Peek and Play Poker Strategy Changes

[Vman96]

Playing one session of "Peek Ahead Poker" for the weekly contest, I started to notice a lot of unorthodox plays, especially when the peek ahead card is a "brick".

When life is easy...


Uh oh, a brick is coming, better just hold Jacks now and hope for the best!


Crap, all my flush chances are ruined. Better just throw everything away and hope for the best with the Ace!


Same idea here:


Flushes are worth 35 here...so let's go 56T of diamonds, it's better than having that 5 brick with KQ


Hold KQ9 here for the gutshot chance.


Just hold ONE high card here! You can still make quads this way! Holding two high cards isn't that far off either.


No flush here:
Hold 356 for outside straight draw


Just hold the king as KQoff is slightly better than AKQoff:


Hold Q98 for QT98 gutshot:


Here's another one I failed to grab.

If you have a pair 55-TT and an ace is the next card, just hold the Ace in TDB! (Not sure about DDB)

I think this is a fun, thought provoking game, but it's probably dangerous without a liberal paytable. Easy to overlook the best play, imo.

[Minn. Fatz]

Good stuff Vman, there's sure lots of interesting strategy angles to this one.

[Vman96]

Here's another one I missed.

If you get a pair of Aces and the peek card matches one of your other 3 cards, hold the two pair always in DDB. In TDB, if the peek card is 2-4, just hold aces, otherwise hold two pair like in the pic below.

[Vman96]

More things to consider...

4 to a flush is better than a dead 5 credit 2 pair if the flush is 30 credits or more. Ironically, I made 5 flushes from it.


J6 suited better than A6 off. For TDB only, if peek card is 2-4, then A2-A4 off better than J2-J4 suited.


In a similar vein, J8 off better than A8 off because of a small straight chance, even J7 off better than A7 off. Blockers really hurt the sole Ace power.

[WhitneyReed]

Good thoughts Vman! This game is definately a challenge, at least at this point. My initial reactions are:
- is the +2 credits per line really worth it, considering the penalty the peek card can bring? It's tough when that card is dealt on all ten hands, unlike in standard 10 play. Is this the first game where you're paying for a possible penalty?

- it seems like it'd play slow in real life, which is a detriment unless you're really just playing for fun.

- I'd worry that if you played this a lot the departure from standard strategies could throw off your game when going back to a 'normal' game, as many of the correct plays seem to violate conventional strategy.

Overall, I love to see the new games but I dislike the +credit games (particularly the 5+5 games) because they really suck your money!

[Tedlark]

I like the game so far and yes, you do need to think strategy just like Vman displayed.

[chattycattty]

I like the game as well. It is a most refreshing game I have seen on here in terms of having to think differently.

[phnxnmartini]

Thanks for the examples Vman! Definitely not a game you want to play when drinking!!! To much thinking to do.

[chattycattty]

The only thing I think I would change on the game would be maybe for one extra credit have an option to throw away the peek card as well and have the chance at a better card if for instance you have 4 clubs to hold and the peek card is a spade. Or if you draw 4 to a royal in one suit and a brick card in the hole of a different suit.

[WhitneyReed]

After having played a few more rounds, I think this would be an okay game single hand, but multiplying that peek card across multiple hands seems like a real detriment, and certainly not worth the 2 credit premium. Of course the best would be able to play the same table without playing the 'peek'!