Flush Fever - Nevada Variant

Introduction

 

Imagine video poker where every time you drew to a four to a flush you won something. Imagine no more, as this the idea behind Flush Fever. The way it works is that when the player draws to any four suited cards the game will keep burning any replacement cards that don't result in a win until a win is found.

There is another game I encountered in Oregon years ago called Flush Fever with a different concept of a free game bonus round after any flush on the draw. To distinguish between the two games, I shall call the free game version the Oregon variant and the game addressed here the Nevada variant. To make matters even more confusing, I hear there is yet another Flush Fever variant in South Dakota, but I don't know anything about it.

Rules

1. Except as noted, standard video poker rules are followed.
2. The game can be played as conventional video poker for one to five coins bet or the player may enable the Flush Fever feature for an optional sixth coin.
3. The sixth coin not only pays for the Flush Fever feature, but it also bumps up the pay table on some pays.
4. If the player draws to four suited cards, then the game shall randomly go through the 47 replacement cards until a win is found. The game shall then give the player the winning card.
5. The royal flush award shall start at 4,000 coins for a five-coin bet. It will go up by one coin for each card burned in the Flush Fever feature, in search of a winning hand.
6. The maximum amount the royal flush can grow beyond the 4,000 coin seed is $99,999.
7.  

 

Example

 

In the hand above I was dealt four to a flush. I held the four diamonds and discarded the three of clubs.

 

The picture doesn't show it, but a losing card flashed through the position of the second card from the left before the game stopped on the jack of diamonds, awarding me a flush. This burned card is evident in the fact that the meter is 5¢ higher in the second picture, by one coin, because of the single burned card.

Analysis

The following tables show the probability and return of each hand for the games and pay tables Flush Fever is available in. These tables are based on a maximum six-coin bet. Wins are shown on a per coin basis. The win for a royal is based on the reseed amount. The return column is the product of the win, probability and 5/6. The reason for multiplying by 5/6 is the player must bet six coins but wins are based on five coins only. The overall return is found in the lower right corner.

Jacks or Better

           

Bonus Poker Deluxe

           

Bonus Poker

         

Double Bonus

         

Double Double Bonus

           

Triple Double Bonus

         

Summary

The following tables summarize my analysis of each game. The column headings are defined as follows:

• Pay Table: Except for the Double Bonus table, this shows the wins for a straight flush and full house. For double bonus, it also indicates the wins for a flush and straight. These were the only wins necessary to differentiate one pay table from another.
• Base Return: This is the return right after a meter reset at 4,000 coins.
• IGT Return: IGT, the game maker, was kind enough to share their own return. These returns I assume to be an average for all possible meters. My own figures for the overall return come in 0.11% higher.
• 1000-Coin Increment: The additional return, above the base return, for each 1,000 coins in the meter greater than 4,000.
• Breakeven Meter: The number of coins in the meter for the return to reach 100%. This assumes strategy based on a 4,000 coin royal.
• Probability Positive: This shows the probability that a meter will reach the positive point, assuming it is at its 4,000 coin starting point.

 

Jacks or Better

             

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank IGT, the game maker, for supplying the available games, pay tables, and returns that Flush Fever is available in.

Written by: Michael Shackleford