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BECOMING A
CHAMPION
The crowd is
going wild! It’s game seven of the World Series, bottom of the
ninth inning, two out, and your team is down by one. You can see
your teammate on third, shaking his fist at you, and shouting
something, but it is pointless. The crowd is way too loud. The
pitcher winds up and drills a fastball past you. Oh, no! Strike
two. The butterflies in your stomach feel like elephants with
wings, and your throat is so dry you feel like you are going to
start choking. Everything that you’ve worked for, has come down
to this. The next pitch is going to change your life forever,
and here it comes…
If there is
even a little competitiveness charging through your veins,
you’ve dreamed about climbing to the top and becoming a
champion. Some people have actually put in the work, and turned
that dream into a reality. Knocked the ball straight out of the
park. As Easy As 1-2-3 is our champion in the making, and here
is our story.
Our company,
Gaming Concepts, Inc. was founded by my brother, my cousin, and
myself. We’ve been developing games for the Casino industry for
the last eight years. The first four years were tough. We
thumped more than a few fouls, and were hit hard by the odd fast
ball. Eventually, due to the experience and confidence built
from our substantial time at the plate, we did it. We hit a
single. Then a double! Finally. Two of the Casino games we
invented made it to the casino floors in Nevada. We had a
batting average.
At long
last, my cousin Jr. and I felt like we were ready. We were both
chomping on the bit, dying for a home run. We knew exactly what
we had to do. We spent hours upon hours in the batting cages.
You don’t want to get your shot, and not be prepared. The next
time at the plate, we wanted to punch one out of the park; make
a name for ourselves… Become a champion.
AS EASY AS 1-2-3. BEST OF THE BEST.
Our goal was
simple. We wanted to invent the best Casino game of all time. We
had spent so much time researching and developing that we knew
we could do it. It turned out to be quite simple. That is to
say, we used an extremely simple approach. We decided to take
the best features of every single current game, and omit the
features that people didn’t like. We spent months compiling and
honing our list. We debated back and forth, and dissected every
game until we felt that we had the best and worst of each game.
Then we got down to work on our game.
Blackjack and what we
liked about it.
·
It is a Champion.
Blackjack is
the Grand-daddy of them all. It is not only the most popular
casino game, it is also the most varied. Most people know how to
play Blackjack. There are a shocking number of websites, books,
and magazines dedicated to this simple game. Everyone wants to
be the best. We wanted to be better than that. We wanted to be
the best of the best. As Easy As 1-2-3 had to be similar to
Blackjack.
·
We liked the
strategy. It’s simple, yet challenging.
We like
strategy. Like Blackjack, As Easy As 1-2-3 is a strategic game
that will undoubtedly generate a truckload of articles, strategy
guides, etc. People are going to try and figure out the best way
to play.
·
Card counting is
perceived to make the game beatable.
We
incorporated card counting into As Easy As 1-2-3. People who
like card counting in Blackjack are going to take a run at 1-2-3
for this reason. It is possible for a player to get the upper
hand at certain times, making the game potentially beatable.
Actually, it is easier to card count in our game, since all the
cards remain face up. We know how much Casinos love players who
think they can get the upper hand by card counting. That’s why
Casinos in North America are packed with over 17,000 Blackjack
tables. Once they hear about As Easy As 1-2-3, there’s going to
be great deals on a lot of used Blackjack tables… Over 17,000 of
them.
·
Blackjack is played
fairly fast. Fast is fun.
As fast as
Blackjack is, As Easy As 1-2-3 is faster. As a matter of fact,
it will likely be the fastest game in the Casino. It plays twice
the hands per hour that Blackjack does. Like we said; fast is
fun.
·
Played properly,
the odds in Blackjack are ok for the player.
We knew to
create a champion, we had to invent a game that had odds which
fell in a range that would be acceptable to both player and
Casino owner. Our game has better odds than Blackjack. However,
since the game plays twice as fast, the Casino will make more
money per hour with our game. A win-win scenario.
·
Hitting a
Blackjack.
Even though
the odds are only one in every twenty-four hands, and the
pay-out is only one half more than any other win, the bottom
line is… It’s exciting to hit a Blackjack. In our game, the odds
of hitting a Blackjack occur two times more often than
Blackjack. By allowing players to see their cards before they
place a bet, most if not all players will bet on an ace,
creating more Blackjacks. Also, no more pushing, or even money.
You win them all, every time, with no exceptions.
·
Most people know
how to play basic Blackjack.
Let’s agree
that basic Blackjack is easy to learn. This is a good feature.
