vpFREE2 Forums

Barona CA Update from Bob Dancer

#1

The Barona machines have not been lowered in past two months. A
post on vpFREE to the contrary was in error, likely because a
significant amount of the good games are one circular bank of 8
machines (within 20 feet of the coat check booth) and the poster
missed that bank.

Within the past week, Barona has loosened it's $1-$2-$5
inventory. In addition to the NSU reported here (which was
already present), there is also JW2 and 10/7/239 DB for all
three denoms.

As part of the "Loosest Video Poker in San Diego
Area Certification" agreement between me and Barona, they have
agreed not to lower pay schedules on any video poker machines
without notifying me. If they do feel the need to do this, I will
return to the San Diego area (for a fee) and re-scout all the
casinos to verify that Barona still deserves the certification.
Barona has been told that if they no longer deserve the
designation within the 12-month agreement, I'll write an article
to that effect. Common sense tells us that they would not want
such an article.

Over the next year, if anyone believes that Barona has tightened
their machines, they will very likely be mistaken. The good
machines are there and they will remain until at least 12/01/2009
when the certification agreement runs out. (I hope to renew it at
that time, if warranted. We'll see.)

Bob Dancer

#2

The Barona machines have not been lowered in past two months. A
post on vpFREE to the contrary was in error, likely because a
significant amount of the good games are one circular bank of 8
machines (within 20 feet of the coat check booth) and the poster
missed that bank.

I'm the poster who noted the downgrade on the $1+ machines.

I played the machines by the coat check booth that he mentions here,
in the 25c denomination. I dispute that there was any error, because
those are not the machines I was talking about. The $1 and up machines
that had been lowered are elsewhere, as I noted in my earlier posting
(#94267). These machines had previously been NSUD (25/16/10/4/4), but
by the Thanksgiving weekend had been lowered to pay either
25/16/9/4/4/ (99.23%) or 25/15/9/4/4/(98.91%, the ones with the Barona
logo). This is not simply my "recollection" of the payouts, I took
careful notes when I noticed the change.

It has recently been reported that these machines are NSUD again, and
I am glad to hear that.

Within the past week, Barona has loosened it's $1-$2-$5
inventory.

Which according to a recent post (#94697) makes them NSUD again.
Barona's response here seems to be "We didn't lower any payments, and
we promise not to do it again."

I am very glad to hear that Bob Dancer is helping us in trying to get
(and keep)good VP in in the San Diego area. If Barona offers
high-payout VP, I will play there often.

      Robert

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "vpFae" <vpFae@...> wrote:

In addition to the NSU reported here (which was
already present), there is also JW2 and 10/7/239 DB for all
three denoms.

As part of the "Loosest Video Poker in San Diego
Area Certification" agreement between me and Barona, they have
agreed not to lower pay schedules on any video poker machines
without notifying me. If they do feel the need to do this, I will
return to the San Diego area (for a fee) and re-scout all the
casinos to verify that Barona still deserves the certification.
Barona has been told that if they no longer deserve the
designation within the 12-month agreement, I'll write an article
to that effect. Common sense tells us that they would not want
such an article.

Over the next year, if anyone believes that Barona has tightened
their machines, they will very likely be mistaken. The good
machines are there and they will remain until at least 12/01/2009
when the certification agreement runs out. (I hope to renew it at
that time, if warranted. We'll see.)

Bob Dancer

#3

Are the $1 10/7/239 or 10/7/250 and are any in a non smoking area?

···

--- On Tue, 12/16/08, tenore_s <tenore_s@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: tenore_s <tenore_s@yahoo.com>
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Barona CA Update from Bob Dancer
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:06 AM

            --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups. com, "vpFae" <vpFae@...> wrote:

The Barona machines have not been lowered in past two months. A

post on vpFREE to the contrary was in error, likely because a

significant amount of the good games are one circular bank of 8

machines (within 20 feet of the coat check booth) and the poster

missed that bank.

I'm the poster who noted the downgrade on the $1+ machines.

