Lunar Poker

Introduction

Lunar Poker, also known as \"Royal Poker\" or \"Russian Poker\", is an alternative form of the game of poker. Caribbean Stud Poker This variation includes unique rules that give players the ability to alter both their own hand and the dealer's hand. Historically, it originated in Russia and has gradually spread to various parts of the globe, including the United States, Macau, Eastern Europe, and South Africa.

However, the additional features in Lunar Poker come at a cost. If a player wins against the dealer, their Ante simply pushes instead of being paid at even money, which is the norm in Caribbean Stud Poker.

History

Long before the inception of Lunar Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker was already established. True to its name, Caribbean Stud does not involve drawing cards. Nonetheless, casinos eventually introduced a rule allowing players to draw new cards for a fee, which is calculated by multiplying the Ante by the number of cards drawn. I've encountered this game in Curacao, Panama, and Argentina, albeit under various titles, but I generally refer to it as Oasis Poker .

Based on the feedback I've received via email and comments, it seems that casinos in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, introduced a variant that permits players to compel the dealer to draw. The specifics about which card the dealer has to discard may differ, but the most common practice is to remove the lowest card. This tactic was employed to enhance the chances of the dealer qualifying with at least a pair when they otherwise would not, since the player's payouts on their Raise bet require the dealer to qualify.

According to James Grosjean's Exhibit CAA: Beyond Counting Eventually, these two gameplay features converged into what is termed Pangaean Poker. The book includes a brief overview of the game along with a strategic drawing guide (see page 321).

Subsequently, an unknown individual innovated further by allowing players to redraw any number of cards for the price of their Ante, or even buy a single card without needing to redraw. Such enhancements, combined with the option to force the dealer to redraw, would have tipped the game too far in favor of players. To restore balance, if the dealer qualifies but still loses, the Ante doesn't win; it simply pushes. This variant has been identified by a multitude of names, but the most common one I hear is Lunar Poker, which is how I refer to it.

The evolution doesn't end there. In 2014, the rules underwent another change to protect against players gaining an advantage. Players can no longer purchase insurance against the dealer qualifying, and now a Super Bonus side bet has been introduced as mandatory.

There’s also a supplementary narrative regarding the game's analysis history. Over the years, players and casinos have sought comprehensive analyses of the game. While I don’t often admit to limitations, in the case of Lunar Poker, I must concede, saying, \"Unfortunately, this exceeds my expertise.\" To my knowledge, there are a staggering 627,392,769,491,403,000,000 possible game outcomes, and computing power has its limits.

It wasn't until May 2012 that I became aware of anyone performing a thorough analysis of this game. I saw that the TCS John Huxley website claimed to have cracked the code of the game. They only indicated a house edge of 2.31%, with little else elaborated upon.

Then, in 2014, GLI conducted an analysis of the most current rules, which you can find below. They devised an unpublished strategy and put it through simulations.

Lunar Poker gained a new owner at the 2016 Global Gaming Expo, where it was promoted by ShuffleMaster.

