegant mechanism.

Was at the Nugget on Saturday. Elegant or not, the game was busy.

Trust me, I was one of the first ones on it. A small delay, RE the Progressive system. Had a nice lady dealer named Soo dealing it.

It actually played very well, a lot like EZ Pai Gow.

Please note: there is no banking on SHFL's No commission Fortune.