Bonus Poker

Introduction

This page shows my strategy for 8/5 Bonus Poker. With optimal strategy, the expected return of 8/5 Bonus Poker 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.

Conflict Hands

The following list shows common difficult hands and how to play them. Some of these rules have exceptions, which are listed under Exceptions below the strategy table.

Definitions:

• High Card = Jack, Queen, King or Ace
• Straight Flush draw (type 1) = Straight flush draw where high cards minus gaps >= 1 .
• Straight Flush draw (type 2) = Straight flush draw where high cards minus gaps = 0 .
• Straight Flush draw (type 3) = Straight flush draw where high cards minus gaps = -1, all ace-low draws, and 2-3-4 suited.
• Straight Flush draw (type 4) = Straight flush draw with two gaps and no high cards.
• 4 to an outside straight = four consecutive cards from 2-3-4-5 through 10-J-Q-K (2-3-4-5 counts as outside; J-Q-K-A and A-2-3-4 do not).

Difficult hands:

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, or 4): Keep 2 suited high cards (see Exception 1)
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 (see Exception 5)
37. 2 4 T J Q — Unsuited JQ or JT suited: Keep Unsuited JQ
38. J Q 2 4 6 — Unsuited JQ or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): 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) (see Exception 6)
40. A 3 5 J T — 3 to a straight flush (type 3) or JT suited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 3) (see Exception 7)
41. K J T 8 3 — KJ unsuited or JT suited: Keep KJ unsuited (see Exception 3)
42. A K Q 8 6 — KQ, KJ unsuited or AK, AQ, AJ unsuited: Keep KQ, KJ unsuited
43. K J 2 4 6 — KQ, KJ unsuited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): 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 (see Exception 4)
46. J T 2 4 6 — JT suited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): Keep JT suited
47. A K 2 4 6 — AK, AQ, AJ unsuited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): 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 4 6 9 — Ace or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): Keep Ace
50. 2 3 4 Q T — 3 to a straight flush (type 3) or KT, QT suited: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 3)
51. 2 3 4 J 7 — 3 to a straight flush (type 3) or Jack, Queen or King: Keep 3 to a straight flush (type 3) (see Exception 10)
52. K T 2 4 6 — KT, QT suited or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): Keep KT, QT suited
53. K 3 5 7 9 — Jack, Queen or King or 3 to a straight flush (type 4): 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, except in the situations listed under Exceptions below.

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. KT, QT suited
26. Jack, Queen or King
27. 3 to a straight flush (type 4)
28. Discard everything

Exceptions

The following exceptions override the strategy table. With them, the strategy is optimal, returning 99.17%.

1. 2 suited high cards vs. 3 to a straight flush (type 2): Hold the straight flush draw if (a) the draw contains both high cards (8-J-Q, 9-J-K, or 9-Q-K); or (b) the high cards include an ace, unless the draw is 3-4-5, or the high cards are A-J and the draw is 7-8-9; or (c) the high cards are K-Q and the draw is 8-9-J.
2. Hold 8-J-Q suited over A-K-Q-J unsuited.
3. KJ unsuited vs. JT suited: Hold JT suited if neither of the other two cards is an 8, a 9, or the same suit as the JT.
4. JT suited vs. AJ unsuited: Hold AJ if one of the other two cards is the same suit as the JT and the other is a 7, 8, or 9.
5. Unsuited JQ vs. 3 to a straight flush (type 3): The fifth card is the card that is neither in the draw nor the queen. Hold 7-8-J or 7-9-J suited if the fifth card is an ace. Hold 7-10-J suited if the fifth card is a 2 through 6.
6. 3 to a straight flush (type 3) vs. KJ unsuited: Hold KJ with 7-8-J suited plus a 9 or 10; with 7-9-J or 7-10-J suited plus an 8; or with 7-8-10 or 7-9-10 suited plus an unsuited J.
7. Hold JT suited over 2-3-4, 2-3-5, 2-4-5, 3-4-6, 3-5-6, 4-5-7, 4-6-7, or 6-7-9 suited.
8. Hold AK, AQ, or AJ unsuited over 2-3-4, 2-3-5, or 2-4-5 suited.
9. A type 3 straight flush draw with an ace and a card below a jack: Hold the ace alone if the draw is 2-3-4, 2-3-5, or 2-4-5 and the other card is a 6, or a 7 through 10 not of the ace's suit. Also hold the ace alone if the other card is not of the ace's suit and the draw and card are: 3-4-6 or 3-5-6 with a 2 or 7; 4-5-7 or 4-6-7 with a 3 or 8; 5-6-8 or 5-7-8 with a 4 or 9; 6-7-9 or 6-8-9 with a 5 or 10; or 7-8-10 or 7-9-10 with a 6.
10. A type 3 straight flush draw with a jack and a card below a jack: Hold the jack alone if the other card is not of the jack's suit and the draw and card are: 2-3-4, 2-3-5, or 2-4-5 with a 6; 3-4-6 or 3-5-6 with a 2 or 7; 4-5-7 or 4-6-7 with a 3 or 8; or 5-6-8 or 5-7-8 with a 4. Also hold the jack alone if the draw is 7-8-10 or 7-9-10 and the other card is a 6 of any suit.
11. Hold the king alone instead of K-10 suited if one of the other three cards is the same suit as the K-10.

Free Online Bonus Video Poker Game

Written by: Michael Shackleford