The Plan

After we realized the impact that sharing our blessings had on us, and certainly on those in need, we started looking for ways to spread the Word. Thus Robin Hood Ministries was born.

Our only game is Full Pay Deuces Wild. On numerous occassions I have seen many people at adjacent machines playing and they obviously had absolutely NO idea what they should be doing.

One case I remember in particular was a wife asking her husband if she should hold the pair of queens with three two's or just the two's. He told her in a know-it-all voice, "You have a full house- you always hold a full house!"

Since we were playing on FPDW machines, I wanted to blurt out- "ALWAYS hold the deuces- you have five of a kind!!."

Then there are the little old ladies who squeeze the $20 dollar bills out of their little change purses and catch hands to be prayed for- but they have NO idea what they are doing. And when they get a return on their 1 coin play they are just as happy as they can be.

They Came To Live- Not Die!

The sad part of it all is that senior citizens you see in the locals casinos pushing walkers, riding wheel chairs, driving electric scooters, hobbling around with a cane, or pulling an oxgen bottle, all came to Vegas to live- not die.

They all have the dream of hitting the "big one" even if they are just playing the nickel machines. They need that ego boost to make them feel alive and worthwhile now that they are retired. They need a reason to fight the pain of an aging body, so they go to a casino where that pain is momentarily forgotten, hoping to get the "big one."

But most simply do not have the knowledge to select and play the right game to give them an advantage of winning on a regular basis. Therefore their blessings(winnings) are few and far between. And for most, the sharing of their blessings are none, and because of the desire to gamble, they are ashamed and most have lost touch with God. 

So we decided to teach Full Pay Deuces Wild to our Robin Hood Ministry members. First because of the positive payback percentage which makes the game a "probability" instead of a "possibility." This changes it from "gambling" to "a game of skill" for those trained in the game.

And second, because that's the game we know best. Having suffered blindly through our own learning experience, we feel the pain of anyone just starting to learn Video Poker basics.

We decided that in order to spread the Word which the joys AND benefits of winning and sharing can bring, the thing we should do is teach a very basic course but not try to re-invent the wheel. The gist of the course will simplify the material that is already available- Bob Dancer's "WinPoker", Jean Scott's "Frugal Gambler" and Dan Paymar's "Optimum Play." If a novice can master just half of these basics, they will be well on their way to becoming winners at video poker.

The Plan then is to start at a "very basic level" so anyone can learn and then advance slowly. They will then be knowledgeable when attending classes by the above pros. And, since our course will consist of 5 days, 2 hour classes we will have more time to teach solid basics.

We also decided to limit the classes to senior citizens 55 years of age and older. The logic here is that most seniors in this age bracket have fewer responsibilties than a younger group and should be less likely to "bet the farm."

Also those in this age group are more likely to be retired and will be able to spend the number of hours required to play serious video poker. This age group, even with their aging bodies, needs to keep their minds active and their spirits high.

And most of all, by learning to win, and then learning how to share those blessings, their need to feel a little closer to God will be met.