G2E Review

My initial thoughts after day 1 in no particular order:

Galaxy has a very good product in WPT Heads Up Poker...well done Dan & Co.

SHFL has added House Money "stack your winnings" feature to Royal Match, Bet The Set & King's Bounty. All have reduced normal pay tables but the new feature of adding the side bet & winnings to your main BJ option....I think it works best on Royal Match with its 24% hit rate....all are tagged "Deluxe" versions of the original.

SHFL's Exposed 3 Card Poker where you see two of your cards and all three of the dealers cards before deciding to make a 2X play wager is an interesting twist on the ultimate 3 Card version from 2 years ago....I am undecided on it, but it was interesting for sure, will have to go back and play it again today.

Galaxy's High Card Flush is good & gaining traction...SHFL's Straight Edge Poker is an interesting answer to this type of modified Poker game....I found it easier for both me and the dealer to find my best Flush Hand vs. my best straight hand, so for simplicity of concept, I lean towards Galaxy's HCF....but Straight Edge is getting some installs as well so this will be another battle front for the two companies.

SHFL's Ultimate 7 Card Poker is a volatile beast.....maybe too much so! You make Ante & Blind bets plus side bet action and receive 3 Cards. Check or make 3X wager. Get 2 more Cards, check or make 2X wager, get two more cards & check if already bet previous streets or mandatory 1X or fold. You have 9 units out there if you bet max and then have to hope your initial pair of Kings in your three card hand holds up if it doesn't improve....I need to go back and look at this one again but I feel olayers are going to be even more timid on this game then they are on UTH and that will likely kill them in HE. Jury is still out for me on this one.

Double Draw Poker by SHFL was not as good as I expected, but I need to give this one another shot as well....5 card initial deal and can draw up to 3 cards first after making another wager, then can draw ine additional card for one more wager and compare your hand to a pay table. I think two pair is a push and anything above that pays even money except on the "Blind bet" where you get odds....I may have that not quite right, will go back again today to confirm....I think the hit rate is too low here althought they indicated it was 40%....me thinks that includes the Pushes as "hits" but Miplet will confirm upon his return from Vegas :-)

Those are the highlights in table games so far.....time to get ready for another day on the Floor, more info & details to come plus the WoV Dinner tonight!

I missed including "Free Bet" in the review yesterday only because I had seen the game last year and we have had quite a few threads on the Forum detailing the qualitities of Switch's game. Make no mistake it will be a monster and is gaining installs up & down the Strip. I dare to say that no other game in SHFL's 2013 booth will have as many installs in its life cycle than Free Bet BJ.

This is it? No comments about G2E this year?

Any APs going to hire Billy Mitchell to work the Centipede Slot?

Any T&A report?

Here are some of the lovely ladies from this year's Shuffle Entertainment booth. Last year they had some token men dealers, but they fortunately did away with that awful idea for this year. Click on any image for a larger version.

Thanks Wiz.

Was the fine blonde(I should know her name..I'm bad) that's in a lot of your casino pictures working at the show?

Quote: Alan

Thanks Wiz.

Was the fine blonde(I should know her name..I'm bad) that's in a lot of your casino pictures working at the show?

LOL! You ARE bad! That's Lisa. Lovely, lovely Lisa...

Quote: Wizard

Here are some of the lovely ladies from this year's Shuffle Entertainment booth. Last year they had some token men dealers, but they fortunately did away with that awful idea for this year. Click on any image for a larger version.

If you click on the images, you can clearly see, uhmm, their eyes better. Forget the game report, show more pictures!

Quote: Alan

Was the fine blonde(I should know her name..I'm bad) that's in a lot of your casino pictures working at the show?

No. I never saw Lisa, so I assume not. However, my video model Angela, who is in some pictures, but not as many as Lisa, had a gig at Galaxy. Here she is with Paradigm and Switch.

Quote: Wizard

No. I never saw Lisa, so I assume not. However, my video model Angela, who is in some pictures, but not as many as Lisa, had a gig at Galaxy. Here she is with Paradigm and Switch.

