Shortcomings of current Video Poker Software

[Dan2]

I am always trying to improve Optimum Video Poker, so I take posts such as Tony's seriously, but I have some questions regarding his post:

Tony Dubnik wrote:

I currently own all of the major VP software programs: VP Tutor, Winpoker,
VP Wizard, Optimum VP, and VP Strategy Master. They are all very good and
have contributed to my VP knowledge but they all have some serious
shortcomings. I would like to see a VP program that is comprehensive enough
to configure ANY vp hand and analyze the resulting return.

I would like to see a VP program that could do the following:
Set payoffs by suit for flushes, straight flushes and royal flushes.

I have only seen such a game in a casino for a short time, so I didn't bother implementing it in OpVP. Is this a common feature that a lot of players would want?

Set payoffs for different 3 of a kinds
Set payoffs for certain full houses i.e - full house with only face
cards different from others

I have never heard of games with these "features." Do they exist? Or, more importantly, do they exist on a game that is at least marginally attractive?

The ability to simulate progressives - set the contribution rate for
RF, SF, 4K etc and have the payouts change with the feed.

Incrementally increasing progressive meters would not be hard to implement, but with only one player rather than a bank that you can begin playing at any time, it seems to me that the meters would rise too slowly to have any practical value. In OpVP it's very easy to change payoffs to reflect the current state of a bank for a very quick analysis.

Play Multistrike, 5 play Multistrike with the correct strategy for
each level
Play 50 and 100 hand VP

Triple Play and other multi-play games are patented by Action Gaming and can't be implemented in a commercial package without paying royalties or otherwise getting permission. Similarly, Multi-Strike is patented by Leading Edge Design.

I see little point in implementing multi-play or SpinPoker in a trainer program since the playing strategy is exactly the same as for the single play game with the same payoff schedule. I wanted to implement Multi-Strike, but have been unable to obtain permission, and interest in the game seems to be waning.

Wrap a Royal - i.e. - where a sequential royal like JQKAT or QKATJ
are counted as sequential

Sequential royals are so far out in the extreme long term that they have little effect on bankroll considerations, which are the strong point of OpVP. As with multi-play games, implementing such features would be just for game playing and serve little training purpose.

How 'bout it programmers; anybody up for this?

Please send comments directly to me.

Thanks,
Dan

···

--
Dan Paymar
Author of best selling book, "Video Poker - Optimum Play"
Editor/Publisher of VP newsletter "Video Poker Times"
Developer of VP analysis/trainer software "Optimum Video Poker"
Visit my web site at www.OptimumPlay.com

"Chance favors the prepared mind." -- Louis Pasteur

[Tony_Dubnik]

I am always trying to improve Optimum Video Poker, so I take posts
such as Tony's seriously, but I have some questions regarding his
post:

Tony Dubnik wrote:

I currently own all of the major VP software programs: VP Tutor,
Winpoker, VP Wizard, Optimum VP, and VP Strategy Master. They are all
very good and have contributed to my VP knowledge but they all have
some serious shortcomings. I would like to see a VP program that is
comprehensive enough to configure ANY vp hand and analyze the resulting
return.

I would like to see a VP program that could do the following:
Set payoffs by suit for flushes, straight flushes and royal flushes.

I have only seen such a game in a casino for a short time, so I
didn't bother implementing it in OpVP. Is this a common feature that
a lot of players would want?

Dan,

I just returned from Reno and saw at least one machine where this would be
helpful. There was a machine where each royal suit paid a different amount.
There are also occasions where certain suited hands pay extra on a
promotional basis such as heart hands may pay extra on Valentines Day. There
are also internet plays where this would come in handy.

Set payoffs for different 3 of a kinds
Set payoffs for certain full houses i.e - full house with only face
cards different from others

I have never heard of games with these "features." Do they exist? Or,
more importantly, do they exist on a game that is at least marginally
attractive?

I don't know if they are attractive or not because I can't analyze them
properly. I know that I have seen games where 3 7s pay extra. I think that
Nevada Bonus poker also pays differently for certain 3ks.

The ability to simulate progressives - set the contribution rate for
RF, SF, 4K etc and have the payouts change with the feed.

Incrementally increasing progressive meters would not be hard to
implement, but with only one player rather than a bank that you can
begin playing at any time, it seems to me that the meters would rise
too slowly to have any practical value. In OpVP it's very easy to
change payoffs to reflect the current state of a bank for a very
quick analysis.

In my case, I would not be interested in playing manually but in simulating
drawdowns and average hit rate if entering at a certain level. I would
expect the computer to be able to play until the royal is hit and then stop.
It wouldn't matter that the simulations is only on one machine as I could
"estimate" the hands I might get based on the number of other players. This
could help to determine the "optimum" level to enter a progressive.