In fact, it’s a great feature. Here’s a better one. If you know
how to play Blackjack, you already know how to play As Easy As
1-2-3. Why re-invent the wheel? Casinos don’t want to spend time
teaching players, dealers, pit bosses, and security a new game.
As Easy As 1-2-3 is so simple that after watching one hand,
people will know how to play. More importantly, people will want
to play.
·
Dealers like
Blackjack.
Dealers have
about as big as say as anyone regarding whether or not a game
survives. We knew that. We designed As Easy As 1-2-3 to be easy
and stress free for the dealer, and create the potential for a
good amount of tipping. The dealers we spoke to love our game.
As Easy As 1-2-3 has really hit the mark.
Blackjack and what we
“didn’t” like about it.
·
It is the most
varied game.
Everyone
under the sun has a Blackjack variation. Most of them are to be
blunt; bad. We kept As Easy A 1-2-3 straight forward and
“gimmick” free.
·
Is there a more
miserable, more often depressing game than Blackjack?
As Easy As
1-2-3 is a very happy game. Every single depressing thing about
Blackjack is gone. After all, what is more important than having
fun? When all is said and done, it is the accumulation of all
the little things that make As Easy As 1-2-3 a FAR more exciting
and superior game than Blackjack could ever be. Players sense
it, even by just watching others play.
·
In-table fighting
amongst the players, the players and dealers, and pit bosses.
We wanted no
part of the bickering. We want people to have fun. When you play
As Easy As 1-2-3, your decisions DO NOT affect the outcome of
other player’s hands. It is so easy for the dealer, that they
will make far less mistakes, if any, and the sheer enjoyment
level at the table brings the stress levels WAY down. As Easy As
1-2-3 is player friendly, meaning that pit bosses will not have
to step in and be the bad guy. Once again, a win-win for
everyone.
·
Player’s decisions
often slow down the game.
Hit? Stand?
Split? Double? Did you bring a book? As Easy A 1-2-3 is
exciting, and overall, a much easier game to learn and master.
We paid attention to detail. By removing features that slow down
the game, and speeding up the betting process, the action is
fun, and fast. Champions do all the little things better.
·
Blackjack has
complicated pay-outs.
Let’s face
it. Three to two is a pain. Here’s another one. How do you pay
the thirty-seven dollar Blackjack? Here’s yet another one. What
about the poor dealers who have to contend with six to five
odds. Can you say mistakes? Can you say stressful? We wanted
everything fast, smooth, and simple. Our Blackjacks occur more
often, and pay nice rounded numbers like two, three, or five to
one.
·
Too many mistakes…
"I didn’t
want a hit". "I asked for a card!" We have designed As Easy As
1-2-3 to eliminate these mistakes. First, players don’t get
cards, so they can’t argue they wanted a hit or didn’t ask for a
card. Mistakes can’t happen as they do in Blackjack. The
dealer plays on average just 4 cards each hand. Hands are easy
to reset and play out. If the dealer does make a mistake; no
burning cards. All cards are played as they would have been
played. It is a dealer’s dream game.
·
The dealer flipping
an Ace and asking for insurance. Even money or pushing a
Blackjack.
Aren’t these
depressing? The mood is terrible when the dealer flips an Ace
and this occurs once in every 13 hands. When a player gets a
Blackjack every 24 hands, and pushes it, they are pissed off.
We got rid of this. You win all Blackjacks. Actually you love
to see Aces now, they are exciting. You even win more if more
than one Blackjack ends up on the felt, so you have players
hoping and praying that the dealer flips a Blackjack. Now
there’s a twist. No more even money, insurance, pushing a
Blackjack or sad faces.
·
The dealer killing
the table with good hand after good hand.
You want to
see sad faces! Players hate when the dealer gets hot. Why?
They feel they have no control and can’t stop it. They try
everything, and finally, start sitting out. It isn’t fun. At an
As Easy As 1-2-3 table, it is all fun. Even when the players do
hit a losing streak, they are in charge. The player bets on
their best hand, and the choice is theirs to make. They are
making the decisions and losing is easier to handle. The game
is so fast that players don’t dwell on the losing streaks and
aren’t bitchy and crabby at the tables. It is now much more
pleasant to go to your local casino and donate.
·
The dealer starting
with a depressing up card, IE. Ace, 10, J, Q or K, 40% of the
time.
Ever watch
Blackjack players? The dealer flips a face card and they punch
their chips into the table, shake their heads, and often swear
and curse. We’ve all seen this, and often. It happens because
they feel beat already. Why? Because they are beat already.
The dealer kills the table when the house starts with any of
these cards. The dealer doesn’t have a hand at As Easy As
1-2-3. They are technically all player hands, for it is the
player who decides which hand he wants to bet on.
