VIDEO POKER CORNER

By Mark Novak

WHY I LOVE PLAYING TRIPLE DOUBLE Ready For Risk? This Pay Table Has It All!

Sometimes I’m lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. With life, with work, when I’m gambling I believe it’s all about attitude and the energy you send out into the world. You can work hard, plan, execute, play perfect strategy, take care of your body and your mind, all of which is necessary, but ultimately, lady luck just smiles, and other times she may not. So, why not play a game that suits you?

Trible Double Bonus Poker (TD) suits me. Sure, our readers will argue it’s way too volatile (it is!) and the bottom end of the pay table has been sliced and diced (all true!), plus you can’t consistently find the game at all casinos (unfortunately).

But, stay with me here! Occasionally, one can find TD as a multi -hand game in casinos across the state. The pay tables may not be the best, they are usually in the upper end of the 90% range, but that’s way better than playing an 85-90% slot (good luck finding a 92% penny slot)! And that’s when I like to strike, especially when I have access to a little free play.

I’m fortunate to have people around me who are willing to “loan” me their free play from time to time. All they ask is that if I make more than the total value of the free play that they receive a cut. I’m happy to oblige! And, they are happy to be on the receiving end of any wins I have. Which happen more often than they expect.

Why? If I can find a multi-hand game, especially ten play, I’ve just cut my odds of hitting any larger win by a factor of ten. On average, you know a four of a kind happens roughly every 420 hands or so (go easy on me all you math geeks I’m trying to keep things simple!), depending on the game and the pay table strategy. On a ten play that’s 42 hands. In nickels that’s 50 credits ($2.50) per hand. I only need $105 in free play for 42 hands!

The win I’m always chasing is the four Aces with a kicker on TD worth 4,000 credits ($200 for nickels). That happens roughly every 16,250 hands (I’m simplifying!). On a ten play it’s once every 1,650 hands, or just over $4,000 in free play. My free play gifting circle usually doesn't pony up that much in free play every outing, but I’ve cut my chances, and the hand could be dealt to me, resulting in a massive win!

But, I can also hit the four twos, threes, or fours, with kickers, for 2,000 credits every 7,000 hands, on average (remember, I’m simplifying!). Cut that by ten for a ten play game and my chanc-

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es are every 700 hands. That’s only $1,750 in free play that I need. Any four of a kind (fives through Kings) in TD happens every 615 hands. Cut by ten and you get 62 hands or just $155 in free play on a nickel game.

I like to focus on the 420 hands number, as it represents any four of a kind, regardless of what it is. And, I’m always thinking, “If I can hit one four of a kind, maybe I hit another during my free play session!” That happens a lot as well.

The real benefit for me in being lucky enough to be playing with someone else’s free play is there is a limit to the number of hands I wager. I “play off the free play” and maybe play a few more hands to play up or down to a nice round number and then I cash out. I’m always “ahead” as it’s free play, right? And I get the added enjoyment of paying it forward to my gifting circle. That always feels good!

You can send us an email if you want to know how to hold a hand! Doesn't matter if it’s holds you are seeing other people make, or if you just want to be sure about your own holds. Ask us any video poker question, regardless of what it’s about! You can email Editor@AZGamingGuide.com, or mail your letter to: Editor, AZ Gaming Guide, PO BOX 20636, Mesa, AZ, 85277. $

Table Games

By Al Moe