5 Dollar BP Question for Alan

[vpguy]

In another thread Ihad talked about playing a ARTT strategy with a 4K bankroll and you talked about playing a straight 5 dollar BP with it. I would like for you to tell me about it. How many credits do you play on one machine and what is your win goal? Also how have your results been playing this? How many sessions do you usually win. I'm really interested in this since you commented that your results have been pretty good so far this year. Thanks

[Alan Mendelson]

Thanks for asking.

First an admission: I play differently now that I've learned a few things from Rob. I don't agree or believe that cold cycles can be detected, but I do see a lot of value in some of his other strategies including some of his special plays and his money management.

First, let me tell you what I used to do WRONG.

1. I only started playing 8/5 Bonus about six months ago. Before that I was strictly a DDB player and I lost way, way more than I ever won -- even after hitting progressive royals.

2. When I switched to 8/5 Bonus I immediately started losing much, much less but I did not stick to Rob's #1 goal of setting and keeping win goals. My only objective was to hit a royal. And I didn't hit a royal -- but also didn't lose that much money. Surprisingly I had nice runs with plenty of straight flushes and quads.

3. But in early January my play drastically changed. First, I hit a Royal (after 170,000 hands), but more importantly I decided to follow the #1 rule of quitting when I reached a win goal.

Now, I haven't played that many sessions this year but I am very much ahead because of the Royal and because I am sticking to quitting with a win goal.

As Rob knows, one quick day trip a couple of weeks ago started with $300 of free play and I left up $6200 because I lucked out on hitting quads early and fast and even got quad aces twice over about 8 hours of play. But this session was the exception.

I am now happy quitting with a $500 win goal.

I picked $500 because I can't recall a session playing $5 8/5 Bonus when I haven't been up at least $500 at some point with a starting bankroll of $2500. 20% is a nice profit. There were sessions last year when I was up as much as $8000 and gave it ALL back trying to hit a royal. Yeah-- I was that stupid.

So my new strategy for 2012 is to stick to the win goal strategy of quitting with a $500 profit. If I surpass that profit (hitting a big quad) I will keep playing (build on the profits) but raise my stop-loss as I play.

I hope this plan works. Of course, I am well aware that in a random game I could hit loser after loser -- so my plan this year is to know when to quit.

Now because of the royal and some other profitable sessions, I do have a solid gain so far for 2012. And right now I am actually staying away from casinos so that I have a bankroll for some planned trips for later in the year. It would be nice if -- for the first time in my life -- I have either a break-even year or a profitable one.

Keep in mind that I have never had a profitable year gambling. I want 2012 to be different.

[vpguy]

Thanks Alan. I wish you much luck for the rest of the year. One question I would have is do you play the entire 2500 on one machine? Or do you switch machines at certain times like hitting a mini goal or losing a certain amount etc. Thanks again for the info. Go out and hit another Royal!

[slingshot]

Me, too. Let's do it this year. Thanks to Rob and all for answering all my questions-I've really enjoyed being here and listening to a somewhat more open-minded discussion. I honestly believe in Rob's vp strategies as experience has proved them accurate. The hard part is the battle with yourself and I too would like to have enough discipline to stay mentally alert. The part I like about Rob's strategies is they're adaptable and you're free to use your own mind and after using it for awhile the confidence and understanding grows. Now, I hope our next posts are ROYAL!

[Alan Mendelson]

The only time I move is when a smoker sits down. I will move to get away from the smoke. I do not move after hitting a royal except to go home. I do not move after other jackpots and an example is at Caesars last year when I got quad aces with kicker three times in 15 minutes on a $1 DDB machine and then twice in 20 minutes on a $5 DDB machine. And since I don't believe in cold cycles I don't move because the machine is eating up my money and instead just pray harder.

[Rob.Singer]

The true test comes when you drive to a casino with a $500 win/quit for the day goal & attain it within the first five minutes. The disciplined player - aka the winning player - will ALWAYS do what he or she said they were going to do before walking into the casino. The undisciplined player - aka the LOSING player - will suddenly come up with as many excuses as there are dress sizes until one is found that allows continued play. And this is exactly, among other things that I constantly harp on, what the casinos want & expect you to do.

As far as no believing that the machines have cold cycles....imagine for a moment how much more profitable your play could be if you got up from those machines you've run into so many times where the losing just doesn't seem to stop. If you can't grasp the concept of that which I know is absolutely true, then how could it possibly hurt to change machines anyway? Similarly, someone who has casino credit and check cashing set up at any casino they play at is just ASKING for trouble. Give an honest answer here: How many times has your $2500 been lost and you went to get more?

Also, if you keep playing a single denomination with a 20% or even a 10% win & quit goal, without extraordinary good luck you will get wiped out. I believe you're riding the high from that royal right now, and when you won $6200 you didn't quit when you were ahead $500 anyway. If you indeed feel you have an opportunity for a change to have a winning year without total discipline and with your unrealistic win goal based on the bankroll you take--be careful. The day is still young.