My Journey on Video Poker

[DAAnMAAn]

June 26, 2016
Thoughts on an early 2000's frank kneeland interview on his progressive vp book

Gamblers book store has a podcast and one of the archives was Frank K. Arguably masterpiece progressive video poker book. If u have some time walking the dog like I do or what have you, download it because it's interesting and just as relevant today as back then.
The thing that struck me though is three things: 1. The illogical attitude casinos and managers have towards high progressives and teams 2. The importance of meter rise and 3. The demise (or not) of the golden age of video poker.
1. The illogical attitude. Frank mentions that there are no official rules or restrictions regarding teams. Just that somewhere along the line, thy were taught (casino managers) that teams are bad and must be kicked out. I think that's partly true. But what struck me was what he didn't mention, was the regular players who were "shut out" of the vo machines once they got "good" by teams and complaining to the casino managers. The fight for seats! I though it interesting he didn't talk about this. But yes, progressive vp teams at least when it comes to "fleecing" the casino do nothing of the kind. A misnomer. They actually make money for the casino.
Sort of a lottery effect that when it gets high, more people play, put money in the machin, so forth.
2. Meter rise. I have been playing a lot at my local casino a 10/6 DDB machine with slow meter rise. And when I say slow, I'm not kidding. It's an example of a game with an excellent pay table but barely any meter rise. Frank talks about in the heyday of not so good payables but meteoric meter rises...1 to 2% or even more. 8/5 jacks with 1 or 2% seems to be one of the more common menu items. At least from what I've seen, I'd have to agree on his point that it seems, at least in Vegas, one can find these over 100% games with progressives. Not common. And not meteoric in the least. But what he didn't mention because it probably happened later, was the casinos tightening like a needle the comps and points earned on the good games. I recently played .25c single line fpdw at a stations property in Vegas that gave 1 point for every $12 coin-in, no bonus multipliers. Wow. And of course, can't play any other denomination of fpdw at least that I know of. That, for sure, has taken a turn for the worst.
3. Demise (maybe) of video poker from the golden age. Kind of touched on it already. He made a point that one can find over 100% video poker still, which is true. One can even find good
Progressives still. But it gets harder and harder to do. Maybe it's how it should be. You know the saying, nothing worthwhile is easy.
In sum, I don't play on a team. Some days I'm very thankful I don't and some days I wish to the vp gods I did. Obviously there are tremendous advantages and some disadvantaged either way. But I did say previously how one way for casinos to get people interested in playing vo again (in a booming sense) is to bring back progressives with good pay tables that aren't 100% but quickly will be. But I did not take account to Frank's good account of the importance of meter rise. And maybe it's also beneficial to have meteoric meter rises in less than good pay tables. Although I also think Frank should pay heed to the M's failed attempt of meteoric meter rises in bad tables, for it couldn't resolve the problem in how to get the meter to that optimum point requiring people play 94-97% pay tables.
Cheers
P.S. Also he neglected to point out that correct progressive strategy is to play it until it hits and leave only when it hits. A possibly time consuming way of playing few people would be able to do. Hence a strong argument for teams and strength in numbers when it comes to progressives.

[FAA]

Teams are a moot point. I have never seen one. Granted, I only play on weekends. But yeah, it's like a lottery. People are already at the casino. If they get shut out of a bank by a team, they will play something else. If they henceforth write off the casino, no great loss. My meter only rises about a $1.25 per hour during the day. I would guess that at $1,131 Sunday afternoon the RF had not been hit since Wed night. But nobody was doing well so I was not surprised. Thrilled to regain the $38 I lost that morning and hit the road! My "journey" is in Chit Chat. Correct progressive strategy is to play it until it hits and leave only when it hits.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Words to live by. We don't need to be there until there's a 10% RF bonus. Of course, once at that magic mark the patrons come out of the woodwork.

[DAAnMAAn]

June 29, 2016
Some time for a quick one hr session .25c 10/6 DDB
Finally had some time to play after some busy nights at work. Decided to do something different and have a winning session +$50. Basically hit three premium hands and little else. But will take it anyway. A rare two straight flush session and a lucky quad ace no kicker holding just one.
Cheers








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[FAA]

Two straight flushes in an hour on the same machine?! Remarkable, even for a 700 hands per hour player. The quad ace is just icing on the cake.

[DAAnMAAn]

July 4th, 2016
Happy Independence Day USA!
Don't usually do this, but in honor of Independence Day, will pic every 4 of a kind or better. Hopefully will get a second d crack at it after work tonight, but just couldn't cut it even with a few decent hits. -$330. One was a tough choice with a flopped straight flush and whether or not to go for the royal since I was already way down at that point. Decided to do the math play and keep it. Anyway, on to the next. Picture worth a thousand words. On .25c single line 10/6 DDB...
About 3 hrs or a bit over 3,000 hands...

















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[DAAnMAAn]

July 4-5, 2016
Round 2...Sometimes being on tilt helps...
.25c 10/6 DDB was another exercise in frustration. Sort of like a donut somebody keeps giving to you and taking it away at the last second. -290$. So I had about an hour left to play and decided instead of moving up to .50c 10/6 DDB I went to the 5 play .25c 9/6 DDB with full bonus points and knock out as many hands as possible. Fortunately, it didn't take long till I held two hearts and hit the fricking royal that eluded me for so long. +897 (grand total +607). Excuse my French, Feels great to finally hit that cold bi$/h that was so ice to me. Erases the losses and let's me breath a bit before getting back in the ring.
Cheers and happy 4th!







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[FAA]

Congratulations. At $6.25 a spin for that portion of the session, you really needed at least a Straight Flush to make the day palatable. The Royal Flush for the additional $937 payout is obviously what put you $607 in the black. You bounced back quite well after the July 3 disaster. I see that you are always on max speed. I prefer min speed. The slow reveal of the cards just adds to the drama and entertainment.

[DAAnMAAn]

I don't have infinite time when I play. I usually have 2-4 hrs max to play. So I have to jam as many hands as I can. Fast and furious is usually how I play...without sacrificing accuracy. Always exceptions of course. Didn't really have much business playing that 5
Play, but I was tilting and figured it was the best way to get in as much hands in as little time as possible...got away with it this time

[DAAnMAAn]

July 6, 2016
Bottom of the 9th save for the win....
Started with $300 session roll on my usual 10/6 DDB quarter single line. Not really hit much of anything except a dealt quad jacks. Was down to less than $50 bucks where I saved 2 aces on the flop and managed to hit two more aces with a 3 kicker to boot. Whew. Somehow snuck in a straight flush, and nothing else. So up +$200 on this one.
People seem to like the pics so will keep doing it for now.
Cheers







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[FAA]

Didn't have much business playing that 5
Play, but I was tilting and figured it was the best way to get in as
much hands in as little time as possible...got away with it this time.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------That's how I felt Sun. Quarter player, no business whatsoever w dollar JOB, even best odds. Down $70, I hit a $75 quad to get away with it...this time!