The strategy behind COMPS

[mickeycrimm]

Whether he needs rooms for the event or not, playing for card status at CET of all places, completely destroys any going-in perceived theoretical "advantage" he uses as justification for this kind of flawed approach. If the WSOP were in Tahoe then he might have a working vehicle here. Maybe. But LV?

Rob, you don't have the know how to figure out what's going on and you are to dumb to take lessons. Dan can easily estimate the cost of rooms on the tournament circuit for two years if he has to pay for it. These are rooms he is going to use anyway whether he pays for them or not. And he can easily calculate the theoretical loss to obtain 7 Stars status, which gets him the rooms for free for two years. If the cost to obtain 7 stars is a lot lower than the cost of the rooms then he has a good gamble. He is not looking to make a profit on negative expectation video poker. He is looking to defray the cost of the rooms. Wise up, Rob.

[Alan Mendelson]

Dan did say that on his last round of play the cost for renewing Seven Stars was more than he expected. He didn't give details. But there is another factor that is important to him and that's the convenience factor of getting rooms at the Rio instead of commuting from another hotel or even a house or apartment rental in the Vegas area. I can understand how the convenience of going to a room right at the Rio can help a poker player who must play long tournament sessions. So even if his loss was greater than expected, the value of the Rio convenience can have a big difference on his play and the ability to play more tournaments.

I mention all this so that his critics don't jump to hasty conclusions. Dan is in a unique situation that doesn't apply to others -- including Rob and me and probably every other poster here. You gotta cut him some slack.

[RS__]

I didn't think about that. Good catch, Alan. Not only would it be cheaper to "pay now (play to 7*), get free rooms later", but it would (IMO) likely improve his performance at the Rio tournament(s).

[Alan Mendelson]

I didn't think about that. Good catch, Alan. Not only would it be cheaper to "pay now (play to 7*), get free rooms later", but it would (IMO) likely improve his performance at the Rio tournament(s).

Absolutely. Dan might play two tournaments in one day, each running four to six hours long. Imagine if he also had to "commute" to another hotel or to a rental. Even if the other place was a fifteen minute drive it would still be an hour each way with parking. And who needs the headache of commuting on top of a long day at the tables.

Video poker players and other casino gamblers probably do not understand the grind that poker tournament play puts on you. Add in the pressure of high stakes, back to back tournaments and you have to really have your act together to survive.

[mickeycrimm]

I worked room and meal comp heavily in Laughlin over about a five year period, from Oct, 1996 until May 2002. It was a thing that started out slowly but built up over time to where I was getting a totally free ride in Laughlin. In the forums I called the strategy Laughlin RFB 362. That meant I could get 362 room nights, along with the meals, comped every year. The only 3 nights a year I couldn't get comped was the last weekend of April, Biker Weekend.

The story starts when I was thumbing down Hwy 99 in California in Oct, 1996. I was almost broke and on my way back to Las Vegas where I could at least credit hustle the machines. At Bakersfield I hit Hwy 58 and got dropped off at Tehachapi Pass. I spent the night in my sleeeping bag by the on ramp to the freeway. The next morning I got up, went to the convenience store, took a whore bath in the restroom, then bought a cup of coffee. I walked back out to the interstate. I counted up the change in my pocket, a whopping 99 cents left to my name. I had about a half pouch of tobacco left. I stuck my thumb out.

After a while a man in a van pulled over. He asked me where I was going. I said Las Vegas. He said he was going to Laughlin. I asked if he could drop me off in Laughlin. He said sure. Laughlin had machines and I wanted to be on those machines before the day was though.

He dropped me off above Harrah's. I stashed my sleeping bag and day pack in the desert and walked down to Harrah's. It was going to be a fateful day. I'll finish the story later. Time to go back to bed.

[Rob.Singer]

mickey, you're not doing yourself any favors with those alcohol-inspired tales. Like I've said and others shyly agree, all you're doing is explaining how a bum pissed away the best years of his life and now has nothing--family or savings or good health or even dignity--to show for it. To normal people, it's pathetic.

Trying to justify Dan's playing for card status on crummy CET games in order to "cover" or even sillier, to "defray" the cost of a dumpy room at the Rio for WSOP, is the work of amateurs and you all know it. Why is he playing in tournaments? To win money--bingo!! And I'm guessing that he EXPECTS to win money....or else he'll end up in the gutter like mickey sucking off the govt and will never get married. So someone like this is putting hundreds of thousands thru vp machines to "cover or defray" the cost of hotel rooms? Come on idiots.

