STOP bringing up Bob Dancer and you really should back off giving advice here in these forums. If someone here follows whatever plan you spelled out here and loses, are you going to cover their losses?
If I do what "Bob Dancer" tells me to do and I lose money, will he cover mine?
Ted, since when are you the forum moderator? I have a right to express my opinion just like you do. I am not insulting anyone or breaking any rules. Unless the rules state any talk of "Bob Dancer" is strictly off limits, what's your problem?
Phil, I am not the forum moderator and neither are you. Nor are you its social conscience or moral compass but lately you seem to be self-appointed at just this position.
Bob Dancer gives advice and a person can either use it or not, it's their choice. However, and this is a BIG however: when it comes to matching gaming CV's I would much better be served by giving more weight to Bob Dancer's than yours.
FP. I agree with Ted. I am tired of hearing about BD especially on Recreational Play. His advice not to play negative VP has been noted many times. VP as a recreational activity where one is prepared to spend money for entertainment regardless of whether one has an edge is alien to him. That's fine but this part of the forum should focus on how recreational players of all perspectives can enhance their experience at a the casino. There are other places to discuss strategy, etc. One can address these recreational issues here without bringing up Bob. Just my opinion.
If you don't want me to use the name "Bob Dancer", give me an alternative name for the same strategy and I will use it. BD is as good as any.
It is nearly impossible to discuss video poker strategy with mentioning the name "Bob Dancer". "Bob Dancer" is not a person, it is a business enterprise that promotes a certain video poker strategy. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but here it goes one more time. If you have the opportunities, skill and bankroll of BD and you wish to profit from VP, you should use that strategy. Period, end of story.
If you don't, what are your options? Telling players not to take pot shots or play negative VP games is like telling young single people not to have sex. Everyone knows they are going to, so why ignore it? I prefer to tell players how to minimize negative game losses. Does that put me in conflict with the BD strategy? No, because the BD strategy doesn't address these issues, it ignores them.
I have always promoted playing VP as cheap as possible. Even when someone talks about taking big pot shots, I give them a way to do so with as little damage as possible. What is gained by letting these players find this out the hard way?
BD does not need Ted or Billy to defend it. I think BD is capable of doing that itself. I have no idea why it won't help the 99% of the players who play negative games by providing a strategy that reduces losses. What good is a strategy that only benefits a few percent of all the players in America? This could lead some to think BD is working for casinos and not average players. An assumption that could easily be rectified with a little understanding.
Earlier in this thread, Stevel06a1 said he is considering trying some risky strategies that have proven not to work long term. He also stated he plays for entertainment and doesn't care. I provided him with a way to do this that would cost him a minimal amount of money to learn what I already know. Unless he goes rogue, the worst he could do would be to lose $20 a hour. All of a sudden this makes me public enemy number one. I am now accused of sending all these poor helpless players to Hell just for saving their wallets.
Let's address this problem instead acting like it doesn't exist. You are not going to make APs out of everyone. Telling everyone to play only positive games or not to play at all is not working. Let's help regular players play the game at a reasonable cost. If BD won't do it, who will?
Late last year I made the decision to try a different VP strategy. Based on a book I read, I switched to Bonus Poker. There were many reasons for this. First, Bonus Poker commonly has the best quarter odds at the casinos where I play. Second, Bonus Poker is easy to play accurately. Much easier than the Deuce Wild games I was playing. Thirdly, the low variance allows me to play max coins all the time. Finally, the Bonus Poker jackpots are enough to keep me interested. I also made the decision to stay with quarters 99% of the time.
In January of this year, I hit my first Bonus Poker royal flush. I was in a good run of quads when I switched to 50 cent play and hit a $2,000 hand pay. We went to Biloxi for my birthday in February where I hit a second Bonus Poker royal flush for $1,000. In March, was dealt another $1,000 royal in Tampa. I hit two more $1,000 royals since then, making this one of the best years I have had.
Some days quads happen and some days they don't. You will most always get a few, but it is common for them to go on vacation so to speak. Then they come back in spurts. When that happens, I find myself switching to Double Double Bonus. The first time I switched, I hit a quad ace with a kicker for $500. The following week, I hit another $500 quad ace jackpot. I don't attribute that to anything but good luck. The wins were nice just the same.
Playing max coins all the time earns me a significant amount of free play and points. My free play averages about $25 a week. Playing as long as I am able to, my players card earned Elite status and I receive even more free play. On Bonus free plays days, I have had as much as $85 in free play. I play one full day a week, so my annual free play is like getting two extra royals.
Switching between Bonus Poker and Double Double Bonus has been working for me. If quads don't happen, I stay with Bonus. If they do, I switch to DDB.
This strategy fits my requirements perfectly. It's exciting, easy on my bankroll and for the moment it's working. I don't expect my good luck to continue forever. Staying within my bankroll, playing max coins and playing a low variance game accurately has all contributed to my enjoyment of the game. My ventures into DDB are infrequent. When they occur, they seem to work out.
Note: I am not making these posts to convince anyone to play VP like I do. I am not making these posts to contradict anyone else or any VP methodology. I play video poker one full day each week plus on numerous video poker vacations. Some of these VP vacations are a full week long. We play all over the United States and see all types of gaming facilities from Mega Resorts to small Tribal casinos. Except on very rare occasions, all of the VP games we see are negative. Our goal in playing these games is to be entertained by the game and to enjoy the resorts and our travels. We believe what we do is unique. We don't know of any other couples who spend as much time traveling to play VP as we do. We are both semi retired and living our dream of playing VP until we can't. We hope these posts inspire other couples to give it a try. Playing a lot of VP does not have to be expensive or depressing. As long as you understand the casino's primary purpose is to make money for their owners and stock holders, you will be better equipped to make your decisions.
Some good insight and advice here for recreational players. Sharing your experiences is great. Keep that up (instead of ranting about AP stuff).
As a Recreational video poker player you eventually find a way to make the game fit the game you want to play. VP is a very flexible game. I find it a challenging and entertaining way to spend an afternoon. It does come with a dark side. The dark side of VP does not have to be part of the game. Hitting four aces with a kicker is just as much fun playing single coin quarters as $5 a point. The reason for this is the net cost. At the end of a year when you tally everything up, very few players earn a profit. The thrill of hitting a $20,000 royal is not a thrill if it costs $30,000 to hit it. I would much rather play small and lose less, an opinion not shared by everyone.
My current strategy is a balance between my cost of play and the amount of entertainment I receive. The casino seems to like it as they give me points and comps for playing that way. I like it because I can play longer with my money and I still have the thrill of something good happening more often than once every 40,000 hands.
This forum does not have to be a battleground where members spar back and forth on who can insult the other more cleverly. It shouldn't be a continuous sales promotion either. Let's talk about the VP we play, not the VP we read about. Let's hear all angles, strategies and opinions discussed openly without beating up those we don't agree with. When that happens, this forum will help players to find their own VP sweet spot like it have.
Continue with Google