Ask the Slot Expert: In video poker strategy charts as in Slopestyle, order is all that matters

Athletes competing in Slopestyle events at the Olympics qualify for the finals by finishing in the top 12 in the qualification round. They are ranked using their better score of two runs. The higher the athlete's rank, the better the athlete's placement in the starting order for the final.

While waiting for a competitor's score, the expert commentator said that the number didn't really matter. The only thing that mattered was how the score compared with the other scores. The score just had to be high enough to be in the top 12. Then, if the athletes wanted, they could try to beat other athletes to get the placement they wanted.

They didn't have to perform their best tricks. They didn't have to go for personal bests. As a result, the commentator said that we would see higher scores in the final when they'd pull out all the stops.

The absolute value of the score is irrelevant. The relative value is everything.

We can make a similar statement about the entries on a video poker strategy chart.

The chart doesn't tell us the expected value of a particular hand. It doesn't tell us how much more valuable a hand is compared with hands lower on the chart. It tells us only that higher hands are worth more than lower hands.

My strategy chart for NSU Deuces Wild has this ordering of hands for when you're dealt one deuce:

• Flush
• Straight Flush 4 and 4 inside
• Straight

I was dealt a hand with one deuce. Combined with the other cards, I had a pat straight or four cards to a straight flush. The chart said I should go for the straight flush.

I really don't like giving up a pat hand. I wondered how much more the partial straight flush is worth than the pat straight. The strategy chart only tells us more, not how much more.

A flush pays 3 and a straight pays 2. There's not much room between them to squeeze in the partial straight flushes.

Let's look at 2♣ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♦.

The Wizard of Odds' Hand Analyzer says that the straight is worth 2.00, no surprise there, and the 4-card straight flush is worth 2.47, making it the better play.

The Expected Value of other 4-card straight flushes may be different. For example, the EV of 4-card straight flush in 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 5♣ 6♦ is 2.19, but that doesn't really matter.

The important thing is the order.

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