Why do you play the game(s) you play?

I've always been curious why people choose the games they play. Why Pai Gow over say Baccarat; Craps over Blackjack etc. etc? What about the game play appeals to you? Or the typical clientele?

For me my main game is Blackjack.

Foremost I am a social gambler and I look for a nearly full table that appears to have friendly people sitting at it. I want to be able to cheer with other players when we win, and give the dealer a hard time when we lose. I like the tension of whether to hit on that 16 against the dealer 7 (I know it's all mapped out in basic strategy but it's still stressful when you have a big bet at stake). I like rooting for the blackjack when I see the Ace. Also the back and forth nature of the game allows my bankroll to survive my long gambling sessions and collect all the free alcohol I can. Other games (I'm looking at you craps) just seem to have a way of robbing me blind before the cocktail waitress even brings my first drink.

I am normally an introverted person but Blackjack is excellent at bringing me out of my shell. There's nothing quite like celebrating with the table when the dealer busts when we had a bunch of splits and double downs riding on the table. There's nothing like busting the dealer's balls when he gets a 5 card 21.

But I'm curious, what drives the rest of you to play your chosen games?

Craps - the pure juice of the game. NO game has the juice of craps.

Poker room poker - the espionage.

Pai Gow - Asian chicks, and multiple ways to set many hands.

Ultimate Texas Hold 'em - getting good hole cards to chunk 4x. THIS game is great.

High Card Flush & Three card poker - fun, simple "Wine-drinking" games.

Baccarat - low house edge, and the joy of catching a streak. The history board predicts nothing.

What drives me?
Heck, sometimes I wander the game pit trying to decide what to play and I spot this dealer: instantly, the decision is made: whatever she is dealing, I'm playing!

I like Mini-Bacc. I know its been compared to drying paint but I do enjoy the game particularly if I happen to be winning. Since I am usually "Mr. Banker" I guess there is a slightly better chance of that than if I am "Mr. Player". So I go with the percentages. I heard something about the race is not always to the swiftest but that's the way to bet. So I bet Banker and hope.

Craps. Now there is real action. Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes the money is all gone before the fist visit from the cocktail waitress, but sometimes you start out strong and stay strong.

What really drives me? The desire to own the casino!!

I love to play craps. Its the swings from good to bad to good. Its a game with its own language. It's a social game. I love to drop a couple of hundered on the table and drink Bud Lights until I cant stand at the craps table. Craps its the social reason I love to play it.

Also I love to play the ponies. The reason is because it makes me think. My mind is always going and this is the best thing I have found to relax me. You grab a racing form and you have all of this info to determine how these horses will finish. My mind stays busy at the track.

Quote: JW17

You grab a racing form and you have all of this info to determine how these horses will finish. My mind stays busy at the track.

Last week I saw a wonderful stage performance of Guys and Dolls, and your comment reminded me of the very first number from that show. Here is a link to a video clip of that scene from the film version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6MHgh1vFQ

The real name of the number is Fugue for Tinhorns, not Horse Right Here as declared in the title of that Youtube page.

If you have any trouble following the lyrics (heh heh), they are provided here.

I mainly play craps and Video Poker

Craps is for pure fun...there's nothing quite like the feeling of being at a crowded craps table, on a hot streak. Also the same can be said for SHOOTING...there's no thrill quite like it...when YOU are in control of everyone else's winning/losing

Video poker, I play because it has the absolute lowest house edge, so that I can maintain my cashback/mail-offers.

BJ because of low house edge and that the right play has been decided long ago.

Sports wagering because you can take all the time you need and figure what you think is the better bet. Since I was unable to make a dream career in stock analysis sports wagering is the next best thing

Video poker because the edge is so low you can have a winning session while racking up enough points to get a free meal.

Craps because the edge is low, you can pretend you are influencing the dice, and you look cool once you know the language. If you know all the bets and odds it is nearly a secret society.

Poker because you are playing other players not the house and it is a nice social game.

Blackjack - low house edge, interactive.
Video Poker - low house edge, interactive, plus nobody will bitch at me for taking all the small cards.
3CP - no thinking involved - I can drink a load of Jack and Coke and still know what's going on.
Slots - I'm a sucker, and I design slots for a living, so I better see what's popular and why.
Video Keno - ditto on the slots.

There are different reasons for playing different games.
Blacjack is what I first learned to play, craps has the energy, pai gow poker is good for bankroll prrservation as it is a slow game and roulette for a shot at winning big money with a smallish bet

VP, progressive slots, UTH, MS, BJ for obvious reasons. If I'm ever walking by a craps table and see dice sliding across the felt, I'll finally get to play.

Craps for social reasons? There's gotta be a book club somewhere that comps light beer, gentlemen. It would be much less expensive.

Quote: RogerKint

...Craps for social reasons? There's gotta be a book club somewhere that comps light beer, gentlemen. It would be much less expensive.

Hehe... One day Oprah's gonna announce the book of the month is "Gambling 102"

Most of my gambling time is devoted to poker, because it's definitely the game at which I have the biggest advantage.

For breaks, I like to play pai gow tiles, because it's a nice, slow, sociable game, that's enjoyable, with a low house edge, and (usually!) no extreme swings. I also enjoy the depth of strategy for that game, which is rivaled by only poker itself. I use all my match plays at PG tiles as well, although blackjack would be the better choice for those coupons.

When I have friends in town who want to gamble it up, craps is always a good group option.

I cannot stand blackjack anymore. It's a boring, repetitive game, and I do not find it socially enjoyable. In my experience, blackjack attracts a lot of loners and misanthropes to the table, who tend to ruin the experience for everyone. Also, in blackjack, there are lots of situations where you're a big favorite, and lose. Compare that to right-way betting at craps, where every time you hit a number, you overcame the odds.

As for counting cards, I think you'd have to be exceptionally well bankrolled to beat the New Jersey game. I would much rather use that money for poker, where I have a much bigger edge than any counter.

Quote: ComplexEnigma

I like the tension of whether to hit on that 16 against the dealer 7

If you're gonna have tension, it's 16 against dealer T. That's a really close call. 16 vs 7 is not really close. Should be an automatic hit unless the count is through the roof.

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Quote: sodawater

If you're gonna have tension, it's 16 against dealer T. That's a really close call. 16 vs 7 is not really close. Should be an automatic hit unless the count is through the roof.

I always figure I'm screwed when I have a 16 against a T. A better example might be when a dealer 6 flips over a 5 and now all your doubles and splits look very precarious.

I've never really had any issues with any sort of mood killing blackjack players. It's always a little awkward when someone is getting bent over by the casino or you have a suspicion they are in too deep. But by and large the people I've played with have been very friendly and root each other on. I think most of the time some curmudgeon joined the table, they risk having the table (and dealer) turn against them so they either stay quiet or leave. I also normally play at lower limit tables where people seem to be a little looser. But I haven't played enough at higher limits to know.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

You would still hit.

are you saying there is no hi-lo index to stand 16 vs 7?

edit -- just found it, 16 v. 7 is a stand with a TC of +9 or higher.