Forgot DW ... interesting there ... As with the other games, the higher the denomination, the better the paytable. While quarter, etc are blah, the $2 is interesting. 4000/1000/125/80/50/20/20/15/10/5 ... 99.73% ! So if you have the bankroll and a good promo is being offered, you might want to consider this. (Not as good as Tropicana $2 Bonus poker with sevens promo (100%), but better than plain $2 bonus poker or $2 jacks.)

Pioneer celebrated St. Pats Day by shorting all of the last 6 100% machines. Both sides of the bank (the recent 100% machines and the other machines that were shorted from 100% several months ago) now all have the same 10 or so games ... the "attraction" that Pioneer's signs is pushing is that they are multi-denomination (.25 .50 $1 $2)! Wow, you can now play 8/5 Jacks, 8/5 DDB, DW with 4 for 4X, Jokers with 17 for 4X, etc.. I think (didn't note for sure) that Bonus Poker was full pay 8/5 -- still not a 100% game. Some of the paytables varied by denomination -- Jokers, for instance, at $2 had 4700 royal but the 85 for 4X [98% game] but at .25 the Jokers paytable was the weird 500 for royal, 4000 for 5x, short pays for lower combinations. (I'll have to copy the entire paytable and calculate the payback). So, the best games in Pioneer are a few 9/6 J/B in .25 and $1 denominations and some 8/5 bonus poker.

There are only six machines with FPDW, JW, DB etc in the southeast portion of the casino. The only other full pay machines that I spotted are two 10/7 double bonus uprights in the southwest portion or the casino.

13 Machines have been removed from the Full Pay offerings at the Pioneer. On 8/18 the Pioneer changed the "chips" and removed the following games DDB 100.07 / DB 100.17 / OEJ 100.28 / JW 100.65 / FPDW 100.76 in 13 machines on the southwest side of the casino. There were also changes made to the other 100% payback machines be sure to check all paytables before you play.

Video poker and slot players no longer get a separate comp account accrual (table players do). You can still use your comp account until it is used up. Only your earned points show on the machine, no comp balance.

There are now a total of 31 multi game Game Kings with FPDW, FPJW (4000 RF), 10/7 Double Bounus along with a few other games at the 25 cent level. Seventeen of these are located in the southwest area of the casino and 14 are in the southeast area. All were getting very little play but them most machines were getting very little play. In addition the previously listed four machines with 10/7 double bonus remain although the lone machine that was in the southeast area has been relocated to the same area as the other three.

The Pioneer prides itself on having the most games
(100+) on the river with 99.5%+ paytables.
You get two "getaway nights" per month (sun-thurs) after
initial $6k of play, $1k/month keeps you qualified.
See monthly calendar on Pioneer
web site for current promotions.
**********************

The cb and comp rate is $1 per 200 pts, but it is now cb OR comps..

There are (2) 25c slanttop 9/7 DB (PROG on all 4ks and higher) BANKS along the wall to the 'left' of the Keno room entrance, 180 degrees from slot club (if you entered from that 'videopkr' room).

The original Pioneer (Laughlin, NV) Free VP tournaments "Nothing to Lose" and "Nothing to Lose II" have been discontinued. They have been replaced by "Doc Holladay's Players Only Free Video Poker Tournament". Wednesdays and Fridays; sessions on the hour from 7 am to 2 pm each day. Pays 11 places: total of $900 cash + $400 free play each day. Requires players club cards and $20 cash-in on day of tournament to qualify. They also randomly draw for $25 in Extra-Play at each session, adding $200 to the prize pool of a maximum of 8x30=240 players. So the minumum value is $6.25 plus a soda pop or water. These are 20 minute/1500 credit sessions played on Bonus 8/5 games. They also started a similiar slot tourney on Thursdays with less available spots.

The lone 25c FPDW reappeared and is now MIA again.

Bad News- a bank (2x7) of old skinny IGT .25 uprights have been replaced by new Game Kings in .05, .10 and .25. Once again it is crappola in the paytables with all three denominations having matching games in the 96-97% range. The one FPDW and the one LD are now off the floor along with several Jacks. (I don't know how the cocktailer will ever find me, may that Deuces RIP). Good News- now all the bartop and cocktail table Gamemakers have 9/6 Jacks in .25, .50 and $1. So that is all 10 cocktail tables in Sassy Sue's Saloon, 4 in Sassy Sue's bartops and 4 in the Watering Hole bartops. This is how they were a year ago. Promos- the graveyard "Nothing to Lose II" free VP tourney has been suspendend until snowbird season. The free daytime one continues. Buffet- keeps improving in quality and variety, it could be out of last place.

The 3 Flex-plays by the main cage with $1 Jacks have been turned into Keno - location and game details are unknown. There is reference of two MG by Sassy Sues. These slant-tops have been moved over by the slot club. They had the Bonus Deluxe and Jacks at .25, and still do. (more green Keno replaced the whole row by Sassy Sues) Good News- some of the Bally Gamemakers that just had $1 Jacks 9/6, now have been re-established with .25 and .50 Jacks too. Three of ten in the cocktail tables in Sassy Sues now have Jacks in three denominations. Some bartops might be affected too. Promos-got the marketing mailer today (6/23) for the next quarter. Double points and comps high noon Tues until high noon Weds through September. This flyer is now 12 pages long and for three months. Anyone can grab one at the slot club. In-house promo I discovered last trip- "Cash for Gas". Register a gasoline reciept that is less than 48 hours old and then you have 48 hours to match it in Cashback. So if you play during 2x points you can turn the base 1/12% cashback rate into a respectable 1/3%. The flyer says this will run until 9/03/04. The very fun and profitable "Prize 'O' Plenty" promo was abruptly discontinued on May 27th...even though it was listed for twice a week through the June calendar. I guess someone finally started adding up the numbers. It was worth about $20 in cash or comps everytime someone spun that wheel! I kept hitting the $50 in X-tra Play or the Granny's Sunday Buffet for two spot myself. They changed their minds about turning the River Room into a Poker Room, for now. This means the free VP tourneys continue. They are fun.

Upon last inspection (2/29) I clocked the FPDW game. It is true...$4/point for CB. But the comp rate is .25%, with the balance still available with card insertion. Pioneer discontinued the free VP tourneys in the River room, though they might resurface somewhere else. They are converting the River room (behind Keno) into a Poker room (is that a game of skill?). The breakfast buffet (3/1) was remarkably upgraded in quality. I tried it two weeks after re-opening (Oct) and was disappointed. Now, it has to rank #1, at least for breakfast, almost scary!

Game Kings-lost the $1 Jacks, except two in the Keno area. Down to 15 .25 Jacks (uprights). No more single game Jacks slant-tops in quarters. The one $5 Jacks is now $1. Add one 10/7 .25 DB, VP salon area, been here for awhile. Some of the Gamemaker bartops have Triple Deuces (99.92%) in .25, .50 and $1. Very strong new-sign-up promo. First 24 hours you can earn food, rooms and cashback, up to your first $12k coin-in. New plasma TV's in the Sassy Sue's Saloon. Could be a great place to watch the game.