Dan plays video poker because it's a habit, and based on where he says he plays and which games he plays, he's not very good at it. He's also extremely addicted to slot card status--just like the rest of you 7-Stars misguided fools.

It is not far fetched in the least to suspect that, had Dan stayed away from the vp machines--and at tournaments paid for his rooms and food and whatever other "freebies" he says he gets, he'd be significantly ahead of where he's at today.

And to those who use the excuse of "the poor guy has to sit thru 6 hours of play at a time" and "it's so inhumane to expect such a player to have to go to & from a different hotel every day after such an EXHAUSTING day"---guys, that's why knowledgeable gamblers KEEP THEMSELVES IN TOP PHYSICAL SHAPE!! They eat right, they exercise daily---they MOVE MORE AND EAT LESS in order to prepare for these things!! If this is really his livelihood, then this is really what people like him should do!

How dense ARE you people!

[Alan Mendelson]

Rob I am going to disagree with you. Dan is not a regular VP player. He only plays to earn his 7 Stars every other year. Otherwise he's playing poker.

Don't call him a VP addict because he's not. I think he plays a lot less VP than you do.

Also, I think you are clueless about the needs of a poker tournament player. I've played a little tournament poker -- never more than a $275 buy in -- but it's given me a taste of the demands.

[james40]

Rob I am going to disagree with you. Dan is not a regular VP player. He only plays to earn his 7 Stars every other year. Otherwise he's playing poker.

Don't call him a VP addict because he's not. I think he plays a lot less VP than you do.

Also, I think you are clueless about the needs of a poker tournament player. I've played a little tournament poker -- never more than a $275 buy in -- but it's given me a taste of the demands.

The troll was/is an admitted VP addict. He ran his finances into bankruptcy through his gambling and now is somehow giving financial advice to Dan. Never take drinking advice from a drunk and never take financial advice from a bankrupt gambler.

[Rob.Singer]

Rob I am going to disagree with you. Dan is not a regular VP player. He only plays to earn his 7 Stars every other year. Otherwise he's playing poker.

Don't call him a VP addict because he's not. I think he plays a lot less VP than you do.

Also, I think you are clueless about the needs of a poker tournament player. I've played a little tournament poker -- never more than a $275 buy in -- but it's given me a taste of the demands.

Neither you not I know that much about Dan's vp habit, but we can deduce why he does what he says he does from his posts. You should agree that playing for slot card status REGARDLESS OF THE GIVEN EXCUSE is not a very intelligent approach for any vp player. And the added fact that he actually DOES have a live poker habit makes resulting conclusions all that more reliable.

[mickeycrimm]

Rob I am going to disagree with you. Dan is not a regular VP player. He only plays to earn his 7 Stars every other year. Otherwise he's playing poker. Don't call him a VP addict because he's not. I think he plays a lot less VP than you do.
Also, I think you are clueless about the needs of a poker tournament player. I've played a little tournament poker -- never more than a $275 buy in -- but it's given me a taste of the demands.

Alan, the media could use some lessons from Rob on creating fake news.

[Rob.Singer]

Rob I am going to disagree with you. Dan is not a regular VP player. He only plays to earn his 7 Stars every other year. Otherwise he's playing poker.

Don't call him a VP addict because he's not. I think he plays a lot less VP than you do.

Also, I think you are clueless about the needs of a poker tournament player. I've played a little tournament poker -- never more than a $275 buy in -- but it's given me a taste of the demands.

Alan, the "needs" of any gambler who strives to be a successful one begins with stamina, and that trait begins and ends with being either young or keeping yourself in excellent physical & mental shape and health for those middle-aged or older. There is nothing more important than that, and by implying there's something strategical about running hundreds of thousands thru CET machines in a hope of covering hotel room costs, is ludicrous at best.

And here's a flash: anyone willing to pound away at the vp machines in an effort to get slot card status, is indeed responding to a habit....even WITHOUT said person already being infatuated by or attached at the hip to live poker.

[jbjb]

I think it's worked out well for Todd...

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=44406

[mickeycrimm]

Alan, the "needs" of any gambler who strives to be a successful one begins with stamina, and that trait begins and ends with being either young or keeping yourself in excellent physical & mental shape and health for those middle-aged or older. There is nothing more important than that....

