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Video Poker How do you play this VP hand?

Discussion in 'Video Poker' started by Joe, Jun 27, 2013.

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  1. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    About twice a year I fire up Bob Dancer's Winpoker just to make sure I haven't developed any bad habits.

    Anyway, Jack, Queen & 9 all of the same suit. I toss the 9. I didn't fly all the to Vegas to get a straight or flush.

    Just curious what others do. Dancer puts the return at 3.57 keeping all three and 2.77 tossing the 9.
     
  2. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    But straight flushes don't suck :) You shouldn't be so Royal focused. Holding the JQ only, there is only 1 out of 16215 drawing hands that is the Royal. Holding three, there are 2 ways out of 1081 to get a straight flush, 30 straights and 43 flushes.

    Pretty big error to throw the 9 even considering you improve your chances of Jacks+ or two pair or 3oak somewhat.
     
  3. VPDana

    VPDana High-Roller

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    Right or wrong, I would only hold the suited jack & queen.
     
  4. NickyDim

    NickyDim Hockey is life

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    Both. It depends on how I feel at the time. I've kept the 9 sometimes, and other times I've washed it.
     
  5. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    Same here, I did both on my last trip, after I hit my first Royal on day 1 I felt I could gamble a bit more loose at times and chase another one. I sometimes dumped the flush's and straights for a shot at the Royal.
     
  6. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    My brain says "Straight Flush = Very good" and "2 to a Royal = Fat Chance" so I'm always keeping the 3 to a straight flush. Given that I've also got 2 draws to a JOB (granted not as good as 3) as well as the straight and flush draws I don't even see the Royal as a real contender.
     
  7. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Throw away the nine. If too many people start playing correctly, the casinos will ratchet back the payouts again.

    Oh, what would I do? I would keep all three cards.
     
  8. mesa

    mesa VIP Whale

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    Last edited: Jun 27, 2013
  9. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Well I just went back through my records and of our combined total of 41 Royals, 11 were hit holding two cards.
     
  10. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    That's a lot of Royals! Based on the odds you need to play more than 1.5 million hands to likely get that many royals. :nworthy:

    I hear what you are saying but I'm still going with the higher EV play.
     
  11. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    I really like keeping the 9 in this case. If there's a small difference in EV, I can see going for the royal. With QJ9 suited, it's more than a small difference.
     
  12. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Or be lucky!:evillaugh
    But yes, my wife's current total is 25 & I'm at 16. As I've whined in other threads, I haven't had one since March, 2010,:cry: but I'll still toss the 9.
     
  13. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    :evillaugh

    If you hold QJs vs. QJ9s, you'll get more Royals though! :wink2:

    Seriously though, I'd be looking for my 4th Royal on another deal, but then again, I'm an anal math guy.
     
  14. Dean Martin

    Dean Martin VIP Whale

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    Joe, I do the same thing and have been practicing for our Sept trip:beer:

    I struggled w/ the same hold for a long time but finally got myself to consistantly hold the 9. As you know, I play mostly DDB and the bankroll swings can be wide and I can't tell you how many straights and flushes I've hit holding 9,J,Q and a few SF's too. Part of the game is surviving for that RF or 4 Aces, 2, 3, or 4 and a kicker.

    I also hear you when you say you didn't fly all the way to Vegas for a SF...I have a hand I don't hold correctly and I base (or justify :poke:) it on historical results. It seems I rarely get anything more than a pair holding 2 non suited face cards so I frequently hold the 10 when I one of the FC's is suited to the 10 and toss the other FC......Bob says:nono:

    The 2 other DDB holds that that I vary on is holding 2 pr when one of the pairs are FC's and that damn inside straight when you don't have a lone FC to hold:rolleyes2:

    I'll tell you a hold I have been misplaying for a long time that I just discovered. In DDB he says to hold suited JQK or TJQ even when you have one of the face cards paired up. I love the hold, I just always thought he was adamant about keeping any "pat" hand. Well....except for the dealt flush when you have 4 to the RF:licklips:
     
  15. Tubbs

    Tubbs High-Roller

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    This is why casinos love gamblers. They can always rely on getting a higher house advantage than the games offer. Player hunches and chasing the big wins just boost their profits.
     
  16. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Yeah, the ability to hit either a 2 card straight draw or a 2 card flush draw are the main reasons you are wanting to keep something like QJ9 suited. The straight flush payout is only worth 0.0925 betting units here.

    All the other "mistakes" you typically do are minor, except the one in bold. It is by far the most common mistake I see from randoms as well because people know they are on a freeroll and would rather go for the 250 for 1 payout instead of 9 for 1 (or 8 for 1, 7 for 1, and even 6 for 1). And the higher the full house is worth, the bigger the mistake becomes. At 9/6 DDB it costs you 29 cents at quarters, or $1.17 at dollars for EVERY time you do it. I would really consider working on that one before your next trip.

    Also holding QJTs over QQ and KQJs over KK is typically only correct at 9/6 DDB.
     
  17. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    That's the only way we both play a hand like that! I looked it up on Dancer and the difference in return is 2.22 vs. 2.12.
     
  18. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    I do that one too -- holding the suited 10 with a queen or Jack instead of holding KQ or QJ or KJ.
     
  19. Dean Martin

    Dean Martin VIP Whale

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    Exactly, because we are there to win the Royal, right?:beer:....and be entertained. What fun is gambling if you always play it safe and correct. More profitable? Probably yes over a "long period of time" which is what Bob Dancer's hold's and returns are based on but "you still need to be having fun" or why play? And if a person never has fun, they probably should be calling that 1-800 # on the hotels webpage on the casino link...:faint:

    I do agree w/ tringlomane though on the the 2pr hold when one or both prs are face cards. I know statistically, it's a big loser to throw one pr away and I don't always do it but sometimes when I feel the mojo, I say WTF and go for the 4OAK. And then a few seconds later I usually say...."you dumb*uck"...because I always watch that 5th throw away card to see if the FH was there. I think I will quit doing it though seriously...I can't recall a sigle time I hit 4OAK doing it. Now that is dumb...:drunk:
     
  20. shamrock77

    shamrock77 Low-Roller

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    Depends on how much wine I have had.
     
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