It'd be cool enough that the phrase "my video model" is something you can say, but then there's the picture. You have a rough life, Michael Shackleford:-)

Thank you.

She's pretty hot too, but not like Lisa. ;-) The Asian chic isn't bad either.

Quote: rdw4potus

It'd be cool enough that the phrase "my video model" is something you can say, but then there's the picture. You have a rough life, Michael Shackleford:-)

Yeah right. Why would you want to be married in Vegas(and when I say married I don't mean the verb).

Quote: Alan

She's pretty hot too, but not like Lisa. ;-) The Asian chic isn't bad either.

Not that Lisa isn't pretty, but my tastes lean more towards Angela. Did you read the article Lisa wrote for this site: Glitz to Natural Bliss?

Quote: Wizard

Not that Lisa isn't pretty, but my tastes lean more towards Angela. Did you read the article Lisa wrote for this site: Glitz to Natural Bliss?

I concur. I also don't know much about Lisa, but Angela comes off as very intelligent, which certainly adds to her overall attractiveness, in my book.

She actually looked even better in the picture you posted than in the videos.

Now that I have met her, all I can say is that Angela has the whole package: Looks & intelligence! That and evidently she can sing.

OK, not to derail the thread here but see below for the boring stuff.......the game reviews!!

Having reflected a bit more on the games that I saw at the Show, I would say my favorites for innovation and highest potential for commercial success would be (in no particular order):

Galaxy's WPT Heads UP Poker - the trade off of a max 4X pre-flop bet for the Bad Beat protection offered by the Bad Beat Blind Pay Table is going to be attractive to players. The game will have to compete with an established title of SHFL's UTH and being 2nd out of the gate is a definite handicap, but my guess is with a new twist that players will like, there are installs to be gained by Galaxy here.

SHFL's Free Bet BJ - Geoff ("Switch") is killing it with installs up and down the strip here and I watched him demo the game to the British Columbia Lottery Commission team....they were impressed and liked the concept. I add that only to indicate the game has broad appeal and this product is going to be hard to beat for properties looking for a new BJ Variant.

SHFL's "Deluxe" versions of Royal Match - This is regular RM with a reduced pay table (2-1 on suited matches & 15-1 on the Royal Match....vs. 2.5-1/25-1 normally) with the "House Money" feature that allows the player to add the winnings and original side bet amount to their BJ wager and double the win if they beat the dealer in the regular BJ hand (or lose it back to the house if they lose). This is an excellent leverage of the HM "cap bet" feature to games that players already know and will significantly re-fresh the old Royal Match/Bet the Set/King's Bounty franchise's. Adding decisions to side bets in BJ is the future in my opinion, and adding the cap decision to the static up front resolution side bets of yesterday is a great improvement.

Here are the others that don't quite make the list above for me, some of which may prove out to work well....remember, it is just my opinion:

I wanted to like SHFL's Straight Edge Poker but I think I have a personal hang up with the dealer getting more cards than the player in a game....I was hoping the multiple pay, "Dragon Bonus like" odds pay would make up for that, but concluded it was really hard to get more than a 3X payout on the "Wins by" pay table. Essentially your straight needs to be longer than the dealer's straight by 4/5/6 to get 8X/25X/200X. Realize that for vast majority of hands, the dealer is going to have at least a 2 card straight (remember they get 8 cards here) and for you to have more than a 5 card straight in 7 cards is rare....that is a Wins by 3 and nets you a 3X payment (win by 2 gives you 2X) on your play bet (and maybe your Ante as well, can't remember it that is the case). Bottom line is it seemed too remote to offer much incentive. Still leaning towards Galaxy's High Card Flush in this category as the winner, but mainly due to the 8 cards vs. 7 cards mechanism.