Psychologically, Blackjack isn’t even in our league…
·
Players losing or
pushing an unlikely 21.
The dealer
has a face up and you hit your 15. You nail a 6. Yes!!! Dealer
flips over a Blackjack and you lose, or the dealer has to hit,
and draws to 21, and you push. Man, will that take the wind out
of your sails in a hurry. Players don’t mind losing when they
expect it, but it is very tough to lose with a “winning” hand.
As Easy As 1-2-3 is never this unpleasant. In fact, players win
automatically on any 21, and every time. Player’s 21s even get
paid if another hand hits a Blackjack. If a player doubles
down, hits a 21 and another hand hits a Blackjack, they still
win the full amount. Keeping the customer happy is a very good
way to do business.
·
Players busting
their hand.
It’s like
paying for something, and then finding out it was free.
Actually it’s more like getting kicked in the face, but "Let’s
sweep anything unpleasant under the rug. Here’s a comp for a
$1.50 breakfast. Sorry about 200 you dropped, come back soon."
In our game, your hand busts less frequently. Why? We allow
players to bet AFTER seeing their hand. Why pay for something
you don’t get to see? Ace, 11, Face, 10 or 9, 80% of the time.
It feels damn good. Why depress people and take their
money?
·
A Player’s decision
affects everyone at the table.
This is a
huge one. We all know about 3rd base. Nothing any player does
at As Easy As 1-2-3 can change the cards. The worst players in
the world can now sit at a table with the best and everybody
gets to have fun. Sounds like a much happier, more occupied
table to me.
·
Different casinos
have different rules.
We didn’t
want this to occur in our game. Does the dealer hit that hand
or not? We did not want, "Do they leave a soft 17, or reset
it?" We wanted a standardized game everywhere. We do know,
however, that some casinos will want to alter the pay table, so
they receive more of a house hold. Although we do not prefer
this, we can easily give them any hold they want.
·
Doubling down and
you only get 1 card.
When you
double down and don’t catch, it isn’t much fun. We can’t
guarantee that you will make a hand on the next card, or the one
after, but we keep hitting the hand until it makes or breaks.
We also allow players to bet one bet per card in the hand they
bet on. So if there is a 4 card total of 11, all players could
quadruple down. Of course if the dealer places a face on that
hand, all players are automatic winners. You can bet 7 wagers
on a 7 card 16, so things could get a little haywire and we love
that kind of haywire.
·
If players aren’t
having fun, they will do something else.
We had to
have something fun. Fun in the laughing, smiling, cheering,
high five sense of the word. If we felt a feature was negative,
we got rid of it. Simple. We knew that to be the best, we had
to please the best. By doing so, players would stay and play
longer, and come back to play again. Maybe even bring a friend.
Why not. It’s fun.
·
If players felt
pressured and intimidated, would they even play?
We took all
the stress and pressure of playing Blackjack and trashed it.
There is enough negatives involved when you enter a casino. As
Easy As 1-2-3 feels like 10% gambling, and 90% entertainment.
Why make players suffer while playing? It was our goal to
invent a game where people leave the casino broke, happy to be
broke, and looking forward to getting the chance to be broke
again. If we are going to take your money, we are going to give
the best time you’ve ever had at a card table while doing it.
As you will read further down, As Easy As 1-2-3 isn’t for the
faint-of-heart casino either.
What We
Liked About Craps.
·
The noise and
action the game created.
Noise. Man!
This game can be wild! We wanted to bring the same noise levels
to the Blackjack tables, but with a few differences. We wanted
that level to be a little more consistent. We wanted it to come
back over and over. We have done it. People make a lot of
noise when they play As Easy As 1-2-3. We like to think it will
be drowning out the fighting and cursing at the lonely Blackjack
table in the corner.
What We Didn’t Like
About Craps
·
It is too confusing
for the average player.
We know As
Easy As 1-2-3 will get tons of play from casino newcomers. It
is very easy to learn, even for those who have never played
Blackjack. We also know Blackjack can’t compete. We have a
game that people can learn in thirty seconds.
·
It seemed isolated
in the casino. Somewhere off in the corner.
The
excitement needs to be front and center, so other people can see
and want to take part in the fun. Craps takes up so much room on
the casino floor that it does have to be off in the corner. As
Easy As 1-2-3 can sit right in the pit, taking up no more room
than an old Blackjack table.
What We Liked About
Caribbean Stud
·
The progressive
jackpot.
