Video Poker Strategy Quiz: Jacks or Better vs. Double Bonus Poker vs. Double-Double Bonus

16 March 2024

By Jerry Stickman

This article contains a video poker strategy quiz. It is different from previous quizzes as it pits the same hand against three different games – 9/6 Jacks or Better, 9/7/5 Double Bonus Poker and 10/6/4 Double-Double Bonus Poker.

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 when playing each different game. Then read on to see if you are right.

Note: The statistics shown are from WinPok6.

These quizzes will be posted periodically and feature hands that have hold choices that produce either very close results or are played wrong due to missing the obvious.

Here is today’s dealt hand: Kd, 9s, 8s, 4c, 5s.

• King of diamonds – (Kd)
• 9 of spades – (9s)
• 8 of spades – (8s)
• 4 of clubs – (4c)
• 5 of spades – (5s)

Checking the possibilities.

Two obvious possible holds are:

1. 9s, 8s, 5s – (Three-card straight flush – no high cards)
2. Kd – (One high card)

Choice 1 (9s, 8s, 5s) – Out of 1081 possible outcomes, this three-card straight flush with no high cards can produce one straight flush, 44 flushes, 15 straights, nine three-of-a-kinds, 27 hands with two pairs, and 21 high pairs.

Choice 2 (Kd) – Out of 178,365 possible outcomes, this high card can produce one royal flush, one straight flush, 52 four-of-a-kinds, 288 full houses, 493 flushes, 446 straights, 4,102 three-of-a-kinds, 8,874 hands with two pairs, and 45,456 high pairs.

Examining the returns from each hold.

Game 1 – 9/6 Jacks or Better

• Hold 1 (9s, 8s, 5s) – returns 2.2017 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 2 (Kd) – returns 2.3826 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 2 (Kd) is the correct hold for the 9/6 Jacks or Better game.

Game 2 – 9/7/5 Double Bonus Poker

• Hold 1 (9s, 8s, 5s) – returns 2.3497 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 2 (Kd) – returns 2.2014 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 1 (9s, 8s, 5s) is the correct hold for the 9/7/5 Double Bonus Poker game.

Game 3 – 10/6/4 Double-Double Bonus Poker

• Hold 1 (9s, 8s, 5s) – returns 2.0768 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 2 (Kd) – returns 2.1831 credits on average for the 5 credits bet.

• Hold 2 (Kd) is the correct hold for the 10/6/4 Double-Double Bonus Poker game.

Did you play this hand correctly in all three games?

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 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