Gaining Strategy Accuracy with Frugal Video Poker Software

In my book Frugal Video Poker, I included toward the end a long chapter called “Fine-Tuning Your Strategy Accuracy.” Although I talk at length early in the book about the importance ofJean Scott is known as the "Queen of Comps" and encourages smarter casino gambling. She appears on network and cable TV, especially on the Travel Channel. Her down-to-earth practical suggestions will save you both time and money in your quest to make your trip to the casino more fun and more profitable.  Jean's website is www.queenofcomps.com  learning proper strategy for each different VP game that you play and give detailed instructions on how to read a strategy chart, I wanted to stress that improving your accuracy is an on-going goal, even for the most experienced player. I talk about basic errors you can work on at home, such as those you make because you don’t know the right strategy. Then I talk about mechanical errors, like sticky buttons, and distraction errors that come from the loud and busy casino environment. And then there are those errors you make because you're a human being and not a robot that never gets tired or hungry or frustrated when losing.

After I provide a laundry list of playing hints to improve your accuracy, I share my favorite practice technique, using the Frugal Video Poker software.

Choose a game in FVP on which you want to improve your accuracy. Go to “Tutor Options” and mark “Don’t signal errors during play” and “Don’t show best hand on deal.” Go to “View Options” and be sure you've marked “Don’t highlight dealt winners” and “Active Marquee.” While you're there, change the background color and card colors that you're used to using when you're practicing. Go to “Audio” and select “Disable all Sound Effects” and “Enable Music,” choosing the selection you hate the most and turning the volume up high.

You're trying to duplicate the crazy noisy distractions of real VP play in a casino, so it would help to have two friendly cats that like to jump up on your desk and look at the screen and/or two dogs that bark all the time. If possible, work on this lesson while you're babysitting two toddlers who constantly pull at your sleeve for attention. And have a loving friend or spouse offer you an alcoholic drink every 15 minutes. Play as fast as you can for about 30 minutes, without looking at strategy cards and without thinking too long about each hand.

Then go to “Session Errors” and see what types of mistakes you made. These are the things that you need to watch for as you play.

Now go back and set all the software choices to the ones you use when practicing. Be sure to go to “Replay errors” under “Options” and enable this valuable teaching feature.

I've found that this is one of the best ways to identify weaknesses in my strategy skills. Do I often miss small pairs? Straight-flush draws? Now I know where and how I need to be more careful in my play.

You can order both the Frugal Video Poker book and software at www.queenofcomps.com