I played the machines by the coat check booth that he mentions here,

in the 25c denomination. I dispute that there was any error, because

those are not the machines I was talking about. The $1 and up machines

that had been lowered are elsewhere, as I noted in my earlier posting

(#94267). These machines had previously been NSUD (25/16/10/4/ 4), but

by the Thanksgiving weekend had been lowered to pay either

25/16/9/4/4/ (99.23%) or 25/15/9/4/4/ (98.91%, the ones with the Barona

logo). This is not simply my "recollection" of the payouts, I took

careful notes when I noticed the change.

It has recently been reported that these machines are NSUD again, and

I am glad to hear that.

Within the past week, Barona has loosened it's $1-$2-$5

inventory.

Which according to a recent post (#94697) makes them NSUD again.

Barona's response here seems to be "We didn't lower any payments, and

we promise not to do it again."

I am very glad to hear that Bob Dancer is helping us in trying to get

(and keep)good VP in in the San Diego area. If Barona offers

high-payout VP, I will play there often.

Robert

In addition to the NSU reported here (which was

already present), there is also JW2 and 10/7/239 DB for all

three denoms.

As part of the "Loosest Video Poker in San Diego

Area Certification" agreement between me and Barona, they have

agreed not to lower pay schedules on any video poker machines

without notifying me. If they do feel the need to do this, I will

return to the San Diego area (for a fee) and re-scout all the

casinos to verify that Barona still deserves the certification.

Barona has been told that if they no longer deserve the

designation within the 12-month agreement, I'll write an article

to that effect. Common sense tells us that they would not want

such an article.

Over the next year, if anyone believes that Barona has tightened

their machines, they will very likely be mistaken. The good

machines are there and they will remain until at least 12/01/2009

when the certification agreement runs out. (I hope to renew it at

that time, if warranted. We'll see.)

Bob Dancer

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#4

The only problem I have with your whole concept is that Barona does
not give very good free play or more play and almost ever machine is
autohold. In NSUD it never holds 2 pairs. Not only that - there are
all of those plays (except 10/7/239 at .25, or .50) at another casino
plus a quarter progressive and other inventory that Barona does not
offer. Plus this other casino is generous is same day free play and
weekly bounce back (more play). Plus they offer many more
opportunites to get even more free play. I think it would have
behooved you to check the other Califonira casinos before deciding on
Barona as being the best one to play at. It is a very pretty casino
but that does not do much for my wallet.

···

--- In vpFREE_California@yahoogroups.com, "vpFae" <vpFae@...> wrote:

The Barona machines have not been lowered in past two months. A
post on vpFREE to the contrary was in error, likely because a
significant amount of the good games are one circular bank of 8
machines (within 20 feet of the coat check booth) and the poster
missed that bank.

Within the past week, Barona has loosened it's $1-$2-$5
inventory. In addition to the NSU reported here (which was
already present), there is also JW2 and 10/7/239 DB for all
three denoms.

As part of the "Loosest Video Poker in San Diego
Area Certification" agreement between me and Barona, they have
agreed not to lower pay schedules on any video poker machines
without notifying me. If they do feel the need to do this, I will
return to the San Diego area (for a fee) and re-scout all the
casinos to verify that Barona still deserves the certification.
Barona has been told that if they no longer deserve the
designation within the 12-month agreement, I'll write an article
to that effect. Common sense tells us that they would not want
such an article.

Over the next year, if anyone believes that Barona has tightened
their machines, they will very likely be mistaken. The good
machines are there and they will remain until at least 12/01/2009
when the certification agreement runs out. (I hope to renew it at
that time, if warranted. We'll see.)

Bob Dancer

#5

True enough.

Bob, have you asked the Barona brass why they've got so many autoholds set?
Do they even know?
Is this some bizarro tribal requirement?

I can't see any good business reason for it.

There appear to be different levels of accuracy for IGT autohold settings,
and the Barona ones are pretty accurate (but not perfect).
Seems obvious this could substantially lower the overall hold for these
machines, which puts pressure for downgrading either the pay tables or
machine theo.

TC

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

···

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 7:49 PM, gamblinggrandma <gamblinggrandma@yahoo.com>wrote:

  Barona does not give very good free play or more play and almost ever
machine is autohold.

