What is Recreational VP Play?

[FloridaPhil]

This is the VideoPoker.com Recreational Play Forum.   It was created as a place where Recreational players can discuss and exchange information about recreational video poker play.  You may be wondering how recreational play is different than any other VP play?   Video poker is a game where the players are allowed to make decisions affecting the outcome.  The decisions you make are based on the outcome you desire.  If you are only interested in profit, your decisions are based on mathematics and maximizing your return.   Recreational players would like to walk away with money as well, but they generally have limited bankrolls and a desire to play for as long as possible with the money they have. Our motivations are to get as much enjoyment from our playing money as possible.  This means we may make a decision because we like playing a certain way, not because it's more profitable to do so.  Here's one example.  Suppose you want to see more royal flushes.   You have never hit one, so you are willing to sacrifice some return to experience more of them.  You may decide to throw away a paying pair and go for three to a royal.  Doing this will give you more chances of hitting a royal.  It will also cost you because you are giving up a paying pair, maybe three of a kind or a possible 4 or a kind.   A profit player would not do this.  A recreational player may because they desire a different outcome.Here's another example.  Suppose you only have $100 to gamble and you want it to last for a whole vacation.  You could choose to play single coin quarters.  If you do this you are giving up the royal bonus in return for being able to play more hands with your money.    In exchange you will be paid $62.50 for a royal instead of $1,000.   The odds of hitting a royal are slim, but it could happen and ruin your day.   If it doesn't happen, you played 5 times as long as a max coin player without paying full price.  It's your money and the choice is up to you.I do not claim to be a video poker expert.  I have been playing recreational VP for over 15 years.  Making money has never been my sole motivation for playing VP.  No one is willing to discuss small time recreational VP play or offer any advice.   This is because casinos don't pay anyone to promote cheap play.   No on pays me either, but I enjoy the game and am willing to share whatever knowledge I have learned.  At the very least we will have a place where we can learn from each other.There are many more recreational VP players than for profit players.  If you would like to post here, I will do my best to see that you are not made fun of or belittled for your post.  I am a dedicated recreational player.  I enjoy the game for the experience of playing, not to make a profit alone.  If you don't understand this or think it's stupid, you are on the wrong forum.   May I direct you to the Strategy Forum where there are dozens of experts who will be happy to help you to maximize your profits.If you wish, we will discuss comps that a small time player can take advantage of.  We will discuss negative odds and their cost.  We will discuss alternative strategies and ways to manage your money.  Anything and everything is allowed.   My hope is we can stop the constant bickering on this forum.  There is no need to fight among ourselves. Video poker is suppose to be fun, not a battle over who's play is best.  Only the person who is putting money in the machine can make that decision.

[OTABILL]

Phil: I expressed my view in 2013. You and others commented on my post. Unlike today, while there was disagreement, there was no acrimony. That discussion was entitled "Recreational Player Perspective. For those who are interested, the link follows:

Recreational Player Perspective

[FloridaPhil]

The link to this post does not resolve.  Please check.

[OTABILL]

Phil, I updated the link and it now should work.

[FloridaPhil]

I remember your post.  Lots of good input.  This is the kind of post we should be having.  No one wants to stop this continued arguing more than me.   My guess is most forum members would like to talk about playing VP instead of bickering about how best to play it.   Thanks for the link.Here's something I posted back in 2015.  It still holds true.[quote]The reason I asked
for a recreational players forum is that I believe some players would
like to discuss strategies outside of the Dancer formula.  If someone
thinks it's a good idea to increase their bet every time a certain song
plays in the casino, I want them to be able to post freely about it
instead of being treated as stupid (even if their strategy may be...)  [/quote]
 

[Raner]

Example.  Suppose you only have $100 to gamble and you want it to last for a whole vacation.  You could choose to play single coin quarters.  If you do this you are giving up the royal bonus in return for being able to play more hands with your money.In exchange you will be paid $62.50 for a royal instead of $1,000. The odds of hitting a royal are slim, but it could happen and ruin your day.   If it doesn't happen, you played 5 times as long as a max coin player without paying full price.  It's your money and the choice is up to you.
If you play five coins on a 5 cent machine you will get $200.00 for a royal.
All the other pays are identical for one coin quarter and five coin nickle...
$62.50 verses $200.00
Seems playing a quarter on a nickel machine is the better play just in case you stumble on a Royal...
Just food for thought...   

[FloridaPhil]

We don't have nickel VP in Florida, so that's not an option for us.  If the odds on the quarter machine and the nickel machine are the same, then Yes the nickle game would be better.  Unfortunately, casinos usually drop the odds even further for nickel play.  What I would do would be to use software to run the odds on both games and play the game with the better odds.   For example, where we play it is common in to find the single coin dollar odds better than the max coin quarter odds.  The whole problem is hitting a short coin royal.  Most players would be really bummed out by this, so you have to take that into consideration.

[Raner]

I see, I don't play quarters nor nickels to much work for too little pay...LOL...I just happen catch the $62.50 verses $200.00 for the same about of money on different game denomination that's all...   

[FloridaPhil]

I think it is common for players to ignore the odds and always go for the royal.  After all, they are the ultimate hand and everyone loves hitting them and no one wants to be shorted when they do.  I have hit so many short coin royals in my playing life that they don't have the same affect on me.  To me they are just another win.  I will say that hitting one for $62.50 isn't much fun for me either.  

[Raner]

  I will say that hitting one for $62.50 isn't much fun for me either.  

Ouch... ... There is no way I could get myself to play single coin...
As I stayed before on my posts, I for the most part play dollar single line DDB and BP. Ounce in a while my daily allowance is taking a real beating so I switch to half dollar. I came up with a little strategy that helps my daily allowance. I start off with BP when I double the amount I started with I switch to DDB if I stay over the original amount I started with I stick with it. If the amount gets back to the original starting point of BP I switch back to BP. I found this way of playing puts very little strain on my daily allowance for the most part. However there are some days that whatever I try nothing goes my way. You know the days that after you get killed you look in your wallet and wish you would have slept all day and started playing that night.I know that every person that has played video poker for a while has had a bunch of the days in there video poker playing adventures...