The Bob Dietz Quitting When Ahead System

[redietz]

Alan didn't answer my question in another thread, so let's try it again. He does tend to not answer certain types of questions.

I will "quit when ahead," as Alan proposes, for my next year of video poker playing, which probably won't begin until December. Now the question for Alan, since I want to get this right and do it by his rules, is "How much time much elapse between sessions?" Please give me a specific answer so I can abide by the rules and test your hypothesis.

I will report each and every result right here.

But first, the question, "What is the definition of a session, and how much time must elapse between them?"

[Alan Mendelson]

I don't do "sessions." I do "trips." When I go to Vegas it's a "trip." A trip to Vegas might be one night or it might be two. When I go to Rincon or when I go to Hollywood Park, it's a "trip" even though it might be for four or eight hours.

My last five trips were all to Rincon where I played for time ranging from 35 minutes to about four hours. Each time I quit when ahead -- with a profit. I answered your question the first time, and the second time, and now I'm doing it a third time.

[redietz]

Still haven't answered "How much time between trips, then?" Am I to assume, then, that "trips" and "sessions" are two different things? Now am I required, between "trips," to leave Clark County, or can I just take a walk around the casino or around the block or must I go tag the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign for the "trip" to be considered complete? I will follow your instructions to the letter.

And I will report the results here.

[Alan Mendelson]

How much time between trips? Well the last five trips were about a week apart. I usually take a drive to Rincon about once a week to play my free play. I haven't been to Vegas in a while and as I told my host on the phone Saturday, because they cut my offers so dramatically it is unlikely I will be going back except for a quick day trip for the Great Gift Wrap Up since I have an opportunity for a lot of loot.

And just again to comment about "sessions." I don't play sessions. So I don't show up in Vegas on Thursday and play and then go up to the room and return to the casino after midnight on Friday and call that two different sessions. To me it is all one trip. The trip ends when I leave the casino and stop playing and go home. And for the record, I never checked out, got in my car, drove down the strip, did a U-Turn and checked back in to play some more. LOL

[redietz]

Okay, then, I'll get started in December. And I will be precise -- if I'm up a buck, I quit for that "trip." The only exception will be if I get invited to a video poker tournament - then I'll have to play some 5-cent vp in the game of the tournament for 20-30 minutes as practice to get my speed amped up. Those will be separate from my "real" vp playing.

I don't play much vp per year, so cutting it short when ahead is no big deal.

[jatki]

Reading this tells me redetz doesn't understand the question he's asking, while trying to bring in more Singer effect. A session to me is how I now play since being trained to play correctly. I take a trip to be at the casinos, and I can and do play as many sessions as I can do comfortably.

[Alan Mendelson]

redietz if you want to quit after being up only a buck then be my guest. When I make a trip to a casino, being a recreational player, I want to have a dose of fun as well. If I hit a royal on my first hand I'd keep playing -- win goal be damned.

In fact that's what happened to me when Singer attacked me. I hit a SF on a $25 machine using "free play" and then quad aces at $5 using free play. Heck it was all on free play and had I quit then my "fun quota" would not have been met. And this is why I was happy to leave with a $2,000 gain on the trip.

So are you really going to go to Vegas, and cash out and stop playing if you win a buck on the first push of the button? If so, why bother gonig?

[redietz]

I'll be spending quite a bit of time in Las Vegas next year, so playing sessions/trips here and there is no big deal. Video poker is just a small part of Las Vegas for me, so quitting when up a buck will be entertaining.

[Alan Mendelson]

I'll be spending quite a bit of time in Las Vegas next year, so playing sessions/trips here and there is no big deal. Video poker is just a small part of Las Vegas for me, so quitting when up a buck will be entertaining.

Excellent and I am happy to hear that, because you fit exactly what I have been talking about. Only a professional gambler or one who claims to be an advantage player would be concerned about other costs, and amount of a cash-out profit.

For the rest of us who are recreational players, any cashed out profit is a good profit. Thank you.