DWBP strategy question

[jsm2016]

My local casino offers a full pay version of deuces wild bonus poker. This variant returns 99.45%. I am trying to learn the basic strategy for this game and am finding a major conflict between the training engine on this site and the Wizard of Odds strategy table for the same game.The conflict is the following. I am dealt 4 to a flush like in the following pattern ("W" means wild, A is a suit [diamonds, say], and B is another suit [hearts, say]):W A A A A BThis site says to hold the wild and discard the remaining 4 cards. The Wizard of Odds says to hold the four to a flush and discard card "B." Who is right here?EDIT: Additionally, wild-only over 3 to a straight flush is the advised play on this site:W 6A 7A B CThis site says to hold the wild and discard the remaining 4 cards.The Wizard of Odds says to hold the 3 to a straight flush. Same question: who is right? Thanks!

[New2vp]

Jsm, you have stumbled onto a borderline play ... and a rather difficult one at that.  Without going into immense detail, sometimes it is better to play the 4 flush and sometimes it is better just to hold the wild card.  The Wizard of Odds shows a "basic" strategy of holding the 4-card flush if you do not want to learn all the exceptions, but it also shows exceptions when there is a higher expected value if you hold only the wild card.From what I recall, it is always better to hold the 4-card flush when there is an ace.  Why?  Because when you discard the ace, there are many fewer hands like 2222A or Five Aces that will occur.  These are sometimes called penalty card situations.If you are just starting to play, this is probably not one of those plays that is open to memorization.  You may just want to play the 4-card flush in all situations.  Or try to look at the Wizard's list and categorize when it is "worth" it to you to play only the wild card.The Wizard lists nearly 70 separate "exceptions" when such a play is better.  For example the last exception listed has Q97 of one suit, a 3 in another and a deuce, it is best to hold only the 2. This will take a lot of time and maybe be impossible to memorize unless you have extraordinary skills in that category.  Best of luck.

[BobDancer]

Excellent response.The "short cut" of holding the 4-flush when there's an ace in the hand and not when there isn't is the one I personally use and recommend.

[jsm2016]

Thank you both for the information!