How do you play these open and inside straight hands?

11 October 2025

By Jerry Stickman

Open and inside straights and straight flushes were the topics of a recent article.

Here are some hands that feature open and inside straights/straight flushes.

These hands are played on a full-pay (9-for-1 for a full house and 6-for-1 for a flush) jacks or better game with the max credits of five.

The first hand is:

2dAd4dAh5d

This hand contains:
- a high pair (AdAh)
- a four-card inside straight flush (2dAd4d5d).

Often, holding a high pair is the preferred play, but in this case, we also have a very powerful straight flush – although it is an inside straight flush, meaning only one card will complete the hand.

The returns are:
- Holding the high pair returns 7.683 credits.
- Holding the four-card inside straight flush returns 11.915 credits

The four-card inside straight flush returns nearly 50 percent more than the high pair. It is a much better choice.

Let’s try another one.

2d3d4d5dAh

This hand contains:
- a straight (2d3d4d5dAh)
- a four-card open straight flush (2d3d4d5d).

A four-card open straight flush is a very powerful hand because it can be filled from either end, and if filled, returns 50-for-1. Is that enough to offset the sure 4-for-1 return for the pat straight?

The returns:
- holding a four-card open straight flush returns 17.234 on average
- holding a straight returns 20.000 credits.

The return on the four-card open straight flush is not enough to overtake the 20-credit return for the straight.

The next hand is a little closer.

3d4d5dQcJc

This hand contains:
- a two-card royal flush (QcJc)
- a three-card open straight flush (3d4d5d)

The two-card royal flush is strong. Does a three-card open straight flush have what it takes to overcome it?

The returns are:
- Holding the two-card royal returns 3.123 credits.
- Holding the three-card open straight flush returns 3.150,

Holding the three-card open straight flush – while still an overall losing hand in the long run – returns 3.150, making it the better hold.

Let’s modify the last hand slightly, changing the three-card open straight flush into a three-card inside straight flush. The modified hand is:

2d3d4dQcJc

Notice that the three cards of the straight flush are in sequence (2d3d4d). It is not an open straight flush, however, because it cannot be filled by two cards on either end. The 5 and 6 of diamonds will fill it on the high end, but the ace of diamonds is the only card possible on the low end.

Will this change make a difference in the preferred hold?

The returns are:
- Holding the two-card royal flush still returns 3.123 credits.
- However, holding the three-card inside straight flush returns just 2.669 credits.

Holding for the royal is a better choice.

Is that how you would have played it?

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and tiny.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker! You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com