Give credit
where credit is due. The progressive jackpot makes C-Stud a
powerhouse game. It was a poker variation without a huge player
base, but it grew in leaps and bounds. We, of course, have
incorporated a side bet as well. We can grow our pots higher,
faster, and easier than C-Stud. This was very powerful; having
a game in which a side bet fits so nicely, but doesn’t slow or
hamper the game’s speed. This is one of our favorite features.
·
The game is
social.
Older people
loved playing this on cruise ships, and it wasn’t known as
“fight night” that playing Blackjack caused. We knew when
designing As Easy As 1-2-3, we needed a social version of
Blackjack. It is an extremely simple and obvious concept. People
like to have fun.
What We Didn’t Like
About Caribbean Stud
·
Putting in a dollar
every time to play the side bet.
Talk about a
pain, “directly in the buttocks.” Placing that dollar in each
hand also slowed the game. Our side bet doesn’t work like
that. You pay a set amount, say $5, and are qualified for the
side bet, for every hand until such time as all three hands
bust. This averages out to seventeen rounds of play. We don’t
slow up the game with an outdated side bet collection method,
and we also make the side bet very attractive with an enticing
pot size. We also almost play seventeen rounds by the time
C-Stud plays five. We never take away from your action.
·
A lot of
shuffling.
Can we play
some cards tonight? These slow games weren’t what the casino
wanted. There is greater demand for faster games, with more
action. Casino War had the right idea, and would be a decent
game if it wasn’t for the HUGE house hold and the fact it is
just beneath most people. It is too simple and offers no
challenge, or skill development. As Easy As 1-2-3 is faster
than War and all these games that just shuffle the cards all
night. As Easy As 1-2-3 will shuffle 8 decks once every hour.
·
Not a big tipping
game.
The dealers
have to make a living too. Games that don’t create tipping
don’t create a happy dealer. Watch the smiles on your dealers’
faces, and which game they want to work at. Dealers love As Easy
As 1-2-3, and they will spread that love.
What We
Liked About Let It Ride.
·
The social aspect
of the game.
It was very
important to us, that people have fun and enjoy their experience
with each other. As Easy As 1-2-3 is a fun, socially stimulating
game.
·
You can draw back
the first two bets.
We liked
this feature. Even though many people don’t like Let It Ride
and find it boring, ladies play it often. We thought about this
long and hard. Having a game that is user friendly was the
key. We have really done this with As Easy As 1-2-3. Players
ask us all the time, “Are you sure of the math?” We love
hearing that. They are saying that they think they can beat
us. As Easy As 1-2-3 looks and feels like we are giving the
player every single option and chance to win that is possible.
I guess that was the goal in the first place.
What We Didn’t
Like About Let It Ride.
·
Very slow game.
This game is
so slow, that it gets painful sometimes. It’s a good game if you
want to put yourself to sleep.
·
Not a big tipping
game.
An unhappy
dealer spreads that energy to the table. We wanted everybody at
the table to be happy. It just makes sense.
What We Liked About
Pai Gow
·
The social aspect
of the game.
·
The Joker or wild
card.
They had to
hold me back here… What can I say? The game has to be
challenging.
What We
Didn’t Like About Pai Gow.
·
Very slow game.
·
The 5% commission
on each win.
We already
know about the 3 to 2, and other difficult payouts at Blackjack,
and these commission hands were worse. Nothing but headaches
for everyone. How fast are you with that calculator. We happily
did not include a commission, or let the word slow, come
anywhere near As Easy As 1-2-3. We keep the game flowing, fast,
fun, and smooth.
·
Players didn’t
understand how the dealer sets hand.
We knew that
if we were making the best game ever, the dealer’s actions had
to be simple. Every additional rule further complicates a game
for the player, and the dealer. If the game has certain
features that players have trouble grasping, don’t be surprised
when they start playing something else. We wanted everything to
be easy; hence As Easy As 1-2-3.
·
Looks confusing to
play, even though it is not if you play poker.
We stayed
clear of poker. Great game, but we knew the market we wanted to
capture. The Blackjack market. If a player watches a hand, has
no idea what just occurred, they are apt to keep right on
walking. Casinos want games that get your attention and make
you reach for your money. This is what As Easy a 1-2-3 does.
·
Not a tipping game.
There’s a
pattern emerging…
·
The game is push,
push, push. Who goes to the casino to push?
Push. Push
some more. Lose once. Push. Lose twice. You guessed it. Push.
What’s next? Push. Lose again. You go home now. People want to
play and be involved in action. We knew to be the best, you had
to be the fastest. Speed and action are two of our most pivotal
features.
·
Dealer had to learn
a lot to deal.
