97.06DW vs 97.02TDB?

[FloridaPhil]

I think that is a poor choice of words. Using the word timing suggests, at least to me, that you have some degree of control over the outcome by your decision as to when to make the move.Luck is everything would be a better way to say it.

When timing works to your advantage, you got lucky. There is nothing in any video poker math that says you are guaranteed to win or lose. It is possible to put yourself in position to get lucky more often.

[Tedlark]

How is it possible to put yourself in position to get lucky more often? Four leaf clover in the left shoe? Please expand on this thought Phil. Or is it playing single coin to lengthen your session?

[FloridaPhil]

How is it possible to put yourself in position to get lucky more often?

If you are a quarter player who only plays 97% video poker games with max coins (5), you will never hit a $1,000 quad deuce or a $4,000 royal flush. If you play $20 once an hour on a max coin dollar game, in time you will. This is putting yourself in position to get lucky. This may or may not make you a long term winner depending upon how lucky you are and for how long.

I proposed this to Bob Dancer some years ago. He told me a winning VP strategy does not depend on luck. We disagree and the planet continues to turn.

Or is it playing single coin to lengthen your session?

Yes. Playing single coin dollar VP lets me play at least 20% more hands than max coin quarters. On any given day it can be profitable as well. I have hit multiple quad deuce hands on days like that. At $200 each, it doesn't take many to make a nice day. Playing the 98.9% dollar game also pays me more on every wild royal and 5-of-a-kind. Even a royal pays $250.

Nothing about how I play this game has anything to do with how a professional plays VP. There is no conflict. What I am talking about is entertainment value not beating the casino. Playing a million negative VP games does not make them positive.

[FAA]

Yep. The table is the table. Preserve BR. Pot shot your way to possible pay dirt each hour. Go home knowing you did your best to emerge a big winner.

[FloridaPhil]

In a previous post, I stated my personal goals for a day at the casino. Play more hands with my money, come home with some money left and have a chance at a significant jackpot. You may not have the same goals as I do.

I am not in the "beating the casino" business. The only thing I can tell you with any certainty is what I do to make my goals a reality. You will most likely not make a long term profit. You need to be disciplined. This means you must learn to be satisfied with small wins. Ninety nine percent of the time you will lose, but your losses will be minimal. The other one percent you will limit your risk by limiting your cash-in to $20 an hour. When a significant jackpot occurs, you walk away with the money.

If you have access to positive VP games, can play computer perfect forever and have a bankroll equal to 4-6 royals, ignore my advice and play like the experts tell you. If you don't, try playing my way for a few months and tell us how you like it. Keep this in mind, there is no difference in the value of a $250 single coin dollar royal flush and a $250 max coin quarter quad deuce.

Max coin royals are the bait the casino uses to get you to risk more of your money. If the games you are playing including comps are negative, you will eventually pay more to hit one than you win. You can post the photo on this forum and we will congratulate you. When I see one, I wonder how much it cost. I hit mine at a discount.

[billryan]

The sad thing is that Phil actually believes this nonsense.
At some point, debating math becomes nonsensical. Sadly, Phil passed that point long ago.
My Father used to tell me that figures don't lie, but that liars figure. I never quite understood just what he meant until I joined here.
Up is down, sideways is straight ahead and you are better off playing bad games than better ones. It's on the internet, so it must be true.

[FloridaPhil]

The sad thing is that Phil actually believes this nonsense. At some point, debating math becomes nonsensical. Sadly, Phil passed that point long ago. My Father used to tell me that figures don't lie, but that liars figure. I never quite understood just what he meant until I joined here. Up is down, sideways is straight ahead and you are better off playing bad games than better ones. It's on the internet, so it must be true.

What's sad is you don't understand the purpose of this forum or why Recreational VP exists. The Recreational Forum is not about beating the casinos. If that is your goal, stay on the Strategy Forum where experts who make that claim can give you the answers you desperately want to hear.

This forum is about playing video poker for entertainment. What's entertaining about playing a 97% video poker game? Playing smaller on these games saves money. We asked the expert that question recently. Evidently you didn't like his answer. If we all took his advice and didn't play unless we had an advantage, hardly anyone would play VP. Is that what you want to see happen?

Playing negative VP games the way I do is not likely to "beat the casino". It lets me play more hands with my money giving me more chances at a jackpot. It allows me to take a pot shot on the dollar machines once an hour. If I hit a jackpot, I keep it. The anticipation of this is has more entertainment value to me than waiting 45,000 hands for a royal that costs me more than it's worth.

[FAA]

I really think this is the crux of the issue. Strategy is his lane, but he refuses to stay in it! Vegas, baby!

[FloridaPhil]

Billy thinks everyone should play video poker the same way for the same reason. He doesn't understand the concept of playing VP for entertainment. If he does, why does he care how I play VP with my own money?

When I play quarter VP in Tampa, I play 97% games or I don't play at all. The dollar game is a better game even at single coin. If I play max coin dollar VP, I could burn through $300 in 15 minutes. When I play max coin dollar VP $20 at a time, I am playing a 98.9% game. If I cash out a $250 run up, it pays me the same as an extra quarter quad deuce. If I hit a $1,000 quad deuce or a $4,000 royal, I add it to my bankroll. On some days I am able to stay with dollar play for a long time. This builds comps 4 times faster than playing quarters. It's a win win as far as I am concerned.

This is not how a professional plays video poker. I am not a professional player. I don't need profits from video poker to pay my bills. I don't want anyone else to pay my bills for me. All I want is to play VP all day with the $300 I put in my pocket, go home with at least some money and see a $1,000 or larger jackpot once in a while. The way I play this game delivers what I want.

My advice to Billy is to mind your own business and leave Recreational VP to the Recreational players.

[tech58]

Well said 1mor. Lucky is way better than good.