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Video Poker A Grinder's Story

Discussion in 'Video Poker Forum' started by VegasGalPoker, Feb 20, 2015.

  1. zengrifter

    zengrifter Member Lineage to Founders

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    Forsooth, Doc Kneeland!
     
    Frank Kneeland likes this.
  2. Dan Paymar

    Dan Paymar Active Member Founding Member

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    If that was the only form of gambling that was available, I'm sure lots of people would play it, and many would probably get just as excited about a win. Humans are predisposed to taking risks, but most prefer monetary risks rather than physical risks.

    And when you think about it, that's exactly what the no-brainer reel slots do. The internal computer selects the decision within microseconds when the Bet button is pushed, then the reels are spun on the screen or physically by stepping motors to display that result. Of course in the old days of mechanical slots the decision wasn't made until the reels stopped, so in the mind of most players today, they don't feel like there's a decision until the display or reels stop. The only decision a player can make is whether to make a bet.

    Video poker is a little different. Although the five potential draw cards are already at the top of the simulated deck, the player has some control by selecting which dealt cards to hold based upon the probabilities of what those cards might be.
     
  3. Mark V

    Mark V Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    The 'Shoot to win' craps game in most casinos is exactly what that - push a button and the dice roll. But you are right, it is not as enjoyable as actually handling the dice and seeing if your 'mojo' is working or not. ;)

    On compulsive gambling:

    Women tend to become more intimate with the machines than men do thus easier to form a gambling addiction. Gambling addictions are often formed when there is a dysfunction with human relationships. The difference between a Pro Gambler and a Problem Gamblers is the ability to discern a bad bet from a horrible bet.

    Addictions in general, be it gambling, drinking, sex or whatever - tend to be the symptoms of much deeper issues that are often generated in the persons childhood.
     
  4. Dan Paymar

    Dan Paymar Active Member Founding Member

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    Giving people the illusion that they have some control over the outcome, such as by letting the bettor roll the dice, makes gambling more addictive. Then craps players add to this with the camaraderie of a lively game with many players cheering each other on.

    Even in video poker, advantage play is still gambling, and there is always the risk of losing one's entire bankroll. Back when $1 FPDW was still available, I met a guy who had blown an $80,000 bankroll instead of moving down to quarter games.

    Many "experts" discuss the Kelly Criterion and attempt to apply it to video poker. I consider that very misguided because Kelly really applies only to games with near even odds and payoffs such as blackjack.

    Optimum Video Poker offers the Sorokin Risk of Ruin calculation, which was created to be able to handle the widely skewed probabilities and payoffs of games such as video poker. I doubt that very many people use it. In other forums I see so-called pros discuss Kelly but never Sorokin. This misleads the poor suckers who follow those forums into thinking they have an adequate bankroll when their risk of ruin is in the 90 percentiles.
     
  5. zengrifter

    zengrifter Member Lineage to Founders

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    I am pondering these snippets.
     
  6. Dan Paymar

    Dan Paymar Active Member Founding Member

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    Nothing to ponder. Luck is great when you have it. The trouble is, luck exists only in the past tense. Playing against a house edge is financial suicide in the long run.
     
  7. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    Why keep beating this horse? Got tired of my silence? Had nothing better to do? GET A LIFE. Too quite for you, Marcus? Just want to continue to stir up shit? Here: I swapped a long time cocaine addiction for a gambling addiction. You happy, now? Now, leave it alone. I'm done.
     
    aztecharry likes this.

  8. Dan Paymar

    Dan Paymar Active Member Founding Member

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    Sorry you took it personally. My apologies. It was meant to be a general comment for everyone.
     
  9. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    That wasn't for you, Dan, it was for the shit stirer. From the minute I placed my first bet when I was 18, it was love at first bet. Didn't know it then and only realized it was a gambling addiction when I moved here. My drug of choice was adrenaline based. I have the identical feeling of the powder cocaine when I get certain draws in VP. When I'm winning, It's the same high. Quit drugs in 1987. Never liked ANY drug/alcohol that would mellow me out. No pot for me, no drinking. Certainly none of the painkillers many love so much-not my personality. Thank God I never tried meth. Never want to, either. That stuff will take over your life. Coke was relatively easy to get off of.

    One of my brothers is working with a doctor here and I'll try naltrexone or nalmefene. It is the wonder drug that quashes cravings to binge on food, cravings to gamble, drink and drug. I volunteered to be the guinea pig. Sick of being driven by the need to do something. I already work a program, so the medicine should help. I'm not concerned about the playing, but the compulsion to do something is the thing I want to quash. They say, tho that once the compulsion is gone, I won't even want to play like I do now.
     
    zengrifter likes this.
  10. aztecharry

    aztecharry New Member Lineage to Founders

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    YOU CANT BE SERIOUS YOU NEED ALL THE POSTERS YOU HAVE.... this is such a new site that she should get a pass... i thing you are grandfathered in..... let the mods move it..... if it bothers you stay away, i am RIVETED by the writing.. this is REAL gambling writing.... this is how most people approach it... lets watch the learning curve..... maybe you need to switch to decaf if you have nothing better to do than to be critical of a HUMAN BEING trying her hand at writing and figuring stuff out.... maybe a little more strategy ......
     