When the Golden Nugget reopened its poker room in 2004 I watched Doyle Brunson ride into the poker room everyday in his electric wheel chair. Then he would grab his cane and hobble to the table. And I watched him ride out at night in his wheel chair. He was overweight, had a bum knee, and was in his late sixties. He has since won more poker tournaments. When you see him on TV when he gets knocked out of a tournament he hobbles out of the room on his cane. I figure the wheelchair is just out of sight of the cameras.

Brunson, the overweight, old man with a bum knee, is the big winner in the cash games on TV. He has no problem beating those kids.

[redietz]

You guys don't seem to understand. Rob knows exactly what and how much physical fitness gamblers need. When I asked Rob last year if he was ready for he and I to run a 5K, he informed me that only stupid people actually run. Whatever Rob does is precisely correct. If I had to choose between the Marines' "do 3 miles in 18 minutes" criteria for 100% rating on cardio or Rob's "walk fast, but not too fast," my money's on Rob being correct.

Wise up.

[Rob.Singer]

You guys don't seem to understand. Rob knows exactly what and how much physical fitness gamblers need. When I asked Rob last year if he was ready for he and I to run a 5K, he informed me that only stupid people actually run. Whatever Rob does is precisely correct. If I had to choose between the Marines' "do 3 miles in 18 minutes" criteria for 100% rating on cardio or Rob's "walk fast, but not too fast," my money's on Rob being correct.

Wise up.

Red, you continue to supply corny input that wanders.

People who are honestly keeping themselves in lifelong good shape are adjusting their regimen throughout their aging. That's why the way you always imply what you supposedly do is most likely more of your bs on the subject.

Few people continue to run daily as they become seniors, and I'll bet you've experienced that realization. They learn of the tremendous wear & tear it can do to the knees, feet, and other areas so they walk. A lot.

mickey wants to use an exception to help him feel better about his beer gut, rotten yellow teeth, and generally poor overall health and hygiene.

Yes. Wise up.

[mickeycrimm]

mickey wants to use an exception to help him feel better about his beer gut, rotten yellow teeth, and generally poor overall health and hygiene.

Yes. Wise up.

Yeah, but I can still kick your ass, Rob.

[redietz]

Red, you continue to supply corny input that wanders.

People who are honestly keeping themselves in lifelong good shape are adjusting their regimen throughout their aging. That's why the way you always imply what you supposedly do is most likely more of your bs on the subject.

Few people continue to run daily as they become seniors, and I'll bet you've experienced that realization. They learn of the tremendous wear & tear it can do to the knees, feet, and other areas so they walk. A lot.

mickey wants to use an exception to help him feel better about his beer gut, rotten yellow teeth, and generally poor overall health and hygiene.

Yes. Wise up.

"The way I imply what I supposedly do is more bs on the subject."

Good to know, Rob. I'm not quite sure what this sentence means, as it's way up on the "fog index" chart, but okay.

And please point out the last time I implied something about myself, as opposed to flat-out stating it. Take your time. There's got to be an example somewhere.

[Alan Mendelson]

Neither you not I know that much about Dan's vp habit,

Actually, Rob, I know that he does NOT have a VP habit. Here's a guy who plays a deliberate limited amount of coin-in in order to earn Seven Stars for its various benefits that he in fact uses. You can't take that away from him: he knows what he wants and he gets it.

My only fault with Dan is that he expects to get even more when he knowingly limits his play to the bare minimum to get 7 Stars.

[redietz]

Actually, Rob, I know that he does NOT have a VP habit. Here's a guy who plays a deliberate limited amount of coin-in in order to earn Seven Stars for its various benefits that he in fact uses. You can't take that away from him: he knows what he wants and he gets it.

My only fault with Dan is that he expects to get even more when he knowingly limits his play to the bare minimum to get 7 Stars.

So if Dan has a habit, and Rob plays more than Dan, then Rob is admitting he still has a habit?

I salute Rob for coming forward with his addiction issues. He is to be commended.

[Alan Mendelson]

So if Dan has a habit, and Rob plays more than Dan, then Rob is admitting he still has a habit?

I salute Rob for coming forward with his addiction issues. He is to be commended.

Hold it. That Rob plays more than Dan doesn't mean Rob has an addiction issue. Now you are sounding like Rob when he criticizes me for playing.