Video Poker Forum

Just how much risk would you take for the Royal Flush when you've been dealt a winning hand with Four to the Royal?Jacks or Better?  No brainer.  Bye-bye, King, Queen or Jack.Straight?  Maybe on the 4X or 8X line in Multi-Strike, especially if I've already won back my bet.Flush?  Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys, then flip a coin.Straight flush, 9-K?  Call me a wimp. Hold, hold, hold, hold, hold.And you, world? 

I would only keep the Straight Flush. But I would still cry.This has never happened to me of course.

Ditto. And it has happened to me.

If you happen to be playing deuces wild and receive this deal, it's a no -brainer - you dump the nine and go for the royal.

Keep the nice payout straight flush and don't look back. 

I've learned the strategy and so follow it instinctively. It's a simple hand to look up, it's not a close decision at all, and there's really no mystery to it. Those of you who "guess," are giving up a lot of expected value unnecessarily.Missing on a royal flush draw causes me to wince slightly, but not much. That's just an every-day occurrence.On the KQJT9 straight flush, none of you have identified the correct strategy so far --- although many of you actually know the right way to play.The correct strategy is to hold the KQJT9 straight flush when it pays 100 coins or more. This is true in most games without wild cards.In Deuces Wild variations, where straight flushes always pay less than 100 coins, from a suited KQJT9, pitch the 9, say your prayers, and go for it --- assuming you're play max coins. If you're a fan of betting less than max coins, it's better to hold KQJT9 on this hand because you're only drawing to a 250-for-1 royal flush rather than an 800-for-1 royal flush.You're going to miss most of the time you draw one to KQJT, of course, and you can feel bad about missing if that will make you feel better, but holding the KQJT9 in Deuces Wild is a major, major mistake. For a dollar single line player betting $5 a hand, it's a error worth $50 or so (depending mainly on how much the straight flush pays in the variation you're playing).

well put you and i are some of the few whom would play that correctly

In the games I play, 4 to a royal is worth around 90 coins, so the choice is easy. The only hold worth more than 90 coins is the previously mentioned SF for a guaranteed 250 coin pay-out. Flushes at 30, straights at 20, high pair - not even close.

If you really want an painful decision, play TDB Dream Card. Occasionally you will get your choice between 4 to a royal and 3 aces. But, the right play is the right play.

I have discarded a flush twice and scored the royal, dollar denomination each time. It seemed always late in the session and was down quite a bit and took a shot.

I have discarded a flush twice and scored the royal, dollar denomination each time. It seemed always late in the session and was down quite a bit and took a shot.
It's nice when you get this result on max bet spin poker because you score at least 2 royals. Most I got was 5 hitting the center square, but I didn't dump a flush to get it. Even better if on SP Deluxe. Down side, naturally, is bricking all of the hands.

I have discarded a flush twice and scored the royal, dollar denomination each time. It seemed always late in the session and was down quite a bit and took a shot.

That must be nice. I forget how many straights and flushes I've broke and and missed every time. Heck I've convinced neighbors to break a few times, they've all missed too.

Well except a guy who was playing "Magic Card Poker" at Harrahs Joliet (also this week's contest). He got dealt 2 magic cards with 2 Royal cards and a 9 (guaranteed Straight Flush). Others and I eventually convinced him to correctly break it as 3 cards would make a Royal. He hit on two of three lines for $2000.