your machine

[BobDancer]

 so, have you ever played a machine, just because you thought it was lucky? Not "just because," but if I have two machines to choose between and don't have any other basis, I will pick the one I've done better on most recently.But I'll stay on that machine for the entire session --- whether it's a positive session this time or not. Possibly i'll play on the other machine"next time" if both are availableBob

[notes1]

[QUOTE=notes1] so, have you ever played a machine, just because you thought it was lucky? Not "just because," but if I have two machines to choose between and don't have any other basis, I will pick the one I've done better on most recently.But I'll stay on that machine for the entire session --- whether it's a positive session this time or not. Possibly i'll play on the other machine"next time" if both are availableBob[/QUOTE]
 admirable quality to be able to point out a mistake you perceive someone else to make, but not to admit to one's own error. nice.  so, a positive past experience might lead you to play the same machine, but a negative past experience, might steer you away from a machine. not sure why past performance on any machine would even cross one's mind. i am told the machines have no memory and are completely random. 

[notes1]

i think you are quite nicely  touching upon a subject that I often reference:     HYPOCRISY
  imagine the two of us feeling the same about something. miracles do happen.  here is another one. i have read posts from some who go to the casino with a strict gameplan, advocate discipline and walking away with a small profit. but, then someone posts they inceased their normal bet because they had a 'premonition'. what the heck is that?  so, we have some true believers in the 'perfect' play, discipline, the absolute randomness of the RNG and casinos are strictly regulated who sometimes act on a premonition and another who admits they will sometimes consider past performance on a machine, when selecting a machine to play.

[Lucky Larry]

OK, guys I fess up. I don't wear the same underwear and socks every trip. But, I might wear the same pair of blue jeans a couple days in a row though.

DB,
Sweet C and I are sending positive thoughts for good luck and a couple of RF or AWAKS to you. And you know I'm a real believer in the power of positive thoughts and premonitions.

Notes1,
IMO "Belief" is on a continuum in most areas. Sometimes the book and reality doesn't concur. I believe if I play the best pay tables. lowest volatility games, and at the highest efficiency I can then I have a chance when it comes to VP. But, other factors are often present - like the comfort issues that have been addressed. I won't play a machine with a sticky button =I'll ask that it be fixed; if the chair is uncomfortable I"ll try to substitute it (used to drive the Isle crazy that I'd move one of the high roller's new fancy swivel chairs across the 10' room) to sit in since I'm in them for hours when most of the high rollers would stay a few minutes, and I do believe most machines are common in that they may have quirks that if I get to know will help me in my play. Like most vehicles which develop quirks or small traits (probably not the best word), if I find one machine has a better screen appearance or smoother buttons, or better sound I may prefer it. All machines are not generally equal and as BD says these "characteristics" can have an impact on the mind frame of a player.

Vman,
I kept that machine's serial number with me in my billfold for years and considered it almost as precious as when I got Sweet C's phone number.
Sweet C was a very accepting woman since her competition was "My Machine".   I seriously tracked down that machine wherever they moved her until they lowered her pay tables. I referred to her often in my previous Isle posts.

Phil,
We gotta get you down to Coushatta (Monday and Tuesday -Senior's Days) they play the whole realm of 60-70's music. Petula Clark, Beach Boys, Shondells, Bobby Vinton, etc. Can't help with the second part of the request at Coushatta but we could stop by L'Auberge for the second part of your request or the Golden Nugget.     Just for you Phil since Billyjoe doesn't post them anymore. bj you're in our thoughts and prayers.

Opening Day Golden Nugget Lake Charles - I'm the one in the middle .....thanks Sweet C

[/IMG]

[notes1]

[QUOTE=Lucky Larry]
Notes1,
IMO "Belief" is on a continuum in most areas. Sometimes the book and reality doesn't concur. I believe if I play the best pay tables. lowest volatility games, and at the highest efficiency I can then I have a chance when it comes to VP. But, other factors are often present - like the comfort issues that have been addressed. I won't play a machine with a sticky button =I'll ask that it be fixed; if the chair is uncomfortable I"ll try to substitute it (used to drive the Isle crazy that I'd move one of the high roller's new fancy swivel chairs across the 10' room) to sit in since I'm in them for hours when most of the high rollers would stay a few minutes, and I do believe most machines are common in that they may have quirks that if I get to know will help me in my play. Like most vehicles which develop quirks or small traits (probably not the best word), if I find one machine has a better screen appearance or smoother buttons, or better sound I may prefer it. All machines are not generally equal and as BD says these "characteristics" can have an impact on the mind frame of a player.
TE]
   the very first post on this subject mentioned 'comfort', but for some reason some keep wanting to bring it up. i can only imagine because they do not want to address to real issue i brought up. and, that is for all the talk that some of the 'perfect' play and only play the best paytables that the true believers always mention, that they too have quirks, lucky machines and do things that fall outside of the realm of math only.    i did not make this up, it was just something i noticed when reading others' posts. if you want to keep bringing up subjects that were mentioned in the very first post, feel free.