Double Draw Poker is a nice way to bring Draw Poker onto the casino floor.....and I may have not fully understood the game in my initial comments. The game gives you 5 cards after you ante and make the bonus bet. Then you can draw up to three cards by making a first "Draw" Bet and then Draw another single card by making a 2nd "Draw" bet. Keep in mind both Draw bets are required to be made even if you have a pat hand (but you would make them in that case anyway). As Ryan of SHFL pointed out to me on Wednesday, Double Draw is one of the first games to actually pay you on your Draw bets as opposed to just taking your bets as a "toll for making the draw". So if successful in achieving two pair or better, you will get paid even money on your Ante & all Draw wagers. Initially I was only looking at the Bonus pay table which pushed on any two pair and concluded the Ante and Draw bets also pushed on two pair. But after reviewing the website rules, the Ante and Draws win even money as long as you achieve at least Two Pair and the Bonus is paid if you achieve 3OAK or better and pushes on two pair.....I am liking this more than I did on first impression, but couldn't quite put it in the Heads Up/Free Bet BJ category above just yet.

Both Galaxy's and SHFL's version of Commission Free PGP are no match for PaiGowDan's EZ Pai Gow on the base game. For both companies it will be the power of their Emperor's Choice & Fortune Side bets that drive success here and not the commission free portion of the game. That may be enough to gain installs.....particularly if the distributor of EZ PGP doesn't get out there and sell a bit more aggressively......are you listening DEQ? Perhaps Galaxy or SHFL should give up on their inferior commission free "look a likes" and just see if they can woo PaiGowDan away from DEQ!

Same conclusion with Commission Free Baccarat from both companies. Although SHFL may have the advantage here with their most popular Dragon Bonus Bet. DEQ's EZ Bacc is so far in front with 600 installs that this will be a tougher market to for either SHFL or Galaxy to grab share. PaiGowDan's Lucky Win Baccarat side bet does provide a higher payout/lower hit rate alternative to Dragon Bonus and that may find a niche as well. EZ Bacc with Dragon 7 and Panda 8 are the standards here (despite the AP vulnerability) & I have to commend DEQ on the execution of this game.....credit where credit is due......I think the EZ Bacc domination in this space is going to be difficult to unseat even as EZ Bacc has gone off patent.

Ultimate 7 Card Stud is just too plain volatile for my liking.....I played several hands and watch players with Aces/Kings & Queens in their first three card hands go down in flames to two small pairs in the dealer's hand. Recall you make an Ante & a Blind bet and receive three cards and then have an option to make a 3X Raise or check. Then you get two more cards (to make 5 total) and can make a 2X raise or check. Then you get your last 2 cards (now total of 7) and must make 1X raise if you haven't raised before or can check if you have raised before (I think I have that right). So imagine your looking at K/K/8 for your starting 3 cards.....you make 3X and then don't improve with the next two cards, you likely still 2X there as a pair of K's is a pretty good hand.....then you don't improve again at the 7 card stage......you may slow down and check but likely would 1X at the end because at this point you already have 7 units riding on this hand including the Ante & Blind so what is one more unit....then the dealer turns over their hand and reveals two pairs, 7's & 4's and you watch 9 units including your trips bet go down the drain. With a $100 buy in at a $5 table, you have played one hand and lost almost 1/2 you buy in....at a $10 table on the strip, you are looking at a $90 loss in one hand! My conclusion is the game needs some tweaking, but a 7 card stud game could be fun. I have some thoughts on improvement, but will keep them to myself for now.

Big Raise Poker and Six Card Poker have been seen at previous shows & I understand they are getting some installs. However, I don't rate them high enough to be included up top.

