This is the first lunch that I attended since joining vpFREE over 4 years ago because my trips to Vegas did not coincide with the lunch dates. Only 4 people attended, but I enjoyed the lunch and conversations.
FYI, I normally play Downtown at El Cortez, Vegas Club, or Main Street Station because they have/used to have (since 2004) FPDW, DDW, TDW (high variance but what a rush when you hit the 3K deuces), 20/7 Jokers, and NSUD, and up to 20X odds on craps 
After the lunch, I went across the street to the Palms to play their FPDW progressive. The progressive was about $1070 when I started. I put in $40 and started play around 12:45 PM. Over the next 2 1/2 hours, I played on the initial $40 and got as high as 600 quarters credits because I hit a number of royals w deuces and 5 OAKs. Also, I got 3 four-to a royal and numerous three-to-a royal. Then, it happened at 3:15 PM when the progressive was up to $1,080.
My initial draw was ? - Qh - 10h - Ah - ?, held the 3 to the royal, and hit draw. I hit deal but nothing happened. I then examined the screen again and saw the credits going up rapidly and looked at the cards again -- my first royal on a pay machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sat and stared at the machine for over 5 minutes before reluctantly hit deal.
Observations and Notes:
- I loved the fact that the royal paid in machine credits rather than having to wait for a hand pay (standard Downtown practice).
- I probably will not play the Palms much because it is too noisy and the VP progressive machines were adjacent to the blackjack tables.
- I hit the royal after over 240,000 pay-machine-plays on FPDW, DDW, NSUD, JOB, and 20/7 jokers which means I was overdue by over 5 royal cycles.
- Even though I never hit a royal on a pay machine until 1/17/09, I ended each of the past years since 2004 in the positive playing VP because I am way ahead on hitting the deuces
- Bring a good bankroll if you play the DDW or TDW. I have been down over 1k before I hit the first deuces on a trip.
- I agree that playing VP is addictive.
- The Palms FPDW machines play at lightening speed compared to the deuces machines at Sams Town, Vegas Club, and El Cortez.
- The Palms progressive meter must be set very low since most of the 10 machines were in use while I was there and the meter went up only about $10 in 2 1/2 hours.
Thank yous to:
- To John, Steve, and Judy for the good conversations at the VPFree lunch.
- To Dan Paymar for his book, OpVP software and Video Poker Times.
- To Dean Zamzow and Bob Dancer for Win Poker.
- To VPFREE posters especially to Nudge-DDW strategy, Harry Porter-good writer, Mickeycrimm-good & well written stories, Grumpy - stimulates conversations, and Westie-your trip reports are numero uno.
- To the gentleman (said that he imigrated from Ireland and was a professional video poker player)that I met at the El Cortez DDW machines in 2004. He told me to (1) buy Dan Paymar's Optimum Video Poker book, (2) subscribe to Video Poker Times, and (3) take a Bob Dancer course. As luck would have it, he had a class two days later!!
- To Jackessiebabe because she likes Chicago-style hot dogs almost as much as me.
-Finally to vpFAE for keeping vpFREE running. You have the patience of JOB.
thanks for reading
Bob
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--- On Fri, 1/16/09, vpFae <vpFae@Cox.net> wrote:
From: vpFae <vpFae@Cox.net>
Subject: [vpFREE] Tomorrow: JAN 2009 vpFREE Lunch @ Gold Coast
To: vpFREE@Yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, January 16, 2009, 3:02 AM
The JAN vpFREE lunch is scheduled for Saturday 17 JAN
at the Gold Coast Buffet at 11:30 AM. Meet at the buffet entrance.