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Exploring the Strategy for Ultimate X Bonus Streak in Jacks or Better

Introduction

Below, you'll find specific strategies catered to the Jacks or Better game. Ultimate X Bonus Streak The best approach is influenced by the dealt cards as well as current and potential future multipliers. Fortunately, in 10-play, the multipliers tend to balance out, allowing for a strategy that incurs only a 0.08% error rate.

This strategy is tailored for the 8/6 version of Jacks or Better, based on the accompanying pay and multiplier tables.

8/6 Jacks or Better Pay Table

Hand Pays Multipliers
Royal flush 800 2-3-4-7-12
Straight flush 50 2-3-4-7-12
Four of a kind 25 2-3-4-7-12
Full house 8 2-3-4-7-12
Flush 6 2-3-4
Straight 4 2-3-4
Three of a kind 3 2-3-4
Two pair 2 1
Jacks or Better 1 1

Basic Strategy

The strategy outlined below was developed utilizing our resources. video poker strategy maker I adjusted the hand values to reflect both immediate winnings and the potential from multiplier sequences.

Basic Strategy

Type of Play Play Details
4 of a Kind 2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK; AAAA
Pat Hand Hand categories include Full House, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.
4 to a Royal Flush TJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
3 of a Kind 222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK; AAA
Pat Hand Straight; Flush
2 Pair Possible hand combinations include: 2233, 2244, 2255, 2266, 2277, 2288, 2299, 22TT, 22JJ, 22QQ, 22KK, 22AA, and others up to 99AA, TTJJ, and miscellaneous combinations involving Jacks, Queens, and Kings.
4 to a Straight Flush A list of additional combinations such as: A234, A235, A245, A345, 2345, 2346, etc., extending to various hand sizes, including factors up to the 9TQK.
1 Pair JJ; QQ; KK; AA
4 to a Flush Another set of hands includes various combinations like 2347, 2348, and more, each contributing to the overall strategy.
3 to a Royal Flush TJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
4 to a Straight 9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair 22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT
3 to a Straight Flush A23; A24; A25; 9JQ
4 to a Straight 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; JQKA
3 to a Straight Flush A34; A35; A45; 234; 235; 245; 345; 346; 356; 456; 457; 467; 567; 568; 578; 678; 679; 689; 789; 78T; 79T; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 8JQ; 9TJ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
4 to a Straight 9JQK; TQKA
4 to a Straight 89JQ; 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK; TJQA; TJKA
3 to a Straight Flush 78J; 79J; 7TJ; 89Q; 8TQ; 9TK
3 to a Flush Find distinct combinations with A234, 2345, 3456, and others, ensuring all card possibilities are accounted for.
2 to a Royal Flush JA; JQ; JK; QA; QK; KA
4 to a Straight A234; A235; A245; A345; 789J; 78TJ; 79TJ; 89TQ
3 to a Straight TJQ; JQK
2 to a Royal Flush TJ
3 to a Straight Flush 236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
4 to a Straight 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578; 4678; 5679; 5689; 5789; 678T; 679T; 689T
3 to a Flush These combinations include a variety of hands such as 2569, 2469, 37A, etc., enabling comprehensive analysis.
2 to a Royal Flush TQ
3 to a Flush Building on combinations like 456A, 457A, leading to multitudes of variations to be applied strategically.
2 to a Straight JQ
3 to a Flush 23J; 23Q; 24J; 24Q; 25J; 25Q; 26J; 26Q; 27J; 27Q; 34J; 34Q; 35J; 35Q; 36J; 36Q; 37J; 37Q; 45J; 45Q; 46J; 46Q; 47J; 47Q; 56J; 56Q; 57J; 57Q; 67J; 67Q
2 to a Royal Flush TK
Single Card a Jack
2 to a Straight JK; QK
Single Card a Queen
Single Card a King
2 to a Royal Flush TA
Single Card an Ace
3 to a Flush 237; 238; 239; 23T; 247; 248; 249; 24T; 257; 258; 259; 25T; 267; 268; 269; 26T; 278; 279; 27T; 289; 28T; 29T; 348; 349; 34T; 358; 359; 35T; 368; 369; 36T; 378; 379; 37T; 389; 38T; 39T; 459; 45T; 469; 46T; 479; 47T; 489; 48T; 49T; 56T; 57T; 58T; 59T
2 to a Straight Flush 78; 9T
2 to a Straight Flush 45; 56; 67; 89
Garbage Discard everything

