Quiz: Two-Card Royal or Four-Card Straight or ??

1 April 2023

By Jerry Stickman

This article contains a video poker strategy quiz. The game is full-pay (9/6 – 9-for-1 full house, 6-for-1 flush) jacks or better.

The quiz assumes the maximum five credits is played. The maximum bet produces the highest long-term return because the royal flush pays 800-for-1 (4,000-for-5) rather than 250-for-1 when less than the maximum is bet.

Look at the dealt hand below and decide which card or cards you would hold. Then read on to see if you are right.

These quizzes will be posted periodically and will feature hands that have holds that produce very close results.

Here is today’s dealt hand: Jc, Qc, 4d, Ad, Kd
• Jack of clubs – (Jc)
• Queen of clubs – (Qc)
• 4 of diamonds – (4d)
• Ace of diamonds – (Ad)
• King of diamonds – (Kd)

Let us look at the options for a hold. Four holds are in the running:
1. Jc, Qc, Ad, Kd – (Four-card inside straight – four high cards)
2. Jc, Qc – (Two-card royal flush)
3. Ad, Kd – (Two-card royal flush)
4. 4d, Ad, Kd – (Three-card flush)

Choice 1 (Jc, Qc, Ad, Kd) – a four-card inside straight with four high cards can produce nothing but a straight or a high pair.

Choice 2 (Jc, Qc) – this hold can produce all of the paying hands.

Choice 3 (Ad, Kd) – this hold can also produce all of the paying hands but a straight flush.

Choice 4 (4d, Ad, Kd) – this hold can produce a flush, three-of-a-kind, two pairs or a high pair.

Let us look at the returns from each of these holds along with an explanation of which winning hands play a part in the respective return.

1. Jc, Qc, Ad, Kd:
Long-term return – 2.9787 for five credits bet.
• 47 possible final hands.
• 12 high pairs paying 1-for-1.
• 4 straights paying 4-for-1.

2. Jc, Qc:
Long term return – 3.0019 for five credits bet.
• 16,215 possible final hands.
• 4,806 high pairs paying 1-for-1.
• 711 hands with two pairs paying 2-for-1.
• 281 three-of-a-kinds paying 3-for-1.
• 145 straights paying 4-for-1.
• 162 flushes paying 6-for-1.
• 18 full houses paying 9-for-1.
• 2 four-of-a-kinds paying 25-for-1.
• 1 royal flush paying 800-for-1.

3. Ad, Kd:
Long term return – 2.7558 for five credits bet.
• 16,215 possible final hands.
• 4,806 high pairs paying 1-for-1.
• 711 hands with two pairs paying 2-for-1.
• 281 three-of-a-kinds paying 3-for-1.
• 35 straights paying 4-for-1.
• 119 flushes paying 6-for-1.
• 18 full houses paying 9-for-1.
• 2 four-of-a-kinds paying 25-for-1.
• 1 royal flush paying 800-for-1.

4. 4d, Ad, Kd:
Long term return – 2.7058 for five credits bet.
• 1,081 possible final hands.
• 234 high pairs paying 1-for-1.
• 27 hands with two pairs paying 2-for-1.
• 9 three-of-a-kinds paying 3-for-1.
• 45 flushes paying 6-for-1.

Explanations:

Hold 1 (Jc, Qc, Ad, Kd) – this hold contains all high cards, but produces nothing that pays higher than a straight. These two factors combine to make this hold the second best.

Hold 2 (Jc, Qc) – this hold can produce all of the winning hands including two straight flushes.

Hold 3 (Ad, Kd) – this hold cannot produce a straight flush. Also, look at the difference in straights and flushes that can be produced. This is because there is an ace in the hold. The ace may be a high card, but it is a weak high card.

Hold 4 (4d, Ad, Kd) – this hold is limited on the number of hands it can produce. It cannot produce any straights. That makes this hold the weakest of the four.

The winner?

Hold 2 (Jc, Qc) is the proper hold – by a healthy margin.

Did you play this hand correctly?

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

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. 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