Cards unhold themselves upon redealing. Does it happen?

[Albert_Pearson1]

A faulty button can unhold a card, it has happened to me. If the error causes me to have a large loss I will summon an attendant. They will check the machine and look at the cards that were dealt. If for example I was dealt 4 of a kind but only held 3 and I say that the button messed up, the supervisor will usually pay me the difference.

Regards

A.P.

···

--- On Mon, 6/29/09, deuceswild1000 <deuceswild1000@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: deuceswild1000 <deuceswild1000@yahoo.com>
Subject: [vpFREE] Cards unhold themselves upon redealing. Does it happen?
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Received: Monday, June 29, 2009, 9:26 PM

The other day, while playing NSUD, I was dealt a wild straight flush. I held all 5 cards and pushed (not hit) the deal button. I also made sure that my fingers were not touching any of the keys. The middle card unheld itself and was replaced by another card of no use. So instead of getting 50 credits, I got none.

Later I talked to the slot tech person, and he said that it could not happen. I believe we have discussed that on here before. Would anyone verify that they have had that ever happen to them. I see a card unhold many times, but usually of no consequence. Also, how can it happen, as the button is spring loaded to lift it off of the contacts.

Secondly, the slot tech opened up the machine and showed me how the orginal deal is shown along with the hold, and then the second deal is also able to be recalled at the same time. As I understand it, this would be of no value, as the "unholding" would essentially show the dealt hand with desired card having been replaced, unbeknown of course to the computer that there was previously a "good:" card in that slot. If a person forgot to hold that middle card, that would show up, but a unhold replacement is gong to look like a potential 4 card straight flush.

So my second question, is what can a person do in a situation like this? Doesn't it just become your word against the "evidence" showing the replaced card before the second deal.

What have you done in this case? What has the casino done?

[deuceswild1000]

If I read you correctly, you really are at the mercy of the person reviewing the situation, as nearest I can ascertain, you/me have no proof that there was actually four of a kind there in your case, or the straight flush in my instance.

If so, I would guess the decision is going to be affected by your coin in and possibly your losses to that time???

I raised the question of cards unholding a while back, and got several confirmations of it happening to various posters here. At least several of us know it is possible, even though still not sure how it can happen.

  So summarizing: It can happen. Not sure how it happens. It is not possible to prove the existance of the mis-held hand. And making the player whole is subjectively determined.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Albert Pearson <ehpee@...> wrote:

A faulty button can unhold a card, it has happened to me. If the error causes me to have a large loss I will summon an attendant. They will check the machine and look at the cards that were dealt. If for example I was dealt 4 of a kind but only held 3 and I say that the button messed up, the supervisor will usually pay me the difference.

Regards

A. P.

[Cielaszyk1]

I raised the question of cards unholding a while back, and got several confirmations of it happening to various posters here. At least several of us know it is possible, even though still not sure how it can happen.

So summarizing: It can happen. Not sure how it happens. It is not possible to prove the existance of the mis-held hand. And making the player whole is subjectively determined.

In the early days of computer programming using assembly language, it
was common to write a subroutine to take care of "key bounce" when
reading that a key was pressed on the keyboard. The buttons on the vp
machine are constantly being scanned by the program.

The buttons on a vp machine are often sticky due to spilled drinks,
warped buttons from the heat of the lamp bulb, or just worn out. They
have a spring to tension the button as it presses on a microswitch.
This spring can get weak over time. All of this can add to noisy
switches and be the cause of a switch to "unhold". If you are on a
touchscreen machine, noise due to dirt on touchscreen circuit board can
also be a cause. On my home IGT, I had an intermittent problem with the
touchscreen working. Turns out the touchscreen circuit board had a
crack in it causing the problem. You also need to be careful with your
hands near the touchscreen. It can change holds without actually being
touched just near. So there are many ways that this can happen. You
may notice that the button pops up after a second or two. I tend to
move to a different machine when the buttons are sticky.

Dennis
vp-connoisseur

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

[Tom_Robertson]

You also need to be careful with your
hands near the touchscreen. It can change holds without actually being
touched just near.

I was sitting next to someone who would "root" for cards by touching
his intended discards on the screen as he told the machine what he
wanted in their place. He stood pat on 3 of a kind at least twice
before he noticed.

[jackessiebabe]

I've also had this experience several times. It's often caused
by a "sticky" hold button which causes a "double clutch" movement
of the finger. The situation is most prevalent in older casinos
that still feature ancient coin-droppers.

No matter the amount of the loss, or even if the unheld button
does not result in a missed pay, I immediately call a slot
attendant to report the problem. Usually, they will open the
machine, check the dealt cards and then call a supervisor to
reimburse any loss sustained.

Even though they mess around with the faulty button and then
proclaim that it's fixed, I ALWAYS leave a machine that has
exhibited a sticky button problem.

~Babe~

···

===============================================
In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Albert Pearson <ehpee@...> wrote:

A faulty button can unhold a card, it has happened to me. If the
error causes me to have a large loss I will summon an attendant.
They will check the machine and look at the cards that were dealt. If for example I was dealt 4 of a kind but only held 3 and I say that
the button messed up, the supervisor will usually pay me the difference.

[deuceswild1000]

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

No evidence of sticky button in my case.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Cielaszyk <cacti-az@...> wrote:

>
>
>I raised the question of cards unholding a while back, and got several confirmations of it happening to various posters here. At least several of us know it is possible, even though still not sure how it can happen.
>
> So summarizing: It can happen. Not sure how it happens. It is not possible to prove the existance of the mis-held hand. And making the player whole is subjectively determined.
>

In the early days of computer programming using assembly language, it
was common to write a subroutine to take care of "key bounce" when
reading that a key was pressed on the keyboard. The buttons on the vp
machine are constantly being scanned by the program.

The buttons on a vp machine are often sticky due to spilled drinks,
warped buttons from the heat of the lamp bulb, or just worn out. They
have a spring to tension the button as it presses on a microswitch.
This spring can get weak over time. All of this can add to noisy
switches and be the cause of a switch to "unhold". If you are on a
touchscreen machine, noise due to dirt on touchscreen circuit board can
also be a cause. On my home IGT, I had an intermittent problem with the
touchscreen working. Turns out the touchscreen circuit board had a
crack in it causing the problem. You also need to be careful with your
hands near the touchscreen. It can change holds without actually being
touched just near. So there are many ways that this can happen. You
may notice that the button pops up after a second or two. I tend to
move to a different machine when the buttons are sticky.

Dennis
vp-connoisseur

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