Bonus Poker Strategy

Last update: July 25, 2008

Introduction

This page shows my strategy for 9/6 Bonus Poker. With optimal strategy, the expected return of 8/5 Double Double Bonus is 99.17%. Often, 8/5 Bonus Poker is the best available video poker game in a given casino, so it is a valuable strategy to know. The following table shows the probability and return for each hand.

Confict Hands

The following list shows all the difficult hands, and how to correctly play them.

Definitions:

• High Card = Jack, Queen, King or Ace
• Straight Flush draw (type 1) = Open-ended straight flush draw with 1 high card and 0 or 1 gaps.
• Straight Flush draw (type 2) = Open-ended straight flush draw with no high cards and no gaps.
• Straight Flush draw (type 3) = Straight flush draw with 1 high card and 2 gaps (includes all ace-low draws).
• Straight Flush draw (type 4) = Open-ended straight flush draw with no high cards and 1 gap (includes 234 suited).
• Straight Flush draw (type 5) = Straight flush draw with no high cards and 2 gaps.

1. K Q J T 9 — Straight flush or 4 to a royal flush: Keep the Straight Flush
2. A K Q J T — 4 to a royal flush or Straight: Keep 4 to a royal flush
3. A K J T 9 — 4 to a royal flush or Flush: Keep 4 to a royal flush
4. A K Q J J — 4 to a royal flush or High pair: Keep 4 to a royal flush
5. A 2 3 4 5 — Straight or 4 to a straight flush: Keep the straight
6. A K Q J T — Straight or 3 to a royal flush: Keep the straight
7. T T T J Q — Three of a kind or 3 to a royal flush: Keep Three of a kind
8. Q J T 9 Q — 4 to a straight flush or High pair: Keep 4 to a straight flush
9. 9 T J Q 2 — 4 to a straight flush or 3 to a royal flush: Keep 4 to a straight flush
10. K K Q Q J — Two pair or 3 to a royal flush: Keep the two pair
11. A K K Q 3 — High pair or 3 to a royal flush: Keep High pair
12. 3 7 9 J J — High pair or 4 to a flush: Keep High pair
13. K Q J T J — High pair or KQJT unsuited: Keep High pair
14. 2 A Q T 4 — 3 to a royal flush or 4 to a flush: Keep 3 to a royal flush
15. T J Q K 8 — 3 to a royal flush or 4 to an outside straight: Keep 3 to a royal flush
16. Q J T T 3 — 3 to a royal flush or Low pair: Keep 3 to a royal flush
17. A K Q J 9 — 3 to a royal flush or AKQJ unsuited: Keep 3 to a royal flush
18. 3 7 9 T T — 4 to a flush or Low pair: Keep 4 to a flush
19. 2 5 6 7 T — 4 to a flush or 3 to a straight flush (any type): Keep 4 to a flush
20. K Q J T T — KQJT unsuited or Low pair: Keep KQJT unsuited
21. K Q J T 8 — KQJT unsuited or 2 suited high cards: Keep KQJT unsuited
22. K Q J T 2 — KQJT unsuited or JT suited: Keep KQJT unsuited
23. K Q J T 7 — KQJT unsuited or KT, QT suited: Keep KQJT unsuited
24. 6 7 8 9 9 — Low pair or 4 to an outside straight: Keep Low pair
25. 9 9 T J 4 — Low pair or 3 to a straight flush (any type): Keep Low pair
26. K Q J 9 9 — Low pair or 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards: Keep Low pair
27. 8 9 T J 3 — 4 to an outside straight or 3 to a straight flush (any type): Keep 4 to an outside straight
28. A K Q J 5 — AKQJ unsuited or 2 suited high cards: Keep AKQJ unsuited
29. K J 3 4 5 — 2 suited high cards or 3 to a straight flush (type 2, 3, 4 or 5): Keep 2 suited high cards
30. K Q J 9 7 — 2 suited high cards or 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards: Keep 2 suited high cards
31. K Q J 7 5 — 2 suited high cards or Unsuited JQK: Keep 2 suited high cards
32. 3 4 5 J Q — 3 to a straight flush (type 2) or two unsuited high cards: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 2)
33. 3 4 5 T J — 3 to a straight flush (type 2) or JT suited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 2)
34. 8 9 J Q K — 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards or 3 to a straight flush (type 3): Keep 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards
35. 7 8 J Q K — Unsuited JQK or 3 to a straight flush (type 3): Keep Unsuited JQK
36. A 2 3 J Q — Unsuited JQ or 3 to a straight flush (type 3): Keep Unsuited JQ
37. 2 4 T J Q — Unsuited JQ or JT suited: Keep Unsuited JQ
38. J Q 2 3 4 — Unsuited JQ or 3 to a straight flush (type 4 or 5): Keep Unsuited JQ
39. A 3 5 K Q — 3 to a straight flush (type 3) or KQ, KJ unsuited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 3)
40. A 3 5 J T — 3 to a straight flush (type 3) or JT suited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 3)
41. K J T 4 7 — KJ unsuited or JT suited: Keep KJ unsuited
42. A K Q 8 6 — KQ, KJ unsuited or AK, AQ, AJ unsuited: Keep KQ, KJ unsuited
43. K J 2 3 4 — KQ, KJ unsuited or 3 to a straight flush (type 5): Keep KQ, KJ unsuited
44. K Q T 7 3 — KQ, KJ unsuited or KT, QT suited: Keep KQ, KJ unsuited
45. J T A 5 7 — JT suited or AK, AQ, AJ unsuited: Keep JT suited
46. J T 2 3 4 — JT suited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4 or 5): Keep JT suited
47. A K 2 3 4 — AK, AQ, AJ unsuited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4 or 5): Keep AK, AQ, AJ unsuited
48. A Q T 8 4 — AK, AQ, AJ unsuited or KT, QT suited: Keep AK, AQ, AJ unsuited
49. A 2 3 4 9 — Ace or 3 to a straight flush (type 4 or 5): Keep Ace
50. 2 3 4 Q T — 3 to a straight flush (type 4) or KT, QT suited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 4)
51. 2 3 4 J 7 — 3 to a straight flush (type 4) or Jack, Queen or King: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 4)
52. K T 2 4 6 — KT, QT suited or 3 to a straight flush (type 5): Keep KT, QT suited
53. K 3 5 7 9 — Jack, Queen or King or 3 to a straight flush (type 5): Keep Jack, Queen or King

Traditional Strategy Table

The following list shows the value of each type of hand on the deal, in order from best to worst. To play a difficult hand, look up all viable ways to play it on the list, and play the highest one.

1. Four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush
2. 4 to a royal flush
3. Straight, flush, full house
4. Three of a kind
5. 4 to a straight flush
6. Two pair
7. High pair
8. 3 to a royal flush
9. 4 to a flush
10. KQJT unsuited
11. Low pair
12. 4 to an outside straight
13. 3 to a straight flush (type 1)
14. AKQJ unsuited
15. 2 suited high cards
16. 3 to a straight flush (type 2)
17. 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards
18. Unsuited JQK
19. Unsuited JQ
20. 3 to a straight flush (type 3)
21. KQ, KJ unsuited
22. JT suited
23. AK, AQ, AJ unsuited
24. Ace
25. 3 to a straight flush (type 4)
26. KT, QT suited
27. Jack, Queen or King
28. 3 to a straight flush (type 5)
29. Discard everything

    See important note about Bodog payouts & deposits.