My Journey on Video Poker

[DAAnMAAn]

     -332 (10/6 DDB) and -450 ($2 BP pot shot)...just one of those days i hate when i can't hit anything.Actually, I did hit two quads and one quad 4 no kicker. But not nearly enough for 10/6 DDB when everything else was a miss. To make matters worse, before my 10/6 DDB session, decided to take half my royal win that I sometimes do and take a 'pot shot' at $2 BP...bad timing for I hit nothing on that either. But don't want to go into that too much, want this thread to be about 10/6 DDB. Suffice to say, these days happen and I can't take the good without the bad. Tonight in the bad column.      To reply to the post, I personally can't stand betting less than max bet. If I hit a royal on a single coin bet, I might have a heart attack or worse, stop playing altogether in self-hatred for going against my principal that it is always correct to max bet. I understand why some others may choose this 'cheap' system to manage losses and avoid the kind of night I had tonight, and I don't judge, but it's not my way.     Sort of reminds me of the video poker player who told me he always saves the three deuces, three's, or four's, when he flops a full house on DDB. His reasoning was he statistically will hit more higher paying quad's that way. Well, he is right and wrong. He will hit more quads, but not nearly enough to make it a winning play. When I told him his reasoning was flawed, and that A. He is throwing away a 50 coin winning hand, therefore B. gunning for that quad was about a 1 in 23 proposition, meaning 22 times he won't hit it costing him 50X22=1,100 quarters or $275 dollars in pursuit of hitting a $100 or $200 quad, he shrugged and said he likes the gamble. So like I said, I don't judge, but the math is what it is.I can't claim to be a purest though. On hands like AKQJ3 where the AK is suited, the correct play is to hold AKQJ but I find myself holding AK suited in the hopes of hitting something greater than a straight, if you know what I mean. It's not the right move, but only not right by about 6%. Holding trip 2's,3's, or 4's with a full house and gunning for the quad's is not right by slightly more than double that percentage, 12.1%.Betting less than max coin lessens the expected return of the game because one doesn't get the royal flush bonus payout...i can't remember the exact percentage it goes down, I think I read about 1.25% less ER. I could be wrong if someone wants to correct me. At any rate,my two cents is, do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and happy when playing video poker, and keep good bankroll management. When I have a losing streak, I slow down, don't play as often...when I have a winning streak, I play more and take pot shots. That seems to be what has worked for me these past years in Vegas playing VP.Cheers,dAAnmAAnPS Didn't see that female player tonight. I think the swings got to her. It may get to me too if I start posting more losses. We will just have to see.

[FAA]

Betting less than max coin lessens the expected return of the game
because one doesn't get the royal flush bonus payout. It goes down, I think I read about 1.25% less ER. I
could be wrong if someone wants to correct me. At any rate,my two
cents is, do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and happy when
playing video poker, and keep good bankroll management.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Absolutely. On JOB it's even worse. 1.98% of ER is tied up in the Royal Flush. I had a one coin RF on the way out the door three weeks ago fooling around with a $5 bill. You never know when fate declares it Christmas!

[Tedlark]

DAAn, in reference to you sometimes holding AK suited instead of AKQJ mixed:

I've said in the past that: making the wrong move at the right time is sometimes the right move.

I may have heard Edward G. Robinson say that in the movie: "The Cincinnati Kid."

[DAAnMAAn]

 Good point. I think at one time or another, we have made that mistake in our favor playing video poker. I accidentally saved on a AA248 board A2, fubbing the second A, and ran out A2222. Feels like winning the lottery. lol Anyway, special announcement...I think starting October I'll be changing games to .25c single line 8/5 BP and see how that goes.      I've played .25c single line10/6 DDB the whole month of Sep and actually did fairly well thanks to a few royals. A total of 20 sessions for the month of Sep, including the failed "pot shot" $2 BP I am in the plus $1,435. I don't like to stay with one game for too long and need some variety. Also getting a bit tired of the high and low roller coaster ride that DDB is, ready for a bit more steady diet. Although I have had losing sessions of bonus poker, I think my biggest loss ever playing .25 single line 8/5 BP is $350...it doesn't compare to the biggest loss ever on .25 single line 10/6 DDB of $750. Then again, minus royals, my biggest win on BP is probably $250 bucks while on DDB minus royals, it was $1200 bucks. It's going to be nice to start getting paid off on 2 pair again, but going to hurt a bit to get aces with kickers on Bonus Poker. It's the price we pay for a less swingy, less variant game I suppose. I would play .50c bonus poker or even $1 bonus poker, but I already have a $4k wtg in the books this year and don't want anymore for we are near the next tax bracket. Probably shouldn't of taken the pot shot, but for $8k, I think we could deal with it. But doesn't matter, sticking with the quarters rest of the tax year.I don't think I'll start a new thread for BP, but will just continue this one but share my BP adventures with all the readers here. Will only take pictures of the royals, hopefully there will be lots of them lol One could dream.CheersdAAnmAAnPS I could play 9/6 JOB which on the surface has a better return, 99.54% versus 8/5 BP with 99.17% return...but JOB is one of those $4 in=1 pt games and no bonus points at the casino I play close to my house. But bonus poker has full points and bonus points. So with my players card, I can bump up that bonus poker ER to 99.67% and get better mailers and comps. At the cost of $1.25 per full house and flush of course. But on the other hand, nice to get a bonus for quads 2,3,4, and Aces. And don't have to worry about kickers thankfully.Cheers dAAnmAAn