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  11. aztecharry

    aztecharry New Member Lineage to Founders

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    now we are getting somewhere.... this is getting good.... the machines are designed to suck you in... the sounds the flashing lights, there was a wonderful article in the NYT i think a few years back that i will look for... you are pitting your humanity against all the capitalist money worshipping non human bad karma game designers who are going to spend eternity in a different place than people who live right... the article turned my stomach... the thing that sucks you in is that it is all designed to remove weak minded people from their money... if you quir coke which is great ... video poker should be easy.... use this place to FIGHT THE DEMON and we will help you get it off your back
     
  12. aztecharry

    aztecharry New Member Lineage to Founders

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    look into BR management..... your strategy SHOULD be play nickels and move up... if the jackpot hits on to the next nickel bonanza..... i did the sam thing 5 $ at a time with online OMAHA which is like crack... 4-5 people all in , you wait for a good hand... hit take 20 bucks to the .02-.25 table... repeat... i set up a 25 daily limit and my bank statements were 4 pages long, but the checks in the mail were fo 2 and 3 grand....whats your play money amount per month... put half into a money market or something that you cant touch and just play lower... at the end of the year you will be happy,,,, DO NOT LET THE MACHINES WIN>>> IT IS TIME FOR HUMANS TO START WINNING!!! BEE STRONG..... one day at a thyme...run it up from a minimum BR... if you can't its NOT YOUR DAY... YOU WANT REAL FUN BET YOU BIRTHDAY ON .10 cent SUPERFECTAS AT EVERY TRACK YOU CAN....you want a part wheel my birthday is 1963 so i bet (1 and 9) over the (6 and 3) thats4 bets, thats 40 cents watch the races... put names together that appeal to your feminine intuition for .40 cents....
    Family first so names of relatives in first two
    then luck second
    thats a cheaper way to bet your luck and its fun to yell at the tv
    especially when the horse is named stained dress
    horse owners are topical.. clinto was just out of office i saw the horses name and at the top of the stretch i was yelling COme on (horese name) come on (horses name) it was a laff riot
    NOW THIS POST IS OFF TOPIC
     
  13. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    I'm pitting my humanity against a jerk who never stops trying to make me look bad. Whenever it gets quiet here, he finds something to start in on me here. I knew all about me and hinted about it many posts ago and no one picked up on it. The shit stirer didn't even see it. He thinks he's so smart. He's not smart; he just likes to stir up shit. Now, SS, Marcus, I've given you something to REALLY talk about. Muhahahahah

    As for BR management, I play poker (NOT VP) tournaments when I'm broke. It's those 10 minute breaks I worry about. After the restroom, there are maybe 5 mins left when the VP calls me. That's why I like online poker, no VP at my house. I have no prob with regular poker (I don't play Omaha, just HE), as poker does NOTHING for me in terms of addiction. Its is just a way to kill time. It does make me very angry, however, when idiots play horribly and win.
     
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  14. zengrifter

    zengrifter Member Lineage to Founders

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    My rational would be that IF we intently focused our play on +EV opps, then with sufficient BR all play would be a POSITIVE addiction, if you will. Think about it - if -EV gambling is habit-forming, how much more so is +EV gambling?
     

  15. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    What?!?!? Zen, no digging comment? I thought you'd string me up and light a pyre under me. You surprised me by both liking what I wrote and not gloating. Could there be a human under all that shit stirring? I hope so. BTW, I have tens of thousands of 12 step meetings under my belt.
     
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  16. zengrifter

    zengrifter Member Lineage to Founders

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    Not at all, my dear. I feel good progress being made.
     
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  17. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    I have won A LOT. This is why it wasn't a big problem. This year, its a problem. I'm NOT winning, but I'm playing quarters, till the prescription thing gets going. My whole family is well aware of the problem. I'm not the only one in the family with something like this. I'm the only gambler, tho. In terms of the Guinea pig, its the family guinea pig to which I'm referring. Not the medical community. About four of us would benefit.

    How the F*#@* do you show whose quote you copied? Zen, this is yours:
    My rational would be that IF we intently focused our play on +EV opps, then with sufficient BR all play would be a POSITIVE addiction, if you will. Think about it - if -EV gambling is habit-forming, how much more so is +EV gambling?
     
  18. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    :D Zen Dang. I just went to give you a smile and up popped the quote I'd previously tried to put in my posts. WOW! We ARE getting somewhere! Does it only come up when you go for smilies? Or was this little menu always there?
     
  19. VegasGalPoker

    VegasGalPoker Active Member Lineage to Founders

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    I'm not a liberal politically and I'm not an ultra conservative, but someone, somewhere said The Atlantic magazine is a liberal magazine. I also HATE FOX NEWS. So, pls don't hate The Atlantic just because of its (deserved or not, I have no idea) reputation. But the airport this week, I saw the current issue that has the article about The False Gospel of Alcoholics Anonymous. I bought it and read about the drugs to which I referred above. I'd only ever gone to meetings. They do work for me in terms of drugs and in terms of making me a person I don't hate. The Program is a wonderful thing, even if you're not an addict or alcoholic-it helps anyone learn to live life in a way that makes one a different person than the 'me first' and 'the hell with you,' that characterizes many people. It transformed me into a good person. I so needed that. But as long as I was winning, I didn't use it for gambling. I know its there, but I'd rather just stop the compulsion (its the irreversible changes the drugs made in my brain the naltrexone will alter) since I'm already working The Program. The article tells the reader that a 12 step program doesn't work for everyone. I don't know anyone who honestly tried to work the program who it didn't work for, but that's not for this forum. It worked for me, but the changes in my brain are organic. As for other compulsive gamblers whose brains weren't changed by years of drug abuse, I don't know how the naltrexone will work. The article says it's different for everyone.
     
  20. Dan Paymar

    Dan Paymar Active Member Founding Member

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    Although all of this is interesting, this particular forum is supposed to be specifically about video poker. I suggest this discussion should move to the Miscellaneous > Gambling Problem thread.
     
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