And that brings us to Exposed Three Card Poker....this was an interesting game that I really liked at first, but after further reflection was less enthused. So you make an Ante bet and get to see two of your cards and all three of the dealers cards in a three card poker game....you read that correctly, you get to see the dealer's entire 3 card hand before you make a play decision. There is one face down community card that all players share to complete their hand and is revealed after players make their play or fold decision. You have to make a 2X ante wager to continue or fold. I found myself calculating outs to beat the dealer when my two cards were already beaten and needed help to win. Other times you know that you have beat the dealer after only seeing your first two cards. I can't recall now but I believe there was a dealer qualification hand to get paid on the play bet, so if you knew you won after your first two cards, but the dealer didn't qualify, you had a one unit/Ante only victory just like in regular three card (Pacman, correct me if I have that wrong). The game was more exciting than regular 3CP, which I played later that night & thought was just mind numbing, but I don't know if there is enough here with the three card game concept being so long in the tooth. The game did spark some other ideas for me that I will need to flesh out in the future.

I am sure I have left some games out that others can add along the way. Also I have likely made at least one mistake in a game explanation above, it was a busy show for me, so if you see an error, please correct for the group.

Nice report Michael and it was good catching up with you at Tuscany. See you in November!

Michael,
excellent update/review!

Quote: Paradigm

Both Galaxy's and SHFL's version of Commission Free PGP are no match for PaiGowDan's EZ Pai Gow on the base game. [Dan: Aw, shucks! THANK YOU!] For both companies it will be the power of their Emperor's Choice & Fortune Side bets that drive success here and not the commission free portion of the game. That may be enough to gain installs.....particularly if the distributor of EZ PGP doesn't get out there and sell a bit more aggressively......are you listening DEQ? Perhaps Galaxy or SHFL should give up on their inferior commission free "look a likes" and just see if they can woo PaiGowDan away from DEQ!

I will say that our Galaxy's "Progressive Insurance" bet is very interesting, with a one-color "Monochrome" 9-high Pai Gow to win the jackpot (> 500,000 hands, very spot-on for a progressive jackpot. Regular two-color 9-high wins 10%...)
The Progressive Pai Gow Insurance screen is in this photo, right next to our gorgeous Angela:

Quote: Paradigm

....Same conclusion with Commission Free Baccarat from both companies. Although SHFL may have the advantage here with their most popular Dragon Bonus Bet. DEQ's EZ Bacc is so far in front with 600 installs that this will be a tougher market to for either SHFL or Galaxy to grab share. PaiGowDan's Lucky Win Baccarat side bet does provide a higher payout/lower hit rate alternative to Dragon Bonus and that may find a niche as well. EZ Bacc with Dragon 7 and Panda 8 are the standards here (despite the AP vulnerability) & I have to commend DEQ on the execution of this game.....credit where credit is due......I think the EZ Bacc domination in this space is going to be difficult to unseat even as EZ Bacc has gone off patent.

I thought about this, and felt that with Bacc's primary commission-free mechanism becoming public domain, it is now the battle of the best side bet and progressive system that'll add value to a Bacc game. [And I must add here that the Talisman Group had a hell of a fine run with EZ Baccarat, so hat's off to them!] Also, AP resistance and game protection is key on a Bacc shoe, where the shoe is dealt to its end. In this regard, game robustness is a factor.

Quote: Wizard

Here are some of the lovely ladies

Damn! Now I know why I didn't get the job when I applied!

In case no one else mentioned it, "gambling with an edge" yesterday featured Michael discussing the show.

http://www.slot-machine-resource.com/podcasts/g2e.mp3

For what it's worth (Buffalo Springfield), SHFL's table games staff each year ranks our games based on customer feedback:

1. Double Draw Poker
2. Free Bet Blackjack
3. Commission Free Dragon Bonus
4. Commission Free Fortune Pai Gow Poker
5. "House Money" version of Royal Match
6. Big Raise Stud Poker
7. Back 2 Back Roulette
8. Straight Edge
9. Six Card Poker
10. Three Card Poker Exposed
11. Ultimate 7 Card Stud
12. Gold Jack

Thanks so much to Ron LaDuca (Double Draw) and Geoff Hall (Free Bet) for spending so much time in the booth to interact with our employees and our customers. Amid the wasteland of weirdos, wannabees and posers, these guys are true experts. I have great expectations for their games.

