We've all heard the maxim - "When dealt a pat hand that cannot be improved - hold all 5 cards for there may be a machine malfunction on the last card draw". I've got a new one to add - that every video poker player should be aware of. "Do NOT play any multi-denominational machine that is not fully calibrated that has the 'double up' option turned on". Let me explain how potential problems with this machine and its poor design gave me the scare of my VP life last labor day weekend. I was playing a 10/7 blue IGT multi-play downtown at the California hotel. One of the nice "features" of the multi-denominational machines is that you can switch coin at will for parlays , systems, etc and you are not stuck at one type of coin denomination. On this particular machine I noticed that the screen was very "sticky" to change denominations. You had to press it a few times, or slightly off center to get the correct play. So, I decided to follow the following plan - I'd stick to 50C denomination and should I go above $300 I'd switch to dollars and give it a shot for the big bucks!. Things were going down hill when all of a sudden - held 2 aces and up pops the other 2 Aces for 4 aces worth 800 coins ( $400) bringing my total to 805 coins. I waited around for 10 seconds , figuring the "CALL ATTENDANT" light would go on - but no, this machine accumulated credits. Ok - following my plan, I pressed the 50C screen button in the middle ( The next screen would allow me to switch to dollars ). Nothing happened for 5 seconds, then - the VP scare of my life. The double up screen appears up and tells me - 'pick any card and if you beat the dealers card you win 1600 coins'. Of course you know what the Murphy's law problem was - I HAD TO BEAT AN ACE !!! I knew that this machine had malfunctioned, but how do I convince casino management on this. They most likely will think of me as one of those Crazy Double up Charlie's who got cold feet when he saw that ace to beat. The slot director approached me, and said that this problem was beyond his ken, and he would have to call over the casino manager to make the decision. I quickly informed them that
1. I never double up
2. Check the camera replay and you will see I did not press the double up button - In fact I did not even see a double up button as I had many winning hands on this machine and not once did it ask me to "double up".
The slot manager looked carefully at the closest "eye in the sky" and said - Well - that camera over there will be no use to you, it's pointing at the blackjack table NOT HERE!
Finally , the casino manager came by - a nice guy "iron Mike Melino". Mike told me - "you know Tom, if you had to beat a deuce I have a feeling we would not be having this conversation". I told him - I don't play double up, check the camera's , check the machines memory, check my references at California and Main Street Station - I'm a good customer, with a clean record and NOT a scam artist and please give me the benefit of the doubt. He checked my records using the special casino managers account that has EVERYTHING about a player. He told me , yeah your an honest player, listed as a very good video poker player, and you don't play here that much - BUT had you been a steady player who constantly lost money, I'd give you the benefit of the doubt immediately. The master slot tech came over and said that the hand would have to be played off, so that he could run some tests of the machine, and see if the double up feature was being used , etc. My other alternative was an appeal to the Casino Control Commission. They would be notified and would come over and lock down the machine. They would investigate and within 2 weeks inform me of their decision via the mail. I know from first hand dealings with bureaucracies, that you cant fight a parking ticket through the mail, and the answer would be "tough luck - Tommy !". We went over to another similar machine and tried to figure out what the problem could be. In this poorly designed model, the "double up" feature appears as a tiny rectangle in close proximity to the denomination press button. If the machine is out of alignment, its possible that one could press (line of sight) the coin button, but the machine believes you pressed the "double up" button. There is a way to test this. One of the menu's inside of the machines diagnostic code is called a "screen alignment" test. As the technician presses his finger down on any spot on the screen, a purple dot appears where it thinks you pressed it. This polymorphism can be tuned by software till there is a one-one agreement with human and machine on where you pressed your finger.
Mike finally agreed to this compromise. He told me "Tom, you submit to the alignment test - if the test fails, I'll pay you the $400 but if the test passes - then that's the end of the discussion and your out $400. Your only other option is to go the Casino Control Commission route." So I agreed to the former, knowing the CCC route was a loser for sure. I had major intrepidations with this decision, having worked in the computer industry for over 25 years. Flakey things happen- random machine malfunctions that nobody can explain , and the casino's system of checks and balances will never be perfect. My first step was to play off the hand - I chose good - got a queen, but it was a loser to the ace and now we were back to the normal play screen, 50C level, and only 5 credits left ! The technician opened up the machine and went immediately to the "screen calibration test" . Please note, that if this place was dishonest , they could have reset the machine , giving them an unfair advantage to pass any test - but they did not do this. The technician had to press the screen several times to get to the test started. I pointed this out to the entire witness party with " Told you how messed up this screen is". When he started the calibration test , his first response was "whoa- this machine is way off!" I breathed a sigh of relief as "Iron Mike" shook my hand and instructed the attendant to 'pay this man his $400'. I latter became friends with Mike, who confided that he was really glad things worked out.
My advice to anybody out there - Don't put yourself in this position - Have them turn off the double up feature on any multi-denom, or don't play any IGT multi-denom that does not have *perfect* screen alignment.
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