Ultimate X Gold

Introduction

Ultimate X Gold is a video poker variant by Action Gaming. It is based on multi-play video poker, in particular 3-play, 5-play, or 10-play. If the player bets an extra five coins per hand, above the usual five coin maximum bet, then it will enable a multiplier feature. Unlike conventional Ultimate X, the multipliers apply to all hands, but to specific wins only, and remain until used.

Rules

1. The player may choose to play 3-play, 5-play, or 10-play video poker.
2. If the player bets one to five coins be play, then the game plays like conventional multi-play video poker.
3. If the player bets ten coins per play, then he will enable the multiplier feature. Wins will be based on a five-coin bet, the other five coins paying for the feature.
4. Sometimes, making a max coin bet will also bump up the pay table for some hands.
5. In all games except deuces wild, hands from a three of a kind to four of a kind will each have an associated multiplier. In deuces wild, multipliers will be associated with hands from a flush to four deuces.
6. If the player gets any paying hand on the deal, then he will earn a "Multiplier Upgrade."
7. Usually, a Multiplier Upgrade will bump up the multipliers on the three hands above the hand won on the deal in the pay table. For example, a three of a kind on the deal would bump up the multipliers on a straight, flush, and full house.
8. Multipliers for any given hand follow a certain progression, defined in the help screens. An example appears below.
9. An exception to rule 6 is a high pair on the deal will bump up the lowest three multipliers (three of a kind, straight, and flush).
10. There is a maximum multiplier on all hands. If that is reached, it can't be bumped any further.
11. In 3-play and 5-play mode, a high pair will bump up a three of a kind only.

Following is a typical multiplier table. This one is for 5-play Bonus Poker.

• Four aces: 1,4,9
• Four 2's to 4's: 1,4,9
• Four J's to K's: 3,4,9
• Four 5's to 10's: 1,4,9
• Full house: 1,3,4,6,7,9,10
• Flush: 1,3,4,6,7,8
• Straight: 1,3,4,5,7
• Three of a kind: 1,3,4,5

If that was confusing, the following screenshot explains how the bonus feature works.

Example

In the screenshot above, I got a full house on the deal, which is more visible in the next screenshot. Notice the multipliers at the start of the hand, as follows.

• Four 2's to 4's: 9x (max)
• Four J's to K's: 4x
• Four 5's to 10's: 1x (implied)

After some animation, two multiplier upgrades are given, as follows:

• Four 2's to 4's: This hand was eligible for an upgrade, but was already at the maximum 9x, so remained the same.
• Four J's to K's: This jumped up one position in the multiplier scale, from 4x to 9x.
• Four 5's to 10's: This jumped one position, from the implied 1x to 4x.

In another hand, shortly after, I received four fives in one of my hands. Four 5's to 10's had a 4x multiplier, earned from the hand in the first image. That increased the win on that hand from 125 to 500. Since the multiplier was used, it dropped back down to 1x after the win was scored.

Video

In this video, I endeavor to explain the rules by example.

Strategy

To put a good strategy in writing for this game would be very difficult. The right play would depend on the multipliers for every hand, which are constantly going up and down. If you wish to play this game properly, my advice would be to run every non-obvious hand through my video poker hand analyzer, putting in the post-multiplier wins for every hand in the pay table. This would be a very time consuming way to play.

However, I can say that the average multiplier will be about 2.9 in this game. Here is a strategy based on 8-6 Jacks or Better, where the wins for a four of a kind to three of a kind were multiplied by 3. This would be a good starting point, especially for holding 0 to 2 cards. However, for plays that are in easy reach of certain wins, like four to a flush, I would consider the multiplier of the hands in easy reach.

Vultering

If a game has enough multipliers, the short-term return will be over 100%. A vulture could play it until enough multipliers were played off bringing the game negative and then leaving.

I have not studied a vulturing strategy is much depth. However, remember that the average multiplier will be 2.9 to just equal the return without the feature enabled. Almost half the value of the multiplier feature is in the three of a kinds. After doing some rough math with my video poker analyzer, I offer the following vultering advice:

• Never play if the three of a kind multiplier is 1x.
• If the three of a kind multiplier is 3, then you'll need strong multipliers elsewhere. Play only if the average of the other next three multipliers (on a straight, flush, and full house) is at least 4.
• If the three of a kind multiplier is 4, then you'll need at least average multipliers elsewhere. Play only if the average of the other next three multipliers (on a straight, flush, and full house) is at least 3.
• If the three of a kind multiplier is 5, you probably should play. Play if the average of the other next three multipliers (on a straight, flush, and full house) is at least 2.
• If the three of a kind multiplier is 6 or more, then always play.

I would like to emphasize this vulteruring strategy is rough and errs on the side of being conservative.

Three-Play Return Table

My friends at VideoPoker.com were kind enough to share with me the returns for Ultimate X Gold. As usual, returns are based on optimal player strategy. The following table shows the return for three-play. The pay table column shows the pay table for making a max bet. Sometimes it is less for betting 1 to 5 coins per hand. In some cases, the same game and pay table can have different multiplier tables. In these cases, I use the multiplier column to specify at least one of the differences.

Five-Play Return Table

The following table shows the returns for the games and pay tables for Ultimate X Gold in five-play mode. Please see the Three-Play section for more details on the column headings.

Ten-Play Return Table

The following table shows the returns for the games and pay tables for Ultimate X Gold in ten-play mode. Please see the Three-Play section for more details on the column headings.

Analysis

A proper analysis of this game would be difficult. The bottom line with such Action Gaming games is that the return of the game with the feature is marginally higher than without it. Based on Magic Deal, the return with the feature averages 0.68% with the feature than without it. However, the cost of errors with the feature is likely very high for the average player, making the actual return much less. This is because correct strategy with the feature is very complicated and at this point not put into writing by anybody, including me.

External Links

• VideoPoker.com, where you can play Ultimate X Gold. A Gold level membership is required to play this game.
• Wizard of Vegas, where Ultimate X Gold is discussed.

Written by: Michael Shackleford