End of a good video poker play

For a long time there was really only two players who played this game, me and another guy. Of course, I played full coin, and knew the odd strategy well as I had studied. The other guy intuitively played it fairly well, except for one major flaw, he always played short coin. There was a progressive jackpot, 3-way, royal, straight flush, and any quads. My friend played the game almost every day, and it seemed like it was the only game he played. Even though he played fairly well, he had no chance, since he played short coin he would never be eligible for the jackpots, even if he hit the royal. Since it was only us playing, essentially he built me a positive play almost every day because the jackpot on the quad would go unhit, until I came along to pick it off. This was bread and butter for me for over a year. I never tried to wise him up, why ruin a good thing, and he seemed happy enough. And he was a nice guy, an older man, but obviously with money troubles, though he always found a buy-in.

A couple months ago I started noticing that the jackpots were not building while I was away. I hadn't seen my friend either. So I stopped playing, because I never found it in a positive state.

Yesterday I asked about him. I figured maybe he finally went broke. Maybe he did, I don't know. But he's dead. Cancer. Game over.

How do you know he had money troubles?

Your compassion is impressive.

Maybe see if his next of kin can step in and start funding your jackpots.

Quote: bobbartop

For a long time there was really only two players who played this game, me and another guy. Of course, I played full coin, and knew the odd strategy well as I had studied. The other guy intuitively played it fairly well, except for one major flaw, he always played short coin. There was a progressive jackpot, 3-way, royal, straight flush, and any quads. My friend played the game almost every day, and it seemed like it was the only game he played. Even though he played fairly well, he had no chance, since he played short coin he would never be eligible for the jackpots, even if he hit the royal. Since it was only us playing, essentially he built me a positive play almost every day because the jackpot on the quad would go unhit, until I came along to pick it off. This was bread and butter for me for over a year. I never tried to wise him up, why ruin a good thing, and he seemed happy enough. And he was a nice guy, an older man, but obviously with money troubles, though he always found a buy-in.

A couple months ago I started noticing that the jackpots were not building while I was away. I hadn't seen my friend either. So I stopped playing, because I never found it in a positive state.

Yesterday I asked about him. I figured maybe he finally went broke. Maybe he did, I don't know. But he's dead. Cancer. Game over.

Perhaps there's more you don't want to say and I'm making some assumptions in my head. How many coins was he playing? How many coins did it take to be eligible for the progressives? Was this a typical 1-5 coin VP machine? What was the meter move? It seems as if the meter move and pay-table would have to be fairly good for 1 coin to keep moving it into a good playable territory. I would hope no one whos been playing a 5 coin progressive regularly for a year would play 4 out of 5 coins without wising up.

Quote: AxelWolf

Perhaps there's more you don't want to say and I'm making some assumptions in my head. How many coins was he playing? How many coins did it take to be eligible for the progressives? Was this a typical 1-5 coin VP machine? What was the meter move? It seems as if the meter move and pay-table would have to be fairly good for 1 coin to keep moving it into a good playable territory. I would hope no one whos been playing a 5 coin progressive regularly for a year would play 4 out of 5 coins without wising up.

Going from quads to royal, the three meters were 1/2-1/4-1/4. I think he generally played two coins. A player needed 5 coins to hit any of the three. But he practically lived at the casino. If I skipped a day, the quads jackpot would be way up, waiting for me. I hit the $2000 royal once, by accident, I was just trying to crack the quads and had only meant to stay until then. This game got no play except from me and him.

He was a nice man. If I had known he had died, I would have asked about funeral/memorial. The more I think of it, the sadder it seems. This man was terminal, and spent his last days on Earth nickel and diming a video poker machine. And smoking cigarettes. I didn't even know he was sick. I'd like to think that if I ever reach my end and I know about it, I'd find something better to do with my last days. But who knows, I may go the same route, I love video poker.

RIP

Interesting and tragic story. Reminds me of the Wizard's witnessing a death inside the Las Vegas Hilton.

Quote: teddys

Interesting and tragic story. Reminds me of the Wizard's witnessing a death inside the Las Vegas Hilton.

On my second trip to Vegas in the mid to late 90's I saw a lady who died at a machine in the Hilton. People were still playing nearby.

You were such a good friend.

Quote: bobbartop

The more I think of it, the sadder it seems. This man was terminal, and spent his last days on Earth nickel and diming a video poker machine. And smoking cigarettes. I didn't even know he was sick. I'd like to think that if I ever reach my end and I know about it, I'd find something better to do with my last days. But who knows, I may go the same route, I love video poker.

I fail to see how it is sad. It's most likely that he didn't intend to win a lot of money, so I assume that he played it for fun.

I don't know. Some people just don't ever see 'the obvious'.

I'm reminded of the poker player, poker blogger, drug addict for whom I tried to be a moral compass and contributor to her commissary account.

Another member of this forum had a much more customary relationship with the young lady. It seems she never did realize she was not a good poker player and she never realized that the reason for many of her drug arrests is that her own friends were setting her up so they could 'walk' on their own drug charges.

Quote: FleaStiff

I don't know. Some people just don't ever see 'the obvious'.

I'm reminded of the poker player, poker blogger, drug addict for whom I tried to be a moral compass and contributor to her commissary account.

Another member of this forum had a much more customary relationship with the young lady. It seems she never did realize she was not a good poker player and she never realized that the reason for many of her drug arrests is that her own friends were setting her up so they could 'walk' on their own drug charges.

I think it's obvious that it's most likely that money wasn't what he wanted. I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but I guess you assume that he was a gambling addict. In that case, it's sad whether he had cancer or not. Anyway, don't you think that the primary drive of gambling addicts is money?

Quote: BlackjackLover

I think it's obvious that it's most likely that money wasn't what he wanted. I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but I guess you assume that he was a gambling addict. In that case, it's sad whether he had cancer or not. Anyway, don't you think that the primary drive of gambling addicts is money?

I neither stated nor assumed his behacior was addiction related. he may have simply enjoyed it. I only posted to show how people can go thru such actions and never 'see' the obvious. he may never have realized what he was doing. And I don't think gambling addicts are the least bit motivated by money, just by risk and winning.

Regardless if he was questionably a ploppy/addict, it sounds like the gentleman was a pleasant man to be around. I think that is what the OP is getting at. RIP

If you're in the casino so much, you'll know of more people whom have died over the years than you can count.

Over 20 years ago I was at an Indian casino and I just stepped into the open buffet area. On the perimeter of the buffet was the casino and machines about 50 feet away. I saw paramedics pull up to a slot machine and starting to roll an octogenarian away on a stretcher with an oxygen tank applied. Well, I started to eat my food and I think I had a stroke because everything got dimmer fading to black very fast and I had to put my head down for half an hour to recover. I couldn't even move or even yell to the paramedics 50 feet away. Almost had my last supper, and I was in my 30's.

The story is the gambling world distilled down to its basic elements.