A return table that lays out expected wins without factoring in multipliers has been included.

Basic Strategy Return Table

Hand Pays Combinations Probability Return
Royal Flush 800 397,850,916 0.000020 0.015967
Straight Flush 50 2,244,794,280 0.000113 0.005631
Four of a Kind 25 46,661,815,500 0.002341 0.058523
Full House 8 225,889,691,580 0.011332 0.090659
Flush 6 304,072,896,024 0.015255 0.091527
Straight 4 311,989,648,212 0.015652 0.062607
Three of a Kind 3 1,444,288,929,288 0.072456 0.217369
Two Pair 2 2,486,272,990,464 0.124730 0.249460
Jacks or Better 1 3,668,661,489,600 0.184048 0.184048
Nothing 0 11,442,750,411,336 0.574054 0.000000
Totals   19,933,230,517,200 1.000000 0.975790

The rightmost cell of the table indicates a return of 97.58% before applying multipliers. The average multiplier value, when used with this method, is around 2.021899, leading to an overall return of 0.986475. This is just 0.09% shy of the optimal return of 98.74%.

In case you're curious, I've calculated the values for the two multiplier chains. Adding these values to the paytable can help form an effective strategy.

  • The 2-3-4 multiplier chain is worth 6.137727.
  • The 2-3-4-7-12 multiplier chain is worth 23.113457.

Advanced Strategy

If you're interested in slightly lowering the house edge by another 0.01%, you can explore the exceptions listed here. This adjustment would yield a return of 0.976002 before considering multipliers, with the overall return dropped minimally to 98.66%.

