Video Poker Players Need to Watch for Straight Flush Opportunities

By John Grochowski on Thursday February 28, 2013

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One of my video poker games of choice is Double Bonus Poker, especially on versions that pay 7-for-1 on flushes and 5-for-1 on straights. If full houses pay 10-for-1, then you have a full-pay 10-7-5 game that returns 100.17 percent with expert play. If they pay 9-for-1, then the 9-7-5 game is still a good one at 99.1 percent.

One thing that 7-for-1 flush payoff brings to those who master the game is a heightened awareness of flush and straight flush opportunities.

Let’s say you’re dealt a 3, 5 and 7 of clubs, along with a King of spades and a Queen of hearts. What do you hold?

In 10-7-5 or 9-7-5 Double Bonus, the best play is to hold 3-5-7. That draw is worth an average return of 2.34 coins per five coins wagered, compared to 2.31 for holding King-Queen. If the game is 9-6 Double Double Bonus, or many other games, we’d go the opposite way and hold King-Queen.

There are several things at work. The best case is that you fill the gaps with 4 and 6 of clubs for a straight flush and a 50-for-1 bonanza. You could draw two other clubs for a flush, and the 7-for-1 payoff in the best Double Bonus games heightens the value of flush draws. And it’s possible to draw 4-6 of different suits for a straight. That straight chance adds more to the value of the hand in Double Bonus than in games that pay only 4-for-1 on straights.

The bottom line in Double Bonus games with the 7-for-1 flush and 5-for-1 straight returns is that we hold three cards to an inside straight with two gaps instead of two unsuited high cards, unless those high cards are Queen-Jack. Those we hold.