--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "rsing1111" <rsinger1111@c...>
wrote:
--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "rgmustain" <rgmustain@a...>
wrote:
> The method I use for the 40 credit win is to look at the any win
40
> credits. If that win is enough to cover the loss at the previous
> level then I subract that amount from the win and reset to the
> previous level. I continue along that path until I can no longer
get
> to another level and pocket what's left. This may get me to
either a
> 100 or 300 credit game. If you only reset to the 100 credit games
> then I will need to make a change.For clarity, the only times I retreat back to a lower level is when
I
have a hit that recovers all lost credits in the current
denomination,
and recovers 400 credits in the previous denomination--and
sometimes,
but not often, it retreats more than one. I also must pocket at
least a
40-credit profit he same time I'm doing the retreat, meaning, if I
recover all lost credits as just stated then I still can't retreat
until I also make at least a 40-credit profit at the current level.
I added in these changes and I changed the output to give averages in
all cases. I used the 5 level progression instead of 6.
Run 1)
seed = 12102
8-5BP 0.99166 10-7DB 1.001725 8-5BP 0.99166 10-7DB 1.001725 8-5BP
0.99166 10-6DDB 1.00067 8-5BP 0.99166 9-5TB+ 0.998033 8-5BP 0.99166 9-
5TB+ 0.998033
Average hands at level 1 = 3257
Average hands at level 2 = 3185
Average hands at level 3 = 862
Average hands at level 4 = 937
Average hands at level 5 = 286
Average hands at level 6 = 340
Average hands at level 7 = 162
Average hands at level 8 = 196
Average hands at level 9 = 83
Average hands at level 10 = 110
Number of wins = 62 averaging 5812.983871
Number of losses = 38 averaging 15096.710526
Subgoal hits = 49 Level resets = 36 Level losses = 41
Average wagered = 108075.2 for payback of 98.026652
Expected payback = 99.611553 Total hands per session = 9423.23
Run 2)
seed = 0
8-5BP 0.99166 10-7DB 1.001725 8-5BP 0.99166 10-7DB 1.001725 8-5BP
0.99166 10-6DDB 1.00067 8-5BP 0.99166 9-5TB+ 0.998033 8-5BP 0.99166 9-
5TB+ 0.998033
Average hands at level 1 = 3218
Average hands at level 2 = 3336
Average hands at level 3 = 881
Average hands at level 4 = 879
Average hands at level 5 = 294
Average hands at level 6 = 346
Average hands at level 7 = 132
Average hands at level 8 = 181
Average hands at level 9 = 82
Average hands at level 10 = 84
Number of wins = 79 averaging 6571.772152
Number of losses = 21 averaging 15274.52381
Subgoal hits = 49 Level resets = 38 Level losses = 41
Average wagered = 102972.65 for payback of 101.926774
Expected payback = 99.612359 Total hands per session = 9436.98
I think it is now possible to discuss this system. Even though this
is not exactly the system Rob uses (no special plays), some of the
points I will make should be applicable to any progressive approach.
I'll be upfront with my opinion: No finite progressive system can
change the expected return of the games played unless it can change
the expected return of the individual hands. Now for some random
thoughts ...
1) The small number of hands played at the high denominations is
probably responsible for the high variance of this approach. This has
the effect of making either hugh wins or hugh losses possible. It
also pretty much negates any hope of ever reaching the "long term" EV
of the games played for most players. The bell curve would be
somewhat flattened and wider than non-progressive VP approaches. This
is extremely evident when you quadruple the bet in a progression,
like going from $25 to $100.
2) One way to look at this approach is too consider each progessive
level as a single bet. You either win the bet (win some amount and go
home or revert to a previous level) or you lose the bet and go on to
the next level. Therefore, it may be useful (or may not) to play
these levels with a different goal and a different strategy (A
strategy that optimizes around reaching the goals). If this is the
case it would be interesting to research what this strategy would
look like. Would it look like Robs' special plays? Of course, the
play at the first level would not follow this strategy and most
likely follow a max-EV or min-risk strategy.
If a new strategy is required it seems counterproductive to extract
sub-goals at the highest level of the progression since that would
reduce the likelihood of gaining a big win at that level. What is the
best strategy for the highest level? Maximizing the chances of
returning to a lower level will clearly sacrifice EV. However, that
seems unimportant if you plan on losing a set amount and then
quitting. But then, what is the real advantage of getting to a lower
level. Playing more hands improves the chances of reaching the final
goal so that, in and of itself, would seem to take precedent over
maximizing EV. On the other hand, if that lower level is played on a
negative EV machine won't that just mean you'll lose that money over
time anyway?
So, what would be the best strategy at the intermediate levels? On
one hand you still want to obtain sub-goals to help reach the overall
win goal with the understanding that the credits at that level may be
restored by a win at a higher level. On the other hand, anything you
use will descrease the liklihood of returning to a previous level. Do
these conflicting goals cancel each other?
3) Using a progression on a positive set of machines with the goal of
producing more session wins also has its' risks. You pay for the
additional wins with a higher bankroll requirement. For example,
assumed you could play FPDW for 3 levels (.25, .50 and 1.00). I did
some runs and the percentage of session wins went up to 52% (for a
$200 goal). The average win was around $650 and the average loss
around $600. The average bet in this progression was $2.00 (.40
credits). Hence, you would receive points, comps, CB, etc. as if you
were playing a .40 machine while needing a bankroll closer to the
1.00 level. If you played exclusively at the .50 level the session
win rate with a $200 stake would be closer to 20% while requiring the
standard bankroll for this denomination.
Unless some way of "improving" the EV can be demonstrated by changes
in strategy at various levels of a denomination progression then it
is impossible to change the overall EV using this approach. The
overall EV would be the EV for each game played times the number of
hands played for each game averaged out over all the hands. While I'm
still open to other possibilities (along the lines I described
above), I can't see any strategy that would accomplish these results.
4) It may be possible to come closer to Robs' special plays. I don't
own FVP but I realize that strategy variations can be used. If anyone
could create a strategy that encompasses the special plays for each
game then all I need the average number of hands for each outcome to
update my simulator.
Dick