[case]

DaanYou are right in your previous example of a guy who breaks up full houses to keep the 3 of a kind. However you must add in the win he gets for 3 OAK. So he might lose the full house (50) he will get at least 3OAK in return (15). He also might get another full house and of course the odd 4OAK.  This does not make it a right play but his loss is not as great as you posted.I also agree with the wild swings in DDB. That game can be a bankroll killer. BP is a better option for bankroll swings. That 2 for 1 on two pairs helps those big swings. BP is not as boring as JOB with at least a few bonus quads.I enjoy your reports and the honesty in your wins and losses. Keep posting!

[alpax]

I second case and I also enjoy these reports. I will check in about every few days in between.

Switching over to a negative expectation game? It is probably good to get some value for your play from it, with 10/6 DDB you do not much extra for your play. I would recommend the M Resort or the South Point to play the 25 cent Bonus Poker, at the South Point it is available in Super Times Pay and other gimmicks. Both offer 0.30% cashback on most days. The M will give you a buffet pass to Studio B if you play enough.

[DAAnMAAn]

+201.25. Brought what will probably be the usual session bankroll of $200...half of what my bankroll was for 10/6 DDB...
Unusual good start with 8/5 .25c single line bonus poker. Had two hours to kill after meeting up with friends and family at Freddie's steak burgers near sunset station in Henderson (very good thin sort of crispy burgers right behind the casino off warm springs). So I had two hours to kill so went to sunset station and did an early start for 8/5
Bonus poker. The three big ones were a straight flush and two quad aces. Of course, one was with the kicker which was a bitter sweet pill to swallow since last night that hand would of earned an extra $400 on ddb or an extra $700 on $2 BP. I felt the blood rushing to my head, steam coming out of the ears,
And a grumble come out of my mouth lol. But hey, that's
Video poker and the gamble we do. Still thankful for the hit. I know I said I would only post pics of the Royal, but I'll make an exception in this case to show the world how bad (or good) I run at this changing denominations (pot shots) I do. I took a
Pic of the straight flush and might as well throw it in too. But I won't make it a habit I promise. My slight pet peeve is people
Posting less than impressive everyday hands and I don't want to do that. So...there it is. Cheers and I'll keep posting since this seems to attract some interest amongst the video poker peeps.
Ps had a nice surprising $20 in free play at sunset station. Love the free play.
PPS will post
The pics win I get home from work sooner rather than later.

[DAAnMAAn]

My bittersweet Aces with kicker and a straight flush thrown in. In
regards to those casinos mention previously, too far for me to play 8/5 BP. But if they get the bright idea of putting in .50 or $1 FPDW, let me know  My local casino gives out all the goodies for this game since it's a 99.17% game ER Bonus
Poker 8/5. But it pumps it up with my highest slot card level to nearly
99.70% ER. But ER is all theoritical anyway. We will see how it goes as
the month goes on, plus will keep track of the free play/cash back I
earn thru this game. Cheers

[DAAnMAAn]

[DAAnMAAn]

-200, cash back $30. Rare night when I hit quad aces and at one time up this session over a $100 dollars and find a way to lose my session bankroll...but I did. Almost forgot what a grind bonus poker is. Now I remember. Well, tomorrow is another day.
Cheers,
Ps changed the title of this thread. Originally was supposed to be a month of September short blog on 10/6 ddb...but evolving as just a video poker experience in general. October will more than likely be bonus poker, but who knows what the future will bring.