Every dealer
who has ever dealt in a casino can pick up As Easy As 1-2-3 in
minutes. There is no big learning curve, as in games like Pai
Gow. It is something refreshing, like a night in the casino was
meant to be.
What We
Liked About Roulette.
·
Player does very
little except bet and game is truly simple.
Our game
requires strategy. Roulette is based simply put, on luck.
·
Big payouts.
Who
doesn’t love big payouts? We knew that big payouts attract
players, but there is something called hit frequency. It
couldn’t be a Power ball lottery, where only one person won
somewhere along the line. We decided to incorporate bigger
payouts, like 3 and 5 to 1 payouts and at a much more frequent
pace than other games. Blackjack players will quickly realize
how frequent big payouts are. This is
even more wonderful… It is perceived that big payouts occur more
frequently than they in fact do.
·
Big piles of chips
stacked everywhere.
Big piles
makes players feel good, even if they are all quarter chips. We
always loved the stacks everywhere at roulette. People walk by
and gape in absolute awe at these huge stacks of chips sliding
toward the player, and these huge payouts, even though they
might only be quarters. We wanted to incorporate that feel. As
Easy As 1-2-3 is by far and away the most streaky casino game
there is. Players will win 10 hands in a row and quite
frequently. It just happens. So when the entire table gets hot
this way the chip tray is emptied and players go wild. As Easy
As 1-2-3 is not for casino owners who are afraid of a little win
here and there by their players. The buzz of this one run by
the players will create another 100 players who will refuse to
play Blackjack ever again. You can always tell an As Easy As
1-2-3 table from the rest. It is the noisy table with people
standing three deep, waiting to play. The math works for
everyone.
What We Didn’t Like About Roulette.
·
Players don’t know
all the bets and payouts.
Our payouts
are nice and easy. They are logical and are posted. Players
don’t need to remember them, because the dealer does all the
work. We love the excitement that is created while building up
to the big payout. It is a movie like atmosphere as the dealer
flips over the next card…BLACKJACK!!!!!
·
Layout can be
confusing for newcomers.
We paid as
much attention to design, as we did the game. The table looks
clean. The design is simple. It looks fantastic, plays
unbelievably smooth, and makes tons of money. What more could a
casino ask for?
·
The game has
terrible odds for the player.
·
Can be as slow.
Slow is
boring. People like action. As Easy As 1-2-3 delivers.
What We
Liked About Baccarat.
·
Big money game.
We love this
part of As Easy As 1-2-3. Watch as players play big money. It
is clearly a big money game. With the speed, the money will be
flying around so fast the pit boss will give up keeping track of
what the hell is going on. Just know the drop will be there at
the end of the night.
·
Betting options are
limited.
As Easy As
1-2-3 betting options are set out nice and clear. The last thing
you want are angry, confused players.
·
No shuffling.
This is a
great feature. At an As Easy As 1-2-3 table, the shuffling is
almost non-existent. We wanted a game where the cards could be
dealt at a rate that maximizes player’s hands per hour. At
Blackjack, even with 8 decks used, the dealer can shuffle for 6
minutes per hour. If the cards aren't being played…
What We Didn’t Like
About Baccarat
·
Players didn’t
understand the drawing of the cards by the dealer.
Any player
who has ever played a few hands at Blackjack already knows
exactly how the dealer plays the hands at As Easy As
1-2-3. There’s no mystery or confusion at our tables.
What We Thought the
Champion Needed to Be
·
Related to
Blackjack.
·
The most player
friendly game in the casino.
·
The most social
game.
·
Entertaining and
strategic.
·
It had to have a
player hold around 49%.
·
The casinos had to
have a better drop, hold and table play than Blackjack.
·
The game had to be
fast, within reason, but never confusing.
·
The game had to be
easy to learn, and easy to play.
·
Players had to
grasp the game quickly.
·
The game had to be
exciting, fun, and unpredictable.
·
The game had to be
beatable.
·
The game had to be
perceived to be beatable.
What We Thought
About in General
·
Blackjack needed to
be brought back to life.
·
Casinos need more
player friendly games, to keep the customer coming back.
·
Casinos need the
players to have the odd big night, so they tell all their
friends about the wild times at the As Easy As 1-2-3 table.
·
Game had to put a
smile on the player's face.
·
Game had to be
noisy and fun to play.
·
Game had to achieve
absolutely every one of those things and make money time and
time again.
As Easy As 1-2-3
combined the good,
omitted the bad, and
steered clear of the ugly.
When the pitch
came our way, we knocked it out of the park.
Nothing like a
champion.
Nothing like As Easy
As 1-2-3.
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