For about a year and a half, I played 8/5 Bonus Poker Multi Strike (BPMS) at the Silverton for $120,000 a month coin-in. That game returned 0.20% more than regular 8/5 Bonus Poker (BP) — which means the EV is $240 a month higher for this much play. The swings were fairly large and BPMS strategy is more difficult than regular BP strategy — which meant most other players preferred BP even though it pays less — but the swings and complexity were within my comfort zone so I went with the higher-paying game.
That ended April 1, 2011 when the Silverton changed slot clubs. Now BPMS is considered “optimal play” and requires four times as much coin-in to earn a point. This makes BP a more lucrative play these days — unless you’re playing off your free play when you don’t get points anyway.
The only other place I played BPMS was the Orleans. Their Five Play version of the game for quarters — $25 per play — is the best returning game for that denomination. But I was no-mailed there late in the summer and so I didn’t play there either except for in December when they had a gift card promotion that made sense even if you didn’t get mailers.
For some reason, I’ve started to receive mail again from the Orleans — as have certain other players — but not all — who were previously no-mailed. I don’t know the reason for my change in status there — but it’s welcome.
Not playing a semi-complicated game for almost a year means I have to go back and practice. It’s possible that I would still have the game memorized if I were 40 years younger — but I’m 65 now and have to deal with the current state of my faculties. If I’m still doing this when I’m 75, likely I’ll have to practice even more then. That’s just the way life is for most of us.
Before I played the game again on the first Monday of March, 2012, I reviewed it for probably an hour. Video Poker for Winners is the only software that covers the game directly — and I used that to be sure. But I also used WinPoker — using the +2, +4, +6 method we had to use before VPW came along. Using WinPoker I was able to concentrate on “just the Level 2x” fine points — or “just the Level 4x” fine points. But when I wanted to practice going back and forth between levels as you would in a real game, VPW is the best tool for that.
Before I played a week later, I reviewed it for about a half-hour. My study a week before had some residual benefits, but some of the finer points needed a refresher. I even discovered a hand I’d been misplaying during all my previous play! This might not seem very exciting to you, but to me it was. I try very hard to get a 100% perfect strategy — including penalty cards. And when I attack the strategy again and again, usually I get there. And I record the strategy on a Word document so once I have it, I keep it. And now my strategy is a little better.
If you’re interested, an example of the hand in question is 2h 2s Qd Jc Ah compared to 2h 2s Qd Jc Th on Level 2x. I used to hold QJ on both hands. Now I now play one of them differently than I did before. If you care what the correct play is, it’s easy to look up using the software. Go ahead, if you want. Even better is if you can figure how “why” the hands are different from each other. I’m not going to hand-hold you there either.
Before I played the third time in March, I only practiced 10 minutes. As long as I play this game a couple times a month or more, I’ll retain the strategy pretty well. If I wait more than that between plays, I review some more.
For the next couple of months, I’ll carry the strategy with me. If I need to look at it more than once in a 2-hour session, I won’t consider myself proficient at the game. When I no longer look at it, even occasionally, I’ll stop bringing it.
Some of you may not need to go through the same process as I do. My former radio co-host, Frank Kneeland, claims he can look at a strategy for two minutes and have it memorized. I can’t come close to doing that. But I don’t worry about it. Even if it takes me longer, I can get there. And before I go into the casino to compete, I’ll be ready.
And I’m fortunate that the learning process is a pleasant one for me. I enjoyed school. I enjoyed tests. And even today preparing for a real-world test is a nice way to spend my time. I’ve never realized this before, but one of the advantages I have over other players is that I enjoy the study-process more than many others do. So I do it willingly. Players who skimp on this process typically don’t do as well in the casino.