CS 2018

[FloridaPhil]

Time to update my VP strategy for 2018.   A lot is changing in the VP world.  Casinos all over the country are pulling video poker machines and replacing them with slots.   VP odds and comps have been and are being seriously reduced.   There still may be positive VP opportunities for those willing to uproot their family and move to Vegas.  That's not an option for me.In order to revise my VP strategy, I had to first determine why I was playing video poker.  After all, if you don't know what you want, you don't know how to get there.   I play video poker as a hobby.  I enjoy my days at the casino.   I take the back roads to get to the casino which makes my trip a pleasant drive though the country.   I'm in no hurry to get to and from the casino.   I actually enjoy playing VP, winning or not.   When my wife comes along with me, I enjoy it more.  We talk along the way.  She tells me about her day and what's on her mind.   I listen to her and we actually communicate.  Pretty rare these days.Don't get me wrong, I love to win and I hate to lose.  The difference is I don't need to play VP so I can live a nice lifestyle.  I live a nice lifestyle because I earned it by working hard all my life.  Because of this fact, a small VP win feels just as good to me as a big win.   I hate losing.  If I hit a $1,000 royal flush and give it back the next day, I am seriously depressed.   That is something I will do most anything to avoid.   So what is my new VP strategy?   It's actually not new at all.  It's a strategy that allows me to enjoy VP on my terms.   It doesn't require a big bankroll and it is as exciting as I need it to be.  Since the first of the year I have hit $4,000 worth of royals using this strategy.  I have been very lucky.  The good news is, even on days when I don't hit a jackpot my losses are minimal.  I do not expect to make money playing this way.   I do not expect to lose a lot of money either.  All I expect to do is to have fun playing VP.For years I have been playing single line Deuces Wild.  My wife still plays that game and does well.  It doesn't work that well for me.  Deuces Wild strategy is somewhat difficult, especially in the small exception errors.  Small errors add up.  Deuces Wild variance can also be an issue.  With so much riding on the royal and a quad deuce, the lack of either can make for a bad day.  Finally, deuces wild royal flushes aren't as common.  The DW cycle is 5,000 hands longer than Jacks.My current game of choice is Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker.   Most of my Jacks games are 8/5.  Bonus Poker is 7/5.   I don't like to play worse games, but I will if that's all I have.   If you want to hit a lot of royals, you must play a lot of hands.  Due to doubling your money for two pair, these games let me play more hands for the money.  In VP math this is called variance.  As far as I am concerned, low variance is "GOLD" in VP.   If you wonder why players complain about rigged machines, I think it's due to playing high variance games. The second change I made is to always play max coins.  Playing single coin is for a player on a severely limited budget.    If that's not you, play max coins.  If you ever play single coin VP for money again, you are begging for disappointment.My third change was to stop changing denominations.   I decide what denomination I am going to play and I stay there.  For years I played at a low denomination and switched higher when I doubled my money.  Some people do the same thing when they hit a slow spell (Martingale).  I found this to be a long term loser.  Pick a denomination and stay there.  Then you always know the cost of a hand and the payout for the jackpot. My forth change was to stay with quarters.  If you play 96-98% games like I do, you are going to lose long term.   If it's worth $10,000 for you to hit a $4,000 dollar jackpot, go for it.   I'm just as happy with $1.25 a hand and a $1,000 royal.If you need to, here is a way to wean yourself away from dollar video poker.  It worked for me and it might work for you.  When you are in the casino and that little voice in your head is telling you to bet big and visions of big jackpots dance in your eyes, think about the feeling you are going to have when you lose and walk out broke again.  It's just not worth it. It took me over 10 years to come to this place.   There's good information in this post if you want to use it.  How you play VP with your money is your decision.  I can only tell you what happens when I play with mine.

[Eduardo]

Just to clarify, your "strategy" is to play Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker at max bet,  playing quarters. Right?

[FAA]

Thank you. Your post seems tailored for me. I plan to fold a copy to abut my player card in my envelope. Delighted that you've seen the light and joined me in the low variance ennui of JOB and BP. Of course, even this is a $100 hourly loser when playing dollars. QUARTERS OR QUIT. I can abide by Phil's Four Philosphies:1) JOB/BP 2) Maximum Coin 3) Fixed Denomination 4) Quarters

[FAA]

Eduardo, an emphatic yes. What the hell is the sense paying triple the cost of a jackpot at any denomination? Okay, I can tolerate paying $3,000 long term for a $1,000 RF. But $12,000 for a $4,000 is devastating and a profoundly stupid waste of money. 

