I frequently read John Grochowski's online column and here is a link to his latest with New Year's Resolutions including one about pocketing some of your wins:
http://grochowski.casinocitytimes.co...olutions-60440
I wonder what the "math guys" say about this since they argue all gambling, including video poker, is just one long session?
I first started following Grochowski after I read his book about video poker. He said nothing about "one long session."
They'd treat him with kid gloves because he's been one of their "own" over the years, but I've noticed he's beginning to come to his senses over the past few. Most of what he's saying to do in his article is the same as I've said since coming onto the vp scene, so it's a sure bet he's been reading videopoker.com and Gaming Today for the decade or so that they ruled that particular world.
The "one long session" thing....that's recently been fortified by the truly misled--but well-meaning compared to most others--beliefs of Frank Kneeland. These guys want to believe the machines and their RNG's - which are masters of that long term - will totally cooperate with the relatively very short amount of time each of them play at a particular machine, or for their lifetime as a matter of fact. They (esp. Frank) spend months reading up on the math books and somehow then expect the casino experience to mirror what happens on the chalkboards in class.
To bolster that type of belief, we've seen him and others try to convince us that they only play better when they play two machines at the same time, rocking back & forth between them like mindless kooks. But that's the price paid for inexperience and a lack of educational background on such issues. I've worked in the aerospace industry with fighter pilots for 15 years, and when given simple tasks to perform their efficiency went down BIG TIME the faster they tried and the longer they kept going. Playing video poker is no different--only these "experts" are hardly educated to the scientific degree fighter pilots are--and if you've seen some of them at the machines what you're really looking at is the lower level of society. After all, who else would supposedly play video poker for an, eh-em "living" instead of getting a real job and have benefits waiting for them when they retire? It's as if they've given up in life and know there's nothing waiting for them out there, as is for normal folks. Why do you think Bob Dancer has kept working regular jobs all these years? He's not stupid by any stretch.
Rob, I've often been both surprised and amazed at why any video poker player would want to play two machines simultaneously? But recently I found out one explanation and it was reasonable: this "advanced" VP player told me he would play two machines at once when the machines were "slow" and did not have the speed adjustments that the modern machines have. Indeed, today's "modern machines" allow you to select from three different speeds -- "slow," "fast," and "so fast you can't keep track." And with today's "so fast you can't keep track" settings this advanced player told me he has no reason to play two machines at once.
But I think you are right about the importance of concentration to avoid errors. A couple of years ago I had my cataracts removed and the lenses were replaced. Those of you who have had this type of procedure know that it is done under a local anesthetic and you are awake during it. I wanted to ask my surgeon how things were going and when I tried to ask a question he said "just let me know if you feel any pain, otherwise I need to concentrate on what I'm doing."
After he finished and I was being bandaged there was plenty of time for chit-chat.
I also recall the wise saying that carpenters use: measure twice, cut once. And you can apply this to video poker as well: think about your play carefully before you push the buttons.
There are many examples of "player errors" when one machine is played. How can there not be more errors when two machines are played simultaneously?
I personally think that Grochowski's comments about banking some of your wins makes the most sense. If you believed that playing video poker was one long session as "the math guys do" there is no reason to bank anything... you should just keep playing. Here in the real world, we know that theoretical numbers don't pay the bills.
First a correction: I meant to type in my website www.vptruth.com instead of "videopoker.com". That's a true hack site.
Not for one minute do I believe the "math guys" actually ever believe what they espouse about the "it's only one long session" BS. They have to take a position, and since many of them write books, articles, and blab about the theory of it all with shameless by-line advertising on the forums in order to put other people's money into their pockets, they certainly won't agree with what you & I do. The reason John Grochowski said what he did is because he's always been a sensible guy, and it makes sense.
I know Frank's a big advocate of playing two machines at once because he told me so. The problem is, here's where his lack of scholarly conditioning comes into play. He probably doesn't realize that by saying this--although it makes him appear as a more lightening fast player than the other guys--he would never bow to the fact that he's making a much higher rate of errors and therefore he's playing much less proficiently. The "incognitive mind" would never associate faster play with a higher rate of errors because it just does not compute in the theoretical world.
I did a Gaming Today column on this subject. It was about an "AP" named John Kelly, who was a compadre and business associate with Skippy Hughes, you know, the famed AP who went broke from playing advantage vp and left LV in total humiliation. Well, I was at the Hard Rock one night in the early 2000's after just finishing up a session where I won $4900, and there was Kelly--pounding away on two 25c 8/5BP 50-play machines because they were having a multiple points special. In the maybe 25 minutes I stood behind him, I saw at least 20 errors in holds from optimal play, and those were the only ones I remember counting because from behind and with all the rocking he was doing, I couldn't keep up with his fury. The article was entitled: Hard-Rockin On 50-Play and I wish I could find it. The poor guy looked SO stupid playing both machines and firing in the hundreds faster than the machines could eat them up. He must've lost $3000 while I was there and on one hand he was dealt four Aces.
Alan, I was just reading videopoker.com, and these's a fellow talking about something near & dear to you: he can't get a royal when dealt 4-to-a-rf! I thought it might be you but he's talking about doing a sampling at home with computer and a real deck of cards, and he STILL stinks at it!
So don't feel bad with that royalless streak of yours.