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Romp-Thru-Town Play Strategy

To most players, this may at first seem to be a simple way to play video poker...and it is. You also may find yourself saying “This is nothing new. I’ve been doing something like this for YEARS.” Well, if you are the kind of player who feels you’re taking some sort of exam while playing the machines, that very well may be the case. But video poker is GAMBLING, and successful players know there is much, much more to it than that.

Romp-Thru-Town (RTT) type play combines all that is simple in video poker, yet the key is to actually incorporate the “ALL” without deviation, and during the heat of battle, to not alter anything you planned on doing before you walked in. For almost every player, it is so much easier to take that perfect mind trip to the casino where you do everything as planned. However, actually following through on what you set out to do is the true challenge.

One more thing: Bob Dancer and Jean Scott may host video poker playing cruises on boats of foreign registry, but do not EVER try any of my Play Strategies on the seas. Do you remember back a few years when both writers used to diss playing on cruise lines because the games could not be trusted to be fair due to questionable regulation? So now that they are offered money to host the cruises, all of a sudden a positive spin is put on games on the ships. All that does is prove even further what I’ve been saying and exposing about the so-called ‘experts’ for years.

1. The proper bankroll for RTT strategy is always 3X the number of credits you intend to play at the highest denomination you choose in your play plan. For example, if that’s $5 and you plan on playing 300 credits at each denomination, then you should have a $4,500 GAMBLING bankroll (not personal bankroll!). If it's 400 credits then that's a $6000 bankroll requirement. NEVER play with money you can’t lose comfortably.

2. Most critics have a very limited understanding of how long, if or why I play at the same machine - or even the same casino when playing RTT strategy. It’s all an individual choice. I like to set up a number of different casinos to play in for my plan, because I like the variety and enjoy walking out the doors with THEIR money in MY pockets. But that’s not imperative. I at times stay at the same multi-game/multi-denomination machine for the entire session, or move to another machine after hitting a goal or losing – or use a mix of everything. Since all machines are close to being random (at least I trust they are in Nevada to the extent allowed) machine location does not really matter. As I said, it all depends on how I FEEL. Whether I’m winning or losing or have an inclination that the machine is mocking me is of no issue.

3. There are a number of variations for playing RTT strategy. Number of credits, choice of games, what denomination to begin with – they can all be adjusted to meet your own personal comfort level. The important variable is in how many credits you select as your mini-session win and your overall session goal. And the key is in going UP in denomination as you are losing, and going DOWN in denomination after you win. It is not very hard to understand that the most serious of video poker addicts CLIMB in denomination after a big win. Don't allow yourself to be caught in that trap reserved for only the most stupid of players.

4. One of my favorite RTT’s is using $1/$5/$25 games – at 100 credits each. In this method I play Bonus Poker only, with a $20 mini-goal. My overall session win goal varies depending on how much I’d like to win on the trip. With a 5:1 ratio at each level of play, recovery and/or wins are not difficult. A lower-level variation could be 25c/$1/$5, with a $10 mini-goal. Or 5c/25c/$1 or even 5c/25c/$1/$5 – both with just a $5 mini-goal. For the truly adventurous - and I've tried this more than once - use $1/$5/$25/$100. Remember, the critics will always say that you will win many smaller pots but will give it all up and more when that big loss comes around. However, as they always do because it makes them feel better about their blind criticisms, they'll ignore the huge winners that always come along and MORE than make up for the larger losses that occur every now & then.

5. The most profitable of RTT strategies I've been using for the past couple of years has been this: A 5-level 25c/50c/$1/$2/$5 or $1/$2/$5/$10/$25 spread where the first level utilizes 50 credits on 25c (in the case of the 5-level 25c thru $5 spread) BP and 50 credits on 25c SDBP/TBP+/Super Aces/DDB; then 50 credits on 50c BP & 100 credits on the 50c advanced game; then 100 credits on $1 BP & 100 credits on the $1 advanced game; then 100 credits on $2 BP & 200 credits on the advanced $2 game; and finally, 100 credits on $5 BP & 300 credits on the $5 advanced game. In this example, my mini goal is to attain at least a $5 profit and then go back to quarters to start again. I do not ever go back to 25c unless and until I am at least $5 ahead regardless of where I am at in the strategy. My overall session win goal is $100, and you can play as many sessions as you're able to. You will find that the increase in # of credits, denomination, and game volatility along the way gives a great opportunity for hitting mini-win goals and overall session win goals. Note: if you play the $1 thru $25 strategy instead, your mini-win goal should be $25, and I use an overall session win goal of $500 (which is generally far exceeded). By and large, I play one of the 5-level RTT's identified above. However, your chances go up the more levels you play.

6. By far, the most asked question of me by players is “I’ve come to town for 3 days to play your RTT strategy. I’ve hit a royal or other big winner on occasion at the start of my trip. I eventually went home and counted a $300 loss. What is an out-of-town vacationer/visitor supposed to do, and how can I keep what I’ve won”? The answer is not a difficult one. If you stay the course, i.e. continue to play strictly RTT strategy at the same denominations, chances are overwhelming that you will go home with all that RF money and more. Another safer way is to reduce the RTT denomination a step or two. Or you could drop playing immediately altogether and go for day trips, see movies and shows, go for walks, or sleep late! Anything to keep the money! But don’t go back to playing one single denomination for hours on end. That’s a loser, and people usually do lose doing that.

7. THE GOLDEN RULE HERE IS THIS: Never change tactics in mid-stream. In case you didn’t know this, that’s one of every casino’s prime advantages over players. When emotions take over it’s time to quit. Of course most people don’t get it, and casino profits soar. You must always do what you say and planned you are going to do before playing, and always stick to the plan. And NEVER, EVER go to the ATM! Do not EVER go up into an unplanned denomination in the event of hitting a Royal Flush or other huge winner. That’s the sign of a problem gambler who takes unprepared chances. Yes, our famous friend Bob Dancer, who hit a $25 RF and immediately went to the $100 machine where he hit another one minutes later, took a big pot shot and it paid off. But do you ever think he would tell us how many times it didn’t---or how much more he’s lost before and especially after the hits, when he just couldn’t stop playing at such limits because of the thrill? Now maybe you understand why it is this guy constantly has to work, sell things, and require everyone pay him for advice or classees instead of living the free & easy life I do as a professional gambler. Use your head, and you’ll never have to go through such pain. And good luck as you romp!