I am drawing a mental blank

Discuss proper hold strategies and "advantage play" and ask questions about how to improve your play.
olds442jetaway
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I am drawing a mental blank

Post by olds442jetaway »

I’m not at home and can’t look this up. I don’t want to screw up tonight playing. On 17/7 Joker Kings, is it an error when dealt a regular flush with the joker, to toss it and go for the straight flush even if it is an inside draw? I must be brain dead today. Thanks if anyone has time to check on this. I know on 9/6 job you keep a straight and forget going for the straight flush, but can’t remember the answer for the joker kings flush situation

Jstark
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Post by Jstark »

Something like this?
Screenshot_20210525-144140_Samsung Internet.jpg

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Thanks much. I thought I kept the flush, just drew a blank. It is coming back to me now. I remember it being much closer when going for the outside straight flush. Something like 4.8 instead of 5 for keeping the flush.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Coming back to me now. On an outside straight flush draw, I think the EV is to toss the card and go for the straight flush. If I remember it’s something like 5.8 instead of five for keeping the flush. I think the EV is to toss the card and go for the street flash. If I remember it’s something like 5.8 instead of five for keeping the flush. I will double check later when I can thanks for reminding me about the wizard and analyzer tool

New2vp
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Post by New2vp »

Yep, olds, your memory is correct. Hold only the straight flush cards if 3 of the cards are in the series from 543 thru JT9 (or, of course if all 3 are royal flush cards). Joker with 654 thru T98 have slightly higher EVs than Joker with 543 and JT9 due to the former having a few more minor hits of a pair of either aces or kings.

Also hold the joker plus any 3 straight flush cards instead of holding either trips or a dealt straight.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Thanks. I remembered that part. It seems like such a simple game, yet there are weird holds like a Joker and say a 6 instead of just the Joker. The difference isn’t that much, but I guess it adds up over time. Sometimes, I admit, I go against the grain and hold just the Joker hoping for 5 of a kind, a Wild Royal, a Straight flush, or even a quad. It’s a bummer when you do that and get nothing. It reminds me of just throwing away the Joker.

New2vp
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Post by New2vp »

Nothing wrong with hoping for a big hand. What's not obvious is that you have a better chance at that big hand holding onto the Joker plus an extra middle card than just the bare Joker. If you go by feel or experience, you will find that both of these holds strike out so often it is hard to tell which is better.

Let's say you are dealt a Joker with rainbow junk, a four-suited 6 8 9 2.

Your chances at 5 of a kInd are actually 25% better holding onto the 6 with the Joker (or any of the other cards with the Joker) than the bare Joker. To see this, you could ask yourself, "Is the first card off the deck going to give me a better or worse chance at 5 of a kind than I would have by holding the 6?" The answer is that you will have the same chance at quints if you draw anything different than one of the other three 6's, 8's, 9's, or 2's. But of course you will have a lower chance at quints if you draw one of the ranks that you tossed. Averaging those two possibilities together gives you a worse chance overall.

It turns out that you have more than double the chance at a straight flush by holding the 6. And an 11% better chance at drawing quads. Of course, you cannot draw a wild royal flush by holding the 6, so the 9,729 to 1 shot at a wild royal is in fact better with the bare joker than the zero probability with the 6. But on all the other big hands, holding onto to the "homely" looking six (or 8 or 9) with the joker is better. It is not just better considering theoretical Expected Value; it is also better when you are dreaming of that big hand that will get you back to even when playing your martingalish strategy.

For all the final hands you mentioned, holding the 6 with the Joker gives you a 91 to 1 shot at a big hand. The bare Joker gets you a 103-1 shot. Best of luck however you decide to play.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Thanks for all of that great information most of the time I follow the rules sometimes I get a premonition and down in the long run I know that will cost me money but I have to have fun at the same time

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

F8FC9B5C-64B6-43D6-B6DB-1449B7337BE3.jpeg
F8FC9B5C-64B6-43D6-B6DB-1449B7337BE3.jpeg
I never expected this I’m holding three threes but it was nice to see them lined up and the rest of the hand completed. I only give her about 20% of my play to jokerkings I just happen to enjoy the game a lot. I realize it’s under 99% it’s just one of the penalties I have to pay for having fun. I will say though if I keep the Martingale clone mild the Joker poker is working very well for me and that’s mainly because you have so many quads to kind of bring you back so I can lower my bets compared to Jacks or better. Of course I realize I am giving up some ev With it I just happen to do pretty well with it. If I use the Martingale clone with Jack’s or better And there are no Royals no quads, and very few full houses I get absolutely destroyed in no time. I seem to be able to hang in there with Joker poker until I get something decent. I know most of this will not make sense to the math people who rely exclusively on expected value, but having a mild progression up on losing and dropping my Bets back when I’m winning I can really hang in there for the sometimes needed 6 to 9 hours until I catch a good hand and can cash out to the plus side

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Sorry about the double picture I also want all of you guys who write me back with math or statistical help to know I really appreciate it and do strongly consider all of the advice including Bob. I Aced Statistics in college but I don’t use it all that much and as you know if you snooze you lose. I should really get out my old textbook and brush up on all of it again

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