Don't kill the other video poker players!

19 November 2013

By Frank Scoblete

FROM JANE: I, too, read your column in CasinoCityTimes.com and in the hard copy of Casino Player and Strictly Slots. I wish to share my frustration with people who regularly play progressive VP machines with one or two coins. When I ask them if they realize they are playing a progressive, they claim they ALWAYS know.

I then ask them why they are playing one or two coins. Their response is, “I can't afford to play five coins.” I then suggest nickels or quarters, depending on the denomination they're playing, explaining that five nickels will pay out $200 for a royal but one quarter will only pay out $62.50. Also the $1.00 can easily become $1.25 on quarters, thus ensuring a min of $1,000 in quarters or even a quarter progressive, as opposed to the payout on a $1.00 progressive machine they are playing for only $1.00 or $2.00.

They then counter with, “But I like to play dollars.”

Short of killing these folks, there is nothing I can do. I know, "It is their money and they can do with it whatever that wish," but when they do hit that royal for $250 it takes forever for anyone else to hit the progressive at full value.

FRANK RESPONDS: Close your eyes and forget about them. Other players can often make your personal gambling experience miserable. Think of your playing time as just you and the machine and pretend those other people don’t exist. Also keep this in mind: If you kill one of them, the video poker games in prison aren’t too good. I’m sending you a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss” for your e-mail.


FROM PERRY: I read an article by you about the fact that you can’t leave when you are ahead because what if you won on the very first decision? Now you are ahead. Do you quit? Most players would not go to a casino to play one or a few hands, or spins of the machines or throws of the dice. Your idea that quitting while you are ahead only makes superficial sense is right on the money. The idea is totally wrong. Gamblers come to play the games, being ahead is not the issue, certainly it is not the issue at first. Maybe after playing for some time and being ahead might make someone think “Maybe I should take a break?” but I really doubt any casino player will say that after a first decision win.

But I am reading many so-called experts who keep saying over and over “Quit while you’re ahead.” Or some say “Play, win, then leave.” Great. You make a pass line bet and the seven rolls on the come-out so take you bet down, you are now ahead, and leave? Don’t the people realize you are right about the saying, “Quit while you’re ahead”? That what they are saying makes little sense if you think about it clearly?

Keep up the good work Frank.

FRANK RESPONDS: A lot of sayings have an element of truth in them but are not completely true. Quitting while you are ahead is one of these. It sounds good but it is an incomplete idea. Yet, there are many players and writers out there who think this idea is a full statement of what should go on at a table. If they think that winning that first decision means leaving the game, then fine, the statement for them could be an absolute truth – that is if the player doesn’t return for more at some future date.

I am sending you a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss” for your e-mail.


Join Frank on his website at www.frankscoblete.com or on his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/frankscoblete.