Thanks to Mr. Casino Games for taking the time to show me his latest creations. Only five new games, Stephen? That's it? J/K.

Thanks to DJ Teddy Bear for doing two things most game inventors don't do: 1) Listening; and 2) Following up.

Sorry to miss Beachbumbabs, but I appreciate the card.

We also ranked the models, but that's a list we can't print!

Tied for 13th were Rabbit Hunter and Raise It Up Stud.

See DJ, even the best don't hit a home run every time up at bat Some guys (me) can even get to first base. SIGH

Hell, this year I didn't even get to the batter's box ( G2E ). I guess my position in the game is LEFT OUT.

In Double Draw Poker, what is the hit rate of getting two pair or better & getting paid on your ante/draw/draw wagers and pushing your Bonus wager?

This game has 8-10 installs on the East Coast I believe and with it doing so well with SHFL customer feedback, Wiz, I believe it is time to do a write up.

Quote: Pacman

1. Double Draw Poker

Roger, I know that someone else said this to you already (he told me as much), but Double Draw Poker is the single most vulnerable game I have ever seen as far as collusion. The game is played with a 54 card deck, and it is possible that all 54 cards are dealt. I played a few hands at the table, asking others to see their cards, and it was obvious to the casual observer that a huge edge was to be had. I am sure you are passing along the warning, in bolded red capital letters, to your clients.

Quote: Paradigm

Both Galaxy's and SHFL's version of Commission Free PGP are no match for PaiGowDan's EZ Pai Gow on the base game. For both companies it will be the power of their Emperor's Choice & Fortune Side bets that drive success here and not the commission free portion of the game. That may be enough to gain installs.....particularly if the distributor of EZ PGP doesn't get out there and sell a bit more aggressively......are you listening DEQ? Perhaps Galaxy or SHFL should give up on their inferior commission free "look a likes" and just see if they can woo PaiGowDan away from DEQ!

Are you aware that Dan now works full-time for Galaxy? DEQ is still the distributor for his EZPG. Dan had DEQ's blessing before taking the job with Galaxy.

At Galaxy's booth, Dan was talking about their Commission Free PGP in a manner that made me think it was his own creation. I meant to ask him if it was....

Quote: Pacman

Thanks to DJ Teddy Bear for doing two things most game inventors don't do: 1) Listening; and 2) Following up.

It shocks me every time you tell me that I'm unique in this manner.

Thank YOU for continuing to give me your time, advice and assistance.


Gang:
For those of you that don't recognize the name, Pacman is Roger Snow, SHFL's Executive Vice President, Chief Product Officer.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Are you aware that Dan now works full-time for Galaxy? DEQ is still the distributor for his EZPG. Dan had DEQ's blessing before taking the job with Galaxy.

At Galaxy's booth, Dan was talking about their Commission Free PGP in a manner that made me think it was his own creation. I meant to ask him if it was....

I meant wooing Dan in the sense of his EZ PGP Contract with DEQ.......but I see now how it was misleading the way I phrased it. I was also attempting to be a bit playful & sarcastic :-).

Gang:
For those of you that don't recognize the name, DJTeddyBear is the proud inventor of Poker For Roulette.

P.S. DJ, Roger said you did a great job washing and waxing his car last week.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

At Galaxy's booth, Dan was talking about their Commission Free PGP in a manner that made me think it was his own creation. I meant to ask him if it was....

It was Derek Webb's patent and design (he is the man who invented Three Card Poker), and we all felt that Mr. Webb has a very sharp design and alternative solution, and we proudly presented it.

Quote: Pacman

Thanks to Mr. Casino Games for taking the time to show me his latest creations. Only five new games, Stephen? That's it? J/K.

Thanks Pacman for taking time to see my latest creations. Yes, Only five new games in five months. :)

Quote: MrCasinoGames

Thanks Pacman for taking your time to see my latest creations. Yes, Only five new games in five months. :)

Too much time doing chip tricks, not enough inventing games ? LOL