OK, I'll come out of the closet too... Dropped my subscription to Skip's stuff about a year ago after having subscribed from the beginning. The discussion on VPFree was more active ( and even the database more accurate at times ). I think with VP slowly going downhill and Skips subscriber #'s dwindling the economies of scale just got too small to keep the service as valuable. I actually stayed a couple years beyond what I felt was valuable just for old times sake...
Skip, get well sir! Many of us owe you a debt that money couldn't cover. Between Jean, Skip, John Kelly, Dean Zamzow, etc... I acquired the knowledge to fire up the free vacation engine that VP has been for my wife and I for over 10 years now.
I'm not sure what being an original member of the Skip Hughes group means exactly but I've subscribed since issue #1 of VPP and have been following Skip and John Kelly since they had seperate web sites...
Reading all the Skip notes has made me nostalgic, so I thought I'd make a top ten VP memories list:
10 - Playing the $ 9/6 JOB at the Venetian. Actually staying comped at the Venetian is the memory.
9 - Hitting a $ 8/5 JOB progressive for $8,500 at Downstream last November. My biggest hit so far...
8 - Playing the $ pick'em at the bar in the Hilton
7 - A dealt Royal in Hearts on the $ NSUD in the Hilton Sports Book. I had been there 4 nights with some golf buddies and had blown my whole $4,000 bankroll ( the 10 play 9/6 there are evil ). I had quit playing, we were leaving in 30 minutes, and they decided to go to the sports book to play a bit before we left. I put in one last hundred ( or was it the 4th last hundred??? ) and whammo... dealt royal. Never was one sweeter...
6 - The first $ royal I ever hit at the Hollywood in Tunica. Held the Single Jack of spades. VP players think a lot about probabilities. How's this for you. Averie's first $ royal ever. Held the single Jack of spades as well... I've now hit Royals almost every way you can, including dealt one's multiple times. I only lack getting a redeal royal and getting one dealt on a multi-line machine.
5 - Playing .25 FPDW at the Copa bar, may it rest in peace...
4 - Going to Jean Scott's condo one trip when I ran off and forgot my AA strategy card at home. Had Jean's # and called her and she graciously printed me off a strategy card. Thanks Jean!
3 - Playing the Lucky Draw 10-7 4-play .25 DB at the Hard Rock. Have a picture of Averie with the coin tray overflowing with quarters that is one of my favorites. Remember buckets of coins???
2 - Playing the Lucky Draw 4-play .25 FPDW at Sams Town
1 - The first "serious" trip we made to vegas with VP in mind. Took $1,000 to gamble with, which was huge for us at the time. Stayed at the RIO ( the last Casino Hotel Room I paid for ) Averie hit a royal at Sam's town inside of 30 minutes into the trip, we took home $3,000 and the rest is history...
I need a tissue...
David