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=Eduardo]Just to clarify, your "strategy" is to play Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker at max bet,  playing quarters. Right?[/quote]YES.  It's not easy to stick to this strategy.  The casino is using every method they can to get me to play games with big jackpots that rarely ever come.  If we can't find one that we like, we invent a way to play that does the same thing.   I believe my new strategy is the best overall strategy for the average player.    The combination of low variance and low cost has allowed me to play MUCH cheaper and longer than taking pot shots that mostly miss their target.   What got me derailed was all the talk about odds.  VP odds don't mean a thing to an average player.  A Royal pays the same on a 7/5 Jacks or Better game as it does on a 9/6.   I always play the best games I can find, but I don't fret if it's not positive.  I was defeated at the start because I believed you couldn't win playing negative VP games.  Not true.  Playing only positive VP games does not guarantee a long term win anymore than playing negative games guarantees a loss.Concentrating on game odds is for professional or near professional players.  If you are going to bet the price of a small house playing VP, you need all the help you can get.   Small errors have huge ramifications and comps make up a big part of your profit.  If a drawing is at 3 AM, you better be there.  I get it.I believe your average VP player in America just wants to be entertained by VP.  They want pleasant surroundings where they can feel comfortable.  They want a chance at a jackpot that can happen.  They want to play VP as long as possible without the pressure and drama of losing a lot of money.  I created this post to let everyone know that I made some mistakes on this forum.  I admit that.  It would have been easier for me if our experts were experts to all players, not just a few players in Vegas.  My learning curve took 10 years, it shouldn't have.  I have no one to blame but myself.What's important now is what happens in the future not the past.  I know I am on the right track with my VP.  A long as my train doesn't derail, I will be just fine.

[DaBurglar]

Interesting thoughts...

I think, after 25 years in casinos from Vegas to AC, the vast majority of video poker players inside casinos are among the smarter gamblers who frequent casinos...the smartest are ones who play certain table games, live poker and select VP games (99%+), mixing it up according to promotions, opportunity for advantage, and their bankroll.

One thing ALL casino patrons have in common is they like or enjoy (to varying, increasing degrees) being in casinos! They enjoy the compact nature of things, your living quarters (room) is nearby, there's a whole smorgasbord of food nearby, and the illusory vision of hitting a lot of money for doing nothing is ever present.   It's a compelling and intoxicating draw...in my own current case, the draw is more attuned to the convenience and logistics casinos afford me. I've been centered on ac the last six-seven years because I like the accessibility and environment that south New Jersey offers, and staying an playing in AC casinos allows a less expensive convenient way to spend time along the shore and other nearby communities.

I experienced Vegas from 1992 thru 2007ish, which in my opinion was it's golden boom time. The current Vegas is a massive overwhelming assault on the senses and wallet that I'm not really interested in unless I was to live or stay there for at least a month or more at a time...I'm no longer hip to doing that.

Truth be told, the only casino game I still truly like and enjoy is poker, cash and tourney play. It's the truest challenge of intelligence and ability against other humans.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=DaBurglar]One thing ALL casino patrons have in common is they like or enjoy (to
varying, increasing degrees) being in casinos! They enjoy the compact
nature of things, your living quarters (room) is nearby, there's a whole
smorgasbord of food nearby, and the illusory vision of hitting a lot of
money for doing nothing is ever present.  [/quote]I agree.  In my opinion what we are missing on this forum are discussions about enjoying VP and the casino as an experience. Limiting our discussions to odds, math calculations, .03% plays and non existing cash back comps is too limiting.  This may be fine for Vegas APs, but it has little value to an average player outside of Nevada.  VP does not have to be complicated.   It's a game with 5 buttons, not a Rubik's cube of money.   What's cool about VP is it can be as simple or as complicated as the player wants it to be.  I understand some people love showing off their math skills and I appreciate those calculations as much as anyone.  You don't need all that to enjoy the game.  I will never again look forward to my next casino visit with dread.   I will limit my play to quarter Jacks or Bonus poker and throw off all my worries.   Feels great..  

[FAA]

Phil has somehow gone Gene Kelly. DB has gone all in on tables. I too must evolve and stay the hell away from dollar machines and ATMs. My coin in will be much less this year in an effort to cut losses by 75%.

[FloridaPhil]

Think about this.  If you play dollars vs. quarters on a negative VP machine, you are increasing your losses by 4 times. You are also limiting the amount of hands you can play.  If it takes 40,000 hands to hit a royal, you may never get there playing dollars.  If you play quarters, you stretch your money farther.  Playing 40,000 hands is possible without the huge investment.  Is there a difference in the feeling of hitting a royal for $1,000 or $4,000 if the machine is going to take it back anyway?You can add in comps to make dollar play look better.  Unless you're living off the game, I don't see enough value there. Earlier this week I was standing in the hotel line to check out.  The lady in front of us had $600 in comp credits.  I had $80.  She walked out of the Beau Rivage with nothing but the room taxes to pay.  I paid $70.  How much money did she have to lose to earn $600 in comp credit?  I guarantee you a lot more than I did.Some players need the thrill of risking big money to enjoy gambling.   I've been there and I can tell you it's overrated. Stay away from the trap the casino is setting for you and you will be able to play more and most likely keep more of your money.

[Carcounter]

I will stick to the 99.5% paytables. If they go, so will I, at least that's what I think. I have already thrown one of my 2018 VP resolutions out the window. I told myself to only play .25 games so I wouldn't have any w-2G's to deal with because of the new tax laws that limit your deductions. I am still playing .50 and dollar games. Already have one 4k w-2G, but not gonna worry about it