Rules

1. The game utilizes a single 52-card deck, adhering to the standard poker rules concerning hand rankings and comparisons.
2. Players are required to place an Ante bet along with a Super wager, which must equal or exceed the Ante amount.
3. Moreover, players have the option to make a Super Wager based on either the dealer’s hand or the hands of other players.
4. Each participant, along with the dealer, receives five cards, with one of the dealer’s cards face up for visibility.
5. The dealer will ask players to declare any winning Super Wager hands that are based on their cards. The Super Wager payout structure is shown below.
6. Additionally, if a player achieves a straight flush or royal flush, their Ante bet will be instantly paid out based on the Instant Payout table provided below, after which the cards will be collected.
7. Remaining players must decide whether to Fold, Play, Buy, or Draw, with further details provided for each choice below:
   • Fold: The player places their five cards facing down near their Ante wager, and the dealer will reclaim the losing Ante along with the cards.
   • Play: The player places a wager double their Ante amount in the designated BET box above their cards.
   • Buy: The player places an amount equal to their Ante to acquire a 6th card.
   • Exchange: The player pays an Ante amount to exchange 2-5 of their cards.
8. If the player chooses either the Buy or Exchange option, they must then decide whether to Fold or Play based on their new hand.
9. The dealer will then reveal their cards and announce the value of their poker hand.
10. If the dealer's hand includes a Super combination, any Super wagers on that hand will be paid out immediately according to the Super Pay Table outlined below.
11. When the dealer qualifies with a hand of Ace-King or better, they will reveal their hand and resolve each player’s hand as follows:
    • If a player wins, the Ante merely pushes while the Raise gets paid according to the payout table shown below.
    • Tie: Both Ante and Raise push.
    • Dealer wins: Both Ante and Raise lose.
12. Should the dealer fail to qualify with an Ace-King or better, the Ante pays out at even money, while the Raise pushes regardless of the player's hand value.
13. If a player's winning hand consists of two separate poker combinations, they will receive payouts for both combinations, even if the second doesn't exceed the dealer's hand. For a second combination to qualify, it must include at least one card not part of the first winning combination.

Analysis

The game owner was generous enough to share the mathematical analysis report from GLI with me. This report is generated based on a random simulation of a strategy that is close to optimal. The findings suggest a house edge of 4.90% when calculated by measuring expected losses against the required two initial wagers. It indicates that the average loss over the total amount staked, which I label as Element of Risk, stands at 2.38%.

Strategy

Below is the basic strategy derived from a player's initial hand, kindly provided to enhance the experience for game enthusiasts.

First Decision — Should the player Play, Fold, Buy, or Exchange?

• ANY STRAIGHT OR FLUSH — BUY 6th CARD
• FOUR OF A KIND — PLAY
• FULL HOUSE — Opt for buying the 6th card if the dealer's up card does not match your cards; PLAY if the dealer's up card corresponds to any of your cards.
• THREE OF A KIND — EXCHANGE two cards if the dealer's up card is not the same as your trips; PLAY if the dealer's up card matches your trips.
• TWO PAIRS — PLAY
• ONE PAIR — PURCHASE the 6th card if you have any potential for a straight or flush; PLAY if your pair is equal to or higher than the dealer’s up card; EXCHANGE three cards if your pair is lower than the dealer's up card.
• ACE, KING — BUY the 6th card with potential for an outside straight, flush, or an inside six-card straight. Otherwise, DRAW three cards without any of the above.
• NOTHING — Play as follows:
  • BUY the 6th card if you have possibilities for an outside straight, flush, or an inside six-card straight.
  • EXCHANGE the remaining cards — Hold onto an Ace or King alongside any royal cards.
  • EXCHANGE four cards — Hold a Queen against a dealer's up card showing 5 or lower.
  • FOLD — Without any of the above

Second Decision — Play or Fold.

After making a buy or exchange, players must then decide whether to proceed with a play or to fold.

• A-K-Q or better — Play.
• All other — Fold.

Variations

I've come across a report indicating that in Finland, Lunar Poker is played with some unique rule variations:

• No Super Wager is permitted. Instead, players have the option to place a side bet called the Jackpot Bonus.
• Players can insure their hand with three of a kind or better. However, the insurance bet will lose if the dealer ends up qualifying. The minimum for an insurance bet stands at 1x ante, with a maximum equal to half of the potential win amount. Insurance payouts are 1 to 1.
• Instant payouts are not available, which increases the house edge by 0.43%.
• For the cost of 1x ante, if the dealer does not qualify, the player may exchange one card (the highest-valued one) from the dealer's hand to help the dealer qualify. If the dealer continues to fail to qualify afterward, the player’s hand will simply push, meaning there will be no ante payout.

External Links

• LunarPoker.com — Official web site.
• TCS John Huxley rules .

Written by: Michael Shackleford