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
2 to a Straight: JK Single Card: a Jack
(more) 2♣ 3♣ 4♦ J♦ K♥
8♦ J♣
K♦ A♥ 5♣ 8♦ J♣ K♥
9♦ 10♣
K♦ A♥ 4♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♥
8♦ 10♥
Q♦ A♠ 3♣ 8♦ 10♣ Q♦
8♣ 10♦
Q♥ K♠ 2♣ 8♦ 10♣ Q♥
J♥ A♠
2♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♦ A♥ 2♣
9♦ J♦
A♥ 6♣ 7♦ 9♥ J♥ A♣
4♣ 8♥
10♥ 2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 8♥ 10♥
6♦ 10♣
Q♣ 2♣ 3♦ 6♥ 10♣ Q♣
6♣ 10♦
Q♦ 2♣ 3♦ 6♥ 10♦ Q♦
6♣ 10♦
Q♦ 2♣ 4♦ 6♥ 10♦ Q♦
6♣ 10♦
Q♦ 2♣ 5♦ 6♥ 10♦ Q♦
6♦ 10♦
Q♦ 2♣ 5♦ 6♥ 10♥ Q♥
7♦ 10♦
Q♦ 2♣ 3♦ 7♥ 10♥ Q♥
A♥ 2♣
9♦ 10♥ K♦ A♥ 3♣ 9♦
K♣ A♥
8♣ 9♦ 10♥ K♦ A♥ Single Card: a Ten
7♣ 10♠
2♣ 4♦ 5♥ 7♦ 10♠ 2♣
J♣ Q♥
2♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ 2♣
J♣ Q♥
3♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ 3♣
J♣ Q♥
4♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ 4♣
J♣ Q♥
5♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ 5♣
J♦ Q♥
6♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ 6♣
J♥ Q♣
2♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♣ 2♣
J♥ Q♣
3♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♣ 3♣
J♥ Q♣
4♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♣ 4♣
J♥ Q♣
5♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♣ 5♣
J♥ Q♦
3♣ 6♦ 8♦ J♣ Q♦ 3♣
8♦ J♥
Q♦ 6♣ 7♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♣
8♦ J♥
Q♦ 3♣ 7♦ 8♦ J♣ Q♦
7♦ 8♦
J♥ Q♦ 6♣ 7♦ 8♦ J♣
5♣ 7♦
9♥ 10♠ 3♣ 5♣ 8♦ 9♥
3♣ 4♦
7♥ 9♥ 2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 7♥
10♣ J♦
A♥ (less) 6♣ 9♦ 10♣ J♦
2 to a Royal Flush: TQ 4 to a Straight: 678T
(more) 6♣ 7♣ 8♦ 10♥ Q♥
6♣ 7♦
8♥ 10♠ Q♠ 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ 4 to a Straight: 679T (more)
6♣ 7♦
9♦ 10♥ Q♥ 6♣ 7♦ 9♥
2♣ 3♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 2♣ 3♣ J♣
2♣ 4♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 2♣ 4♣ J♣
3♣ 4♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 3♣ 4♣ J♣
2♣ 5♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 2♣ 5♣ J♣
3♣ 5♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 3♣ 5♣ J♣
4♣ 5♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 4♣ 5♣ J♣
2♣ 6♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 2♣ 6♣ J♣
3♣ 6♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 3♣ 6♣ J♣
4♣ 6♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 4♣ 6♣ J♣
5♣ 6♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 5♣ 6♣ J♣
2♣ 7♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 2♣ 7♣ J♣
3♣ 7♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 3♣ 7♣ J♣
4♣ 7♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 4♣ 7♣ J♣
5♣ 7♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 5♣ 7♣ J♣
6♣ 7♣
9♦ J♣ Q♥ 6♣ 7♣ J♣
2♣ 3♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 2♣ 3♣ J♦
2♣ 4♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 2♣ 4♣ J♦
3♣ 4♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 3♣ 4♣ J♦
2♣ 5♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 2♣ 5♣ J♦
3♣ 5♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 3♣ 5♣ J♦
4♣ 5♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 4♣ 5♣ J♦
2♣ 6♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 2♣ 6♣ J♦
3♣ 6♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 3♣ 6♣ J♦
4♣ 6♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 4♣ 6♣ J♦
5♣ 6♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦
2♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♦ Q♣ 2♣ 7♣
9♦ J♥ Q♣ 2♣ 7♣ J♦ Q♣
A♥ 3 to a Flush: 37Q 2 to a Straight: JQ (more) 3♣ 7♣ 9♦
J♦ Q♣ (less) 3♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♦
Q♣ 3♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♥ Q♣ 3♣
7♣ J♦ Q♣ A♥ 3 to a Flush: 47Q 2 to a Straight: JQ (more)

4♣

My analysis also encompassed the Jacks or Better variant with the Ultimate X Bonus Streak. It’s worth noting that multipliers tend to not average out in shorter sequences of 3 or 5 hands compared to sequences of 10 hands. The optimal single strategies have varying levels of error against the perfect strategy.

  • 7♣
  • 9♦
  • J♦

Q♣

Studying this game via a singular strategy provides an engaging challenge in matrix mathematics. The correlation between one hand and several future hands adds a layer of complexity to the analysis, especially with multiplier changes affecting future rounds.

In summary, I used matrix algebra to estimate the values of the next 13 hands based on the two multiplier sequences, taking into account the activation cost of the features. This resulted in figures of 6.137727 for the 2-3-4 multipliers and 23.113457 for the more complex chain.

Excel can perform matrix multiplication quite effectively. For guidance on how to use this feature, check the MMULT function, ensuring to apply a control-shift-enter to finalize the calculations across the desired cell range.