the "good" VP hands when you don't need them.

Why, when we play games video poker games like Jacks or Better or Bonus are we dealt or do we get hands like AAAA plus kicker, but when we are playing DDB or TDB when kicker hands are worth so much they never come?

How often when playing the non bonus games do we get quad threes with kicker or quad aces with kicker, but when we play the bonus games they are the miracle hands we can only pray to see?

Fess up, youve noticed it too.

I assume this is tongue-in-cheek, otherwise it's just highlighting that our minds can and do play tricks on us.

Since I generally play a game where quads are all paid the same, I can tell you that nothing occurs more often. In fact, last time I played I hit quad 5s 4 times and never hit what you would call a bonus quad.

When playing DDB and I'm not getting any 4OAK I always switch to DW. Then I'm always sure to get natural 4 OAK's. So then I switch back. To no avail. Then its time to switch machines and try again.

Arc, call it "random hands" or call it "selective memory" but it stands out like very sore thumbs...

A few weeks ago I join slapinfunk at a machine and to "kill time" I feed one $100 bill into a $1 JOB machine and I get quads like there is no tomorrow. Then slapinfunk is on a $1 JOB and he's dealt quad aces with a kicker, and quad deuces a few hands later.

And then there was the "session" that made me a regular DDB player at Caesars a few years back... playing the $5 JOB progressive, I keep getting dealt quads with kickers (not bad but only $625 per quad) and when I switch to DDB I get junk till Im broke.

And it happens like this over and over and over...

You rationalize it saying "its just random" or "its just your selective memory" but... it happens like this over and over and over...

doesn't it? Makes you wonder...

I just stick to JoB so that I don't have to worry about what would have could have should have been.

MoneyLA,

Do you believe the machines you are playing are random?

I hope they are random. That's all I can do.

MoneyLA,

You hope they are?

It seems to me that one has to have a level of confidence that they are playing a fair game. If a player suspects that the game they are playing is not following the specific rules set for the game and the playing field is not level, I would advise them to not play.

If on the other hand, you accept that the video poker games you play are in fact randomly dealing cards, then you must conclude that these apparent anomalies are part of the random results.

The cases you cite, such as getting AAAA while playing deuces or 2222 while playing DB is also something that I have experienced and the ironic nature of such results is not lost on me. I do not however, ascribe these incidents to anything other than random ironic results. They stand out like a sore thumb because of the credits they would have racked up on another paytable. This is what makes them memorable amongst the blur of all the unremarkable hands. The fact that they jump out at you is what leads one to imagining that they are of a frequency not explainable within a random sample.

If you were getting all kinds of quads at JOB why would you quit? You should have made a ton of money. I'm sure the casino programmed them so you could always win.

Who said I quit?? Yes, I did win at JOB. But thats not my point.

My point is somehow these "great hands" arent coming on the games when they really would pay off. I also see dealt quads on DW... big deal!!

It really makes you wonder if there are "certain programs" for certain games??

The other night, for example, when I had my really good run at Bonus, I played a little DDB. It was funny how when I was playing bonus I was dealt a lot of 3oaks and pairs... but during my time playing DDB I was dealt nothing but junk. I lost a thousand dollars playing DDB because I was dealt nothing but junk... not even worthwhile draws. You want to call that random? OK, it was a random event. You want to call that selective memory? OK, it was selective memory.

But it seems like these random events happen a lot. And it seems like these selective memories repeat a lot.

Sure does make you suspicious. Sure does.