#6

The eight high-paying 25c/50c/$1 machines near the valet parking entrance (also referred to as the "coat check entrance") do not have autohold. If the game you want to play is on them (and they have several good ones, see the database), you should play on them.

That's funny, autohold will improve most peoples' play, even on low-pay machines. So a 98% machine will actually pay out 98% instead of 95% or less because of poor play. Why don't they give us a few 100%+ games, but without autohold?

 Robert
···

--- On Tue, 1/20/09, Tabby Cat <tabbycat@wachafo.com> wrote:
From: Tabby Cat <tabbycat@wachafo.com>
Subject: Re: [vpFREE_California] Re: Barona CA Update from Bob Dancer
To: vpFREE_California@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 6:38 PM

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 7:49 PM, gamblinggrandma <gamblinggrandma@yahoo.com>wrote:

  Barona does not give very good free play or more play and almost ever
machine is autohold.

True enough.

Bob, have you asked the Barona brass why they've got so many autoholds set?
Do they even know?
Is this some bizarro tribal requirement?

I can't see any good business reason for it.

There appear to be different levels of accuracy for IGT autohold settings,
and the Barona ones are pretty accurate (but not perfect).
Seems obvious this could substantially lower the overall hold for these
machines, which puts pressure for downgrading either the pay tables or
machine theo.

TC

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------------------------------

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#7

Speed of Play on Negative Machines! This is my guess. I watched
some people playing very fast and were regularly feeding bills
into these money making machines for the casino.

They are all are negative games and some are significantly
negative. Play can be very fast unless you consciously try
to slow things down. This is possible, but it is still easy
to go faster than normal with the "hold feature. You need
to consciously sit and stare at your hold on a good machine.
You can take the hold off and put it on again, but consistently
slowing down play is tedious! I was told you can request it
turned off on a specific machine, but I have not tried this.
As far as I know, automatic hold is on all machines. Also,
I observed, and footnoted the errors. Only the newer machines
are very accurate.

I once played for 8 hours and then went to ask for a free room
for that night. Interestingly, the "boothling" look at my card
and then made a phone call "in front of me" for permission. All
she said to the supervisor was how many hour that I had played.
No mention was made of at what game, denomination, my account
number, or of how many dollar played through. Approval over the
phone was given while I stood there. Again, just the number of
hours played mentioned. Maybe the automatic hold feature entered
into this decision. Although, you would think, denomination would
still matter.

Again the old machines are not very accurate, as mentioned in
the a previous post about the old Upright NSUD Deuces machines.
I found the newer machines much more sophisticated.

Thanks
Bob

> Barona does not give very good free play or more play and almost

ever

> machine is autohold.

True enough.

Bob, have you asked the Barona brass why they've got so many

autoholds set?

Do they even know?
Is this some bizarro tribal requirement?

I can't see any good business reason for it.

There appear to be different levels of accuracy for IGT autohold

settings,

···

--- In vpFREE_California@yahoogroups.com, Tabby Cat <tabbycat@...> wrote:

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 7:49 PM, gamblinggrandma > <gamblinggrandma@...>wrote:
and the Barona ones are pretty accurate (but not perfect).
Seems obvious this could substantially lower the overall hold for these
machines, which puts pressure for downgrading either the pay tables or
machine theo.

TC

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#8

Hello,
Took the Bob Dancer Class. Thanks! Was very good. I did play at
Barona on the circle of 8. They did not hold cards. ALso had pretty
good JOB. 9/6 but your bankroll better be very good, to get through
the first very crappy hundred dollars, and a whole lot more, before
the machines start playing at an even level.
Call it win some time lose some time cycle, its not even close,
until the money is in the machine. Maybe, be my own experience, but
have played there enough to know the difference.
I know! Here it comes. Win, lose cycle. Get over it.
Also did few hundred dollars through Hot Aces. Did get 4 aces for
1200 on the 50 cent play. Was better than paying taxes on the 1200
dollar play.
I play ther at least, 4 times a week. will advise.
Keep up the good work.
Hope Bod Dancer keeps them Honest!
Gary,
GC
San Diego
Hope we have a good 2009.