[BobDancer]

  admirable quality to be able to point out a mistake you perceive someone else to make, but not to admit to one's own error. nice.  so, a positive past experience might lead you to play the same machine, but a negative past experience, might steer you away from a machine. not sure why past performance on any machine would even cross one's mind. i am told the machines have no memory and are completely random. You're calling my action a mistake? Based on something you've heard?Note the premise is that two machines are otherwise identical and I have to make a choice. your argument seems to be that you declare them identical and whatever method someone else uses to distinguish between them is wrong!I suggest your position is extremely arrogant.Notice  that you are assuming --- without proof --- that the machines are 100% identical. What if you're wrong? Is that so impossible for your to consider? If the machines are a bit different, my methods will be a little better than yours. If they aren't different, my methods and yours will yield identical results.And if our results are identical, why are you saying I'm making a mistake?

[notes1]

mr. dancer, before you look anymore foolish than you already have, you might want to read the ORIGINAL post i made below, when starting this thread. i clearly state, that COMFORT and LIGHTING could be a factor in selecting a machine.

on another thread, the subject of someone considering a VP machine as 'theirs' came up. i was surprised that others chimed in that they also were attached to a particular machine. i have never felt that way. i guess i could understand if a particular machine had a comfortable seat or the lighting was perfect, but other than that, i do not comprehend.  
 in your 10:30am post, you state your disagree with notes1, because i had not considered comfort and lighting. you made a point of noting my mistake, in not considering this. thus, you made an error in your disagreement with me. it is clear, if one has basic reading comprehension. that is the error i was pointing out.  regarding your decision to select a machine based on past performance, i never called that an error. the original point of this thread was that even those who are 'math' driven, may select a machine, based on some other factor, such as past performance. the math folks, the perfect play folks, the RNG randomness folks have all stated that the machines have no memory and past performance has no bearing on future results. your reason to select a machine seemed to go against that reasoning. now, who is arrogant. the guy who made an observation or the guy who cannot read?

[FloridaPhil]

Yes, I admit I have favorite machines.  For some reason there are three high limit video poker machines sitting in the middle of the Tampa Hard Rock floor.  Using the Cheap Strategy, I occasionally make one $20 single coin $5 deuces wild bet on one of these machines as I make my rounds.  I'll be damned if this machine doesn't give me money on a pretty consistent basis.  Two separate times in the past six months this machine has given me a $1,000 quad deuce starting with $20.  It also gave me one $625 wild royal, a bunch of $125 wild royals and lots of 5-of-Ks and straight flushes.  Just last Friday, this same machine bailed me out when I was having an awful day.  Will I continue to play this machine?  Are you kidding!! The math guys would say I've just been lucky.  Math has nothing to do with anyone's particular personal results in video poker, neither do premonitions or hunches.  Luck , or randomness if you want to call it by it's right name, is so much a part of this game that's it's ridiculous to concoct some formula to explain what happens.  Know the math and use it to your advantage, but don't count on it.

[notes1]

'know the math and use it to your advantage, but don't count on it'. wise words. the conversation i have had with one poster has gotten nasty, but all i was trying to point out was that even the math folks do things at the casino, not based on math. have a favorite machine, who cares. have a premonition and act on it, it is your money. play a machine because of past performance, go for it. but, just do not find fault when someone else does something that goes against the perceived proper play. do not find fault, when someone has to commute many hours to play and gives back what they had won. and, do not find fault when many play VP as entertainment and are honest enough to admit they lose and that is ok with them, within limits. most of the posters on this site play at casinos with less than stellar paytables and most play for fun. 

[onemoretry]

the conversation i have had with one poster has gotten nasty, but all i was trying to point out was that even the math folks do things at the casino, not based on math.
I hardly think that choosing which machine to play, when all other factors are absolutely equal, on the basis of previous play, is a significant non math activity.

A decision has to be made. Perhaps a coin flip would be better?