Is Video Poker a Game of Skill or Luck

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=olds442jetaway]Assuming that the RNGs are still just that, these returns are probably
due to a combination of mistakes, crazy play for short periods at very
high denominations in an attempt to play catch up, and playing other non
99% games in an attempt to hit one of the premium hands or jackpots on
gimmick games. Finally, playing games that bleed you down really fast
like TDB, and multi line games when nothing much is hitting on the deal
line.[/quote]I think that pretty much nails it.  We are our own worst enemy. 

[FAA]

We have met the enemy, and he is us. -Walt KellyI like the safer, sleepy 99.5 environment. It's fun to putter around for an hour on maybe a $10-$15 loss before stepping it up and hopefully flipping that to a $15 net win. My bets are all over the map, so I'd break even on a three coin quad and stay alive to keep chasing the RF. It's a constant battle, and as long as I keep the money I entered with, I enjoy the jousting. If you do any winning whatsoever on CS, it's really just luck of course. But it gives you so many more hands to evaluate the landscape. I eventually have a good read on when to deploy my funds, when I stiff out that rare hot streak.

[brmcc74]

I will try to clear things up a bit that people may have mis understood.
I don't believe that anyone can make a "reasonable" living solely playing a vp machine in modern day. I believe they would need some other form of income. The main reason for my belief is that the Denominations needed to obtain these goals on 100% games don't exist. Some of the values or comps that people view as value I see as garbage. And the cheap gifts, please. A few more things about vp I believe

1. Play max coin always
2. Play best available game based on % payback
3. Don't even expect to win unless perfect strategy is played
4. Hope to win
I believe vp is a roller coaster that you will find yourself on the losing end more then positive end even with all these tactics exercised. A lot of people have admitted to me that they have lost their shorts playing vp while earlier they claimed to be ahead for years, advantaged players. I also think that if one insist on less than max bet well it's their $. It's not for me when I know there's value lost. We all play (played) for different reasons. If I could earn half the amount of $ that I make at my regular job playing vp, I would quit today and pursue it. I just don't believe that opportunities exist today as they once did. The main problem is as always, it takes $ to win $.

[alpax]

Well stated brmcc74. I completely agree with everything you stated. I think you fully understand what it takes, people who do not understand are given a false sense of hope. Some people want things in their favor such as playing quarter level DDB.

I believe I seen a past post or a past LVA article from Mr. Dancer, I cannot remember which, where professionals gain their bankroll necessary with a full time job or an inheritance.

I will add one thing, every time a big win comes, put it back on the bankroll and do not celebrate with wine and surf+turf dinners or splurge on luxury fashion items. Keep growing the bankroll no matter what.

[notes1]

i wonder how many gamblers, taking he advice of 'experts' that winning was possible, moved to nevada to be near the best odds, payouts, promotions, etc and ended up losing everything. now, i would call those experts...dangerous.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=brmcc74]I will try to clear things up a bit that people may have mis understood[/quote]The only way to earn the full "monetary" long term return on any video poker game that I have seen is to play max coins.Playing single coin allows you to play more hands with the same money giving some players more "entertainment" return.  If your personal and/or financial goal requires you to hit max coin royal flushes, it is obvious you should never play anything but max coins.  If your goal is to go to the casino to be entertained for as long as possible and you must play negative games, single coin play is a better value because you lose less long term.I am not promoting single coin play.  I am defending the players who play that way and are told it is wrong to do so.

[brmcc74]

FP I agree with you %100

[FloridaPhil]

There are situations where playing single coin makes sense.  For example, the Beau Rivage in Biloxi is a lovely resort casino.  Unfortunately, their video poker odds are on pare with a cruise ship at about 96-97%.  There are no better odds in the high limit room, so the best way to play there for any extended period of time is to play single coin quarters, drink their free drinks, listen to the music and just enjoy the experience.  Playing max coins at the Beau for days at a time will cost you waaaaay more than a free room is ever worth.  I'm sure there are other examples around the country.  Not everyone has access to great games. 

[BobDancer]

[I am not promoting single coin play.  I am defending the players who play that way and are told it is wrong to do so.






I don't recall anybody here saying that players are wrong to play single coin --- certainly I never said that. What i said was that CS strategy (where you deviate from one-coin strategy at "magic moments") was a crock.

[olds442jetaway]

     Definitely a game of luck for us on this trip. Back earlier today from a late night and early morning session at Mohegan Sun. Treading water for most of the night which is in itself good, the Mrs. and I never expected to hit 16,000 nickels each in our play.
     The Mrs. took a break from her usual tripple play DSTP DDB nickel game and played tripple play Bonus Ultimate x. She was dealt a Royal in Hearts on the bottom line with a 2x multiplier. About fifteen minutes after she called me to come and look at her screen, I hit on the nickel Multi-Stike nickel DBDW game. I caught quad deuces with an ace on the third line which carries a 4x multiplier.
     Mohegan Sun also had an early Valentine's Day tea party which was very nice, but too sweet for me. I will check tomorrow to see if my luck held on any of the cash drawings. The good part is 95 percent of the hits went home as both of us especially me have learned very costly lessons over the years about staying and playing heavy after a nice hit.
     Edited to add.....My hit was with CS/MC play. It only costs 20 cents a bet and if you max it all the way up to ten per line, the cost is 2 bucks a pop. I had been playing 5 per line after hits of 4 or more and worked it up over the course of the evening to a max bet of 10 per line after the hits of 4 or more. On this game, 4 or more would be 4 times my bet. Some lines could have had no hits at all, but as long as the total was 16 or more, I upped my next bet to at least 5 per line. This same machine also hit 5 Aces 4 times on various lines which kept me playing without dipping into the bankroll. I am still saving it for Fla Phil unless they take it away before he and his Mrs. make it back up to Ct.