Play Multistrike, 5 play Multistrike with the correct strategy for
each level
Play 50 and 100 hand VP

Triple Play and other multi-play games are patented by Action Gaming
and can't be implemented in a commercial package without paying
royalties or otherwise getting permission. Similarly, Multi-Strike is
patented by Leading Edge Design.

I figured this was the case but was hopeful that it would be possible. It
might be worth licensing "if" enough people were interested in buying your
software if it was included.

I see little point in implementing multi-play or SpinPoker in a
trainer program since the playing strategy is exactly the same as for
the single play game with the same payoff schedule. I wanted to
implement Multi-Strike, but have been unable to obtain permission,
and interest in the game seems to be waning.

You're right here of course. The strategy is the same but the variance is
different. This would be a fun addition but doesn't really aid in the
learning process.

Wrap a Royal - i.e. - where a sequential royal like JQKAT or QKATJ

are

counted as sequential

Sequential royals are so far out in the extreme long term that they
have little effect on bankroll considerations, which are the strong
point of OpVP. As with multi-play games, implementing such features
would be just for game playing and serve little training purpose.

Dan, I hear you but my goal is to have at least ONE software program that
can simulate ANY CURRENT VP GAME that exists today. These games do exist and
the sequential does add something even if minor.

How 'bout it programmers; anybody up for this?

Please send comments directly to me.

Thanks,
Dan

···

-----Original Message-----
From: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vpF…@…com] On Behalf Of
Dan Paymar
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 3:53 PM
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Shortcomings of current Video Poker Software

--
Dan Paymar
Author of best selling book, "Video Poker - Optimum Play" Editor/Publisher
of VP newsletter "Video Poker Times" Developer of VP analysis/trainer
software "Optimum Video Poker" Visit my web site at www.OptimumPlay.com

"Chance favors the prepared mind." -- Louis Pasteur

vpFREE Links: http://members.cox.net/vpfree/Links.htm

Yahoo! Groups Links

[Elliott_L_Shapiro2]

I am always trying to improve Optimum Video Poker, so I take posts
such as Tony's seriously, but I have some questions regarding his
post:

Tony Dubnik wrote:

I currently own all of the major VP software programs: VP Tutor, Winpoker,
VP Wizard, Optimum VP, and VP Strategy Master. They are all very good and
have contributed to my VP knowledge but they all have some serious
shortcomings. I would like to see a VP program that is comprehensive enough
to configure ANY vp hand and analyze the resulting return.

I would like to see a VP program that could do the following:
Set payoffs by suit for flushes, straight flushes and royal flushes.

I have only seen such a game in a casino for a short time, so I
didn't bother implementing it in OpVP. Is this a common feature that
a lot of players would want?

This game exists at the Golden Nugget, downtown. Standard 8/5. You
"select" your suit and that those pays are doubled.

···

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 13:52:45 -0600, you wrote:

Set payoffs for different 3 of a kinds
Set payoffs for certain full houses i.e - full house with only face
cards different from others

I have never heard of games with these "features." Do they exist? Or,
more importantly, do they exist on a game that is at least marginally
attractive?

The ability to simulate progressives - set the contribution rate for
RF, SF, 4K etc and have the payouts change with the feed.

Incrementally increasing progressive meters would not be hard to
implement, but with only one player rather than a bank that you can
begin playing at any time, it seems to me that the meters would rise
too slowly to have any practical value. In OpVP it's very easy to
change payoffs to reflect the current state of a bank for a very
quick analysis.

Play Multistrike, 5 play Multistrike with the correct strategy for
each level
Play 50 and 100 hand VP

Triple Play and other multi-play games are patented by Action Gaming
and can't be implemented in a commercial package without paying
royalties or otherwise getting permission. Similarly, Multi-Strike is
patented by Leading Edge Design.

I see little point in implementing multi-play or SpinPoker in a
trainer program since the playing strategy is exactly the same as for
the single play game with the same payoff schedule. I wanted to
implement Multi-Strike, but have been unable to obtain permission,
and interest in the game seems to be waning.

Wrap a Royal - i.e. - where a sequential royal like JQKAT or QKATJ
are counted as sequential

Sequential royals are so far out in the extreme long term that they
have little effect on bankroll considerations, which are the strong
point of OpVP. As with multi-play games, implementing such features
would be just for game playing and serve little training purpose.

How 'bout it programmers; anybody up for this?

Please send comments directly to me.

Thanks,
Dan

[rgmustain]

Shamrock Sevens is the name of the game. It goes into a bonus round
everytime 3 or more sevens show up in the pay line. You would need to
allow for additional payouts for 3K and FH.

Dick

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Tony Dubnik" <tdubnik@a...> wrote:

... I know that I have seen games where 3 7s pay extra. ...