Stations Taking More Anti-advantage player measures?

[tedchee]

Why is this such a surprise? We've all had the ability to track our play with
WinPoker & Frugal VP. I also wouldn't be surprised if the software was
something like "Bob Dancer Presents 'Using WinPoker To Out Advantage Players'"!!!

I'll bet you Griffin isn't too far behind. He's probably running low on
blackjack players to ban & he's probably looking for fresh me....uhhhh....market.
Live Poker Anyone?

In a message dated 3/9/2004 3:47:14 PM Pacific Standard Time,
vpFREE@yahoogroups.com writes:
<<< Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 13:03:39 -0800

It has been reported that someone who the Stations think is an advantage
player has been put on a "no-mail" status.

B. Velek on VPFree said: <<And how is being an "advantage player"
determined? Most likely by using
the computer to track strategy errors and determine the skill of the
player.>>

My latest information is that there IS software available to do this on the
market, offered by several companies, including one system called Mariposa
(sp?). However, I have seen no reports in casino management magazines, etc.
that any casino has actually installed it. Barona MIGHT have it - and the
Hard Rock MIGHT be set to install it in the future. Those are the only
casinos in the world being mentioned in the literature. This is a very
expensive software system - most casinos don't have enough good games in the
first place to even worry about advantage players.>>>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

···

From: "Jean Scott" <QueenofComps@frugalgambler.biz>
Subject: Stations Taking More Anti-advantage player measures?

[Harry_Porter]

TedChee wrote:

Why is this such a surprise? We've all had the ability to track our
play with WinPoker & Frugal VP. I also wouldn't be surprised if the
software was something like "Bob Dancer Presents 'Using WinPoker To
Out Advantage Players'"!!!

I think concerns along these lines are premature, although I have no
doubt that a couple of years down the road it'll likely be a different
story.

With due deference to Jean, my indications are that the Mariposa
Software system is not a player skill evaluation system but simply
more accurately identifies which players aren't profitable based upon
the selective play of lower hold machines combined with higher
promotion utilization, comp draw, etc. Differentiation of player vp
skill isn't a measurement at present.

The hard evidence of casino actions against advantage players that
have drawn paricular note in these forums lately are those who are
extracting an extraordinarily high theoretical on strong high coin-in
plays combined with exceptional promos (and play them exclusively and
intensely).

This isn't to say that the general inventories of good machines hasn't
been on the decline lately, nor that cashback and comps for play of
them hasn't been reduced, but this isn't skill-specific related and
doesn't bear on the most recently discussed player
promo/mailing/benefit restrictions.

While not altogether insignificant, the cost of skill advantage vp
play to the casinos is still dwarfed by the larger body of players who
have finely honed the fineries of casino promos, comps, etc. and play
the best games thanks to the hearty knowledge base now availble (and,
to her credit, deserved thanks goes to Jean in particular without whom
many of us would still be clueless).

Better management of that aspect of casino profitability, not to
mention having a far distance to go before the typical host is fully
proficient in their job, is a far greater challenge and opportunity
for the casinos to tackle before they micro-manage the vp player.

VP skill assessment is coming. As amply pointed out, it's hardly
rocket science. But it's a arduous chore to implement from the
hardware and software perspective and if clumsily done (and is there
any doubt about that? it's likely to cause havoc and lost revenues
among the far larger non-advantage population.

I'm preaching a bit once more, but the bottom line is that the sky
isn't falling for the bulk of us ... yet. No doubt, though, the skies
have been increasingly less sunny in general.

- Harry