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Chase The Royal

Introduction

Rules

This section contains my evaluation of Chase the Royal video poker. Here are the rules to play:

  • This game is rooted in traditional video poker mechanics. Players can select from four different variations and can opt for 3-play, 5-play, or 10-play formats.
  • When dealt a pair of jacks, queens, or kings with a maximum coin bet, players have the option to swap their high pair for three cards aiming for a royal flush. This 'Chase the Royal' feature is not available if the pair forms part of a stronger hand, like two pairs, or if the player holds four cards towards either a straight or a royal flush.
  • The three cards aimed at forming a royal flush are drawn randomly from a pool of 40 options (derived from 4 suits and the selection of 3 ranks out of 5). Players are allowed to preview these three cards before making the decision to switch.
  • If a player chooses to pursue the royal, the remaining two cards are dealt immediately from the rest of the 49 cards left in the deck.
  • To encourage players to chase the royal, achieving a straight pays out 10, while a flush rewards 12 in this mode.
  • Hitting a royal flush pays out a whopping 2000 instead of the regular 800 based on a coin bet.

Strategy

Similar to traditional video poker, players should always look for the most favorable pay table and utilize optimal strategies. If presented with the chance to chase the royal, the player should seize the opportunity without hesitation.

On average, players can expect to achieve 4.39 times as many royal flushes compared to conventional video poker, though at the cost of receiving fewer lower-paying hands. The standard deviation is notably high at 9.15 for a 9/6/5 double bonus, in contrast to the typical 5.55 for the same variant. This game is particularly appealing to those who prioritize thrill over managing their bankroll.

Jacks or Better

Chase the Royal — 6/5 Jacks or Better

Hand Pays Probability Return
Dealt Royal Flush 2000 0.000002 0.003078
Royal Flush 800 0.000106 0.084992
Straight flush 50 0.000149 0.007472
Four of a kind 25 0.002092 0.05229
Full house 6 0.010519 0.063113
Flush 12 0.003606 0.043267
Flush 5 0.010911 0.054556
Straight 10 0.001865 0.018649
Straight 4 0.011283 0.045134
3 of a kind 3 0.06403 0.192091
2 pair 2 0.115907 0.231814
Pair 1 0.170233 0.170233
Nothing 0 0.609297 0
Total 1 0.966689

Triple Bonus

Chase the Royal — 8/5 Triple Bonus

Hand Pays Probability Return
Dealt Royal Flush 2000 0.000002 0.003078
Royal flush 800 0.000108 0.086187
Straight flush 50 0.000148 0.00742
4 aces + 2-4 800 0.000071 0.056458
4 2-4 + A-4 400 0.000173 0.069043
4 aces + 5-K 160 0.00015 0.023953
4 2-4 + 5-K 80 0.00032 0.025622
4 5-K 50 0.001348 0.067387
Full house 8 0.009521 0.076164
Flush 12 0.003606 0.043267
Flush 5 0.011 0.054999
Straight 10 0.001865 0.018649
Straight 4 0.013745 0.054981
3 of a kind 2 0.064745 0.129491
Two pair 1 0.108976 0.108976
Jacks or better 1 0.165734 0.165734
Nothing 0 0.61849 0
Total 1 0.99141

Double Double Bonus

Chase the Royal — 8/5 Double Double Bonus

Hand Pays Probability Return
Dealt Royal Flush 2000 0.000002 0.003078
Royal flush 800 0.000106 0.085045
Straight flush 50 0.000148 0.007422
4 aces + 2-4 400 0.000062 0.024632
4 2-4 + A-4 160 0.000143 0.022911
4 aces + 5-K 160 0.000173 0.027752
4 2-4 + 5-K 80 0.000384 0.030754
4 5-K 50 0.001362 0.068089
Full house 8 0.009876 0.079006
Flush 12 0.003606 0.043267
Flush 5 0.010985 0.054926
Straight 10 0.001865 0.018649
Straight 4 0.012951 0.051804
3 of a kind 3 0.064935 0.194806
Two pair 1 0.109796 0.109796
Jacks or better 1 0.167249 0.167249
Nothing 0 0.616357 0
Total 1 0.989186

Bonus Poker Deluxe

Chase the Royal — 6/5 Bonus Poker Deluxe

Hand Pays Probability Return
Dealt Royal Flush 2000 0.000002 0.003078
Royal flush 800 0.000106 0.084818
Straight flush 50 0.00015 0.007476
4 of a kind 80 0.00222 0.177599
Full house 6 0.007228 0.043368
Flush 12 0.003606 0.043267
Flush 5 0.010861 0.054306
Straight 10 0.001865 0.018649
Straight 4 0.013057 0.052227
3 of a kind 3 0.067824 0.203471
2 pair 1 0.095637 0.095637
Pair 1 0.184907 0.184907
Nothing 0 0.612539 0
Total   1 0.968803

7/5/4 Double Bonus

Chase the Royal — 7/5/4 Double Bonus

Hand Pays Probability Return
Dealt Royal Flush 2000 0.000002 0.003078
Royal flush 800 0.000106 0.085072
Straight flush 50 0.00015 0.00749
4 aces 160 0.000224 0.035842
4 2-4 80 0.000527 0.042161
4 5-K 50 0.001363 0.06815
Full house 7 0.009844 0.068905
Flush 12 0.003606 0.043267
Flush 5 0.010919 0.054593
Straight 10 0.001865 0.018649
Straight 4 0.013101 0.052404
3 of a kind 3 0.064577 0.193732
Two pair 1 0.109409 0.109409
Jacks or better 1 0.170623 0.170623
Nothing 0 0.613686 0
Total 1 0.953376

Other Games

The following table outlines the expected returns when utilizing optimal strategies across various Chase the Royal games and different pay tables.

Chase the Royal Return Table

Game Pay table Return
Bonus Poker Deluxe 7,5 0.976727
Bonus Poker Deluxe 6,5 0.968803
Double Bonus 9,6,5 0.998395
Double Bonus 9,6,4 0.984086
Double Bonus 7,5,4 0.953376
Double Double Bonus 8,5 0.989186
Double Double Bonus 7,5 0.979436
Double Double Bonus 6,5 0.969877
Jacks or Better 6,5 0.966689
Triple Double Bonus 8,5 0.99141
Triple Double Bonus 7,5 0.981893
Triple Double Bonus 6,5 0.97238

Outside Links

Practice Chase the Royal for free at videopoker.com.

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Strategies

Full-Pay Jacks or Better:

Full-Pay Deuces Wild:

Quick Quads:

Other Strategies: