vpFREE2 Forums

Trip Report (Well, Not Really)

#1

I was just up in Michigan for the week tending to family matters.
One day I found myself in a private club that had some interesting
looking VP machines in it - clearly marked "For Entertainment
Purposes Only."

I can't remember the name of the game, but it was some kind of
nickle Jokers Wild, Jacks or Better game with a bonus for pairs of
7's and 9's. The payscale seemed pretty low, though I don't know
how to judge a Jokers Wild game, and it was just for funsies. The
bonus worked something like a progressive in that if you had a pair
of 7's or 9's at the end of round, the corresponding ticker at the
bottom would go one-up. If you happened to be playing when the
either counter hit 100 you got a bonus (whatever it may be - I think
it was 100 credits). In this game, after the initial deal you could
also double your bet. That came in kind of handy when I was dealt a
winner right off the bat.

I put in a dollar and played 5 cents at a time. I didn't know a
strategy so I just used the DW strategy substituting Jokers for
Dueces. I was never dealt a Joker in the first round, which I found
odd; though I have to admit I only played about 150 hands in the 45
minutes my dollar lasted which isn't much of a sample at all. It
was fun but I wouldn't play it for real money.

One real VP moment came when I found my aunt has a time share in
some condos behind the Flamingo and she invited me to join her later
this year when she goes. I'm trying to talk her into getting a
computer so I can communicate with her via email. Perhaps I can
talk her into it if it were used as a VP and Blackjack tutor? <grin>

#2

r_e_h_o_r wrote:

I was just up in Michigan for the week tending to family matters.
One day I found myself in a private club that had some interesting
looking VP machines in it - clearly marked "For Entertainment
Purposes Only."

Those machines are indeed accurately marked. Aside from potentially
having a poor paytable, almost universally such machines are not fully
random (in this case I imagine that frequency of the Joker and one or
two other cards is reduced).

However, at a nickel a hand you're likely to get far more
entertainment value than what they've taken away in return.

One real VP moment came when I found my aunt has a time share in
some condos behind the Flamingo and she invited me to join her later
this year when she goes. I'm trying to talk her into getting a
computer so I can communicate with her via email. Perhaps I can
talk her into it if it were used as a VP and Blackjack tutor? <grin>

Consider that invitation a golden opportunity. The Hilton Grand
Vacation timeshare units are very nice and extraordinarily
comfortable. (We own in Orlando and on occasion I've taken advantage
of courtesy privileges and rented an efficiency at the Flamingo for
$60/night). You couldn't ask for nicer grounds! You have a choice of
using the Flamingo pool or, I believe, a private pool reserved for
timeshare guests.

What's best of all is that you're a stone's throw from Barbary Coast,
a haven for full pay deuces wild play. Between the Flamingo pool and
BC, you couldn't ask for a sweeter set up. Play a few hours at
Barbary Coast and you can treat your aunt to a T-Bone at BC on the
house. She'll like that!

And once you set her down at a machine, with a few basic pointers (but
don't sweat the strategy!), she may indeed get hooked on the game and
be asking YOU where she can get a cheap computer for practice (and to
email you, of course!)

- Harry

#3

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Harry Porter" <harry.porter@v...>
wrote:

r_e_h_o_r wrote:
> I was just up in Michigan for the week tending to family

matters.

> One day I found myself in a private club that had some

interesting

> looking VP machines in it - clearly marked "For Entertainment
> Purposes Only."

Those machines are indeed accurately marked. Aside from potentially
having a poor paytable, almost universally such machines are not

fully

random (in this case I imagine that frequency of the Joker and one

or

ยทยทยท

two other cards is reduced).

>
- Harry

-------------------
Finally. This is the first topic I've seen/read where "frequency"
or "cycle" or "occurs every" can be reduced or adjusted instead of
the usual or more common replies of saying "the Pay Schedules have
been reduced".

So if, for example, an Indian casino wants to keep many vp customers
to keep coming back by keeping the Pay Schedules (Full Pay) but,
wanted additional advantage for profit, I always think that the most
logical place to do it is by "frequency reduction" not "Pay Schedule
reduction".

#4

gilbert_616 wrote:

Finally. This is the first topic I've seen/read where "frequency"
or "cycle" or "occurs every" can be reduced or adjusted instead of
the usual or more common replies of saying "the Pay Schedules have
been reduced".

So if, for example, an Indian casino wants to keep many vp customers
to keep coming back by keeping the Pay Schedules (Full Pay) but,
wanted additional advantage for profit, I always think that the most
logical place to do it is by "frequency reduction" not "Pay Schedule
reduction".

Not likely the first time you've seen such an action suggested here,
but such "adjustments" are commonly referred to as gaffing the
machines. One hint that the machine you're playing might be subject
to such gaffing is if they're of a make that you've never seen in a
mainstream casino. Another indicator is if the non-standard mfr.
machine features a bonus feature not typical of the games found in
known reputable casinos.

Your Indian casino suggestion is exactly why many players are wary of
playing in any casino that's not subject to the oversight of a
reasonably well respected body (e.g. NV Gaming Control Commission).

That's not to say that a given Native American casino (or for that
matter, a cruise ship casino or one on the internet) rigs their games.
However, it's a risk you accept when you play in one.

- Harry

#5

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Harry Porter" <harry.porter@v...>
wrote:

Those machines are indeed accurately marked. Aside from

potentially

having a poor paytable, almost universally such machines are not

fully

random (in this case I imagine that frequency of the Joker and one

or

two other cards is reduced).

However, at a nickel a hand you're likely to get far more
entertainment value than what they've taken away in return.

This is true. According to my brother who plays the game rather
often, one can play as many credits as one wishes per hand. At 5
cents a throw I got a good 45 minutes of good entertainment - and
the dollar (and all the money my brother throws into it) went to a
good cause.

Consider that invitation a golden opportunity. The Hilton Grand
Vacation timeshare units are very nice and extraordinarily
comfortable. (We own in Orlando and on occasion I've taken

advantage

of courtesy privileges and rented an efficiency at the Flamingo for
$60/night). You couldn't ask for nicer grounds! You have a

choice of

using the Flamingo pool or, I believe, a private pool reserved for
timeshare guests.

What's best of all is that you're a stone's throw from Barbary

Coast,

a haven for full pay deuces wild play. Between the Flamingo pool

and

BC, you couldn't ask for a sweeter set up. Play a few hours at
Barbary Coast and you can treat your aunt to a T-Bone at BC on the
house. She'll like that!

Well, Harry, after this bit of information I will certainly try to
make a way to get there when she goes. Now that you mention the
name, that is the right place. I couldn't remember it when I wrote
the post. I can kind of picture in my mind where it was located
behind the Flamingo, but I couldn't remember too much of what was
around there. Sounds like a great plan to me!

And once you set her down at a machine, with a few basic pointers

(but

don't sweat the strategy!), she may indeed get hooked on the game

and

be asking YOU where she can get a cheap computer for practice (and

to

email you, of course!)

I don't know about this. She is a technophobe from way back - but
you never know <grin>. She's pretty much a slot and BJ player, but
I might be able to get her hooked on VP if we can get into some good
FPDW.