Normally in full pay deuces wild video poker when the
player has the choice of keeping either (1) a deuce only or
(2) three to a royal flush, including a deuce and an ace,
and there are no flush or straight penalty cards to the
royal, the best play is to go for the royal flush. For
example take the following hand:
Normally in situations like this the best play is to keep
the deuce, queen, and ace. However this particular play is
one of the exceptions. Following is a complete list of such
exceptions. The exceptions are listed first according
whether the two discards are suited and second according to
the high card which is suited with the ace. Pairs of
discards meeting the exception are listed.
Unsuited Discards
10: none.
Jack: 3/4.
Queen: 3/4, 3/5, 3/6.
King: 3/4, 3/5, 3/6, 3/7, 3/9, 4/5, 4/6.
Suited Discards
10: 3/4.
Jack: 3/4, 3/5.
Queen: 3/4, 3/5, 3/6, 4/5.
King: 3/4, 3/5, 3/6, 3/7, 3/8, 3/9, 4/5, 4/6.
There is another exception that cuts the other way. With
2/A/J/10/7, where the ace is suited with the jack or 10 and
the other two cards are of different suits to the royal and
to each other then it is better to keep the 3 to the wild
royal, despite the penalty card. Knowing this exception will
save you one cent every $392,584.27 you put through the
machine.