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Bob Dancer writes a video poker column for beginners to experts. He also writes a column with Jeffrey Compton, "Player's Edge", featuring information on promotions at various Las Vegas casinos. Player's Edge is published each Friday in the Neon section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Click here to send Bob Dancer an e-mail.

June 17, 2003

Multi Strike Poker -- Part II of II

In last week's column, available a few mouse clicks away, I discussed the rudiments of Multi Strike Poker, including how you can determine the appropriate value of any pay schedule and how you can adjust "Bob Dancer Presents WinPoker" to practice the different strategy levels. Following are reasonably accurate rules (not counting penalty card situations) for adjustments you should make for each level of play.

Level 1: Play normal 9/6 Jacks strategy with the following exceptions:

Prefer a high pair to any SF4

Prefer a 4-card flush over a RF3 including an A and a T.

Never hold a suited ten with a high card

Never hold any SF3

Prefer two high cards, suited or not, to a low pair

Prefer a single high card or a low pair to a 4-card flush with no high cards.

The only 4-card straight you ever hold is KQJT

Level 2 -- Play normal 9/6 Jacks strategy with the following exceptions:

Prefer a high pair to any SF4

Prefer a 4-card flush over a RF3 including an A and a T.

Never hold a suited ten with a high card

Never hold any SF3

Prefer AKQJ over unsuited high cards. Hold no other inside straight.

Prefer a low pair to a 4-card flush with no high cards

Prefer two high cards, suited or not, to all 4-card straights except KQJT

Prefer two unsuited high cards to a low pair

Prefer a single high card to a 4-card straight with 0 or 1 high card

Level 3 -- Play normal 9/6 Jacks strategy with the following exceptions:

Prefer a high pair to a SF4 with an inside

Prefer a 4-card flush over a RF3 including an A and a T

Never hold a suited ten with a high card

Hold a suited QJ9 and JT9. Hold SF3 (no high cards: no insides) only if there are no high cards in the hand. Hold no other SF3s.

Prefer two high cards to 4-card straights with 1 high card

Prefer a single high card to a 4-card straight with no high cards

Prefer AKQJ over unsuited high cards. Hold no other inside straight.

Level 4 and Free Ride -- Play normal 9/6 Jacks strategy. Period.

To see if you understand the rules, let's play each of the following hands four ways, assuming Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4/Free Ride.

1. Ah As 3s 4s 5s
2. Ac Jd Td 9c 8h
3. Ah Kh Qs Jd 4s
4. Ac Qd 5c 5h 3s
5. Qd Qs Js Ts 9s
6. As Ks Ts 3s 4h
7. 8h 9h Th Ac 3d
8. 3s 5s Ts 3h 9s
9. Kd Jd Td 5d 3c
10. 3s 4s 5s 7d 9c
11. Kc Qc 6c 6h 3s
12. Ah Ks Qd Jc 2h
13. Qs Jh Tc 9d 4s
14. Qd Jd 9d 5c 4h

Q	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4/Free Pass
1	AA	AA	AA	A345
2	AJ	AJ	AJ	JT98
3	AK	AK	AK	AKQJ
4	AQ	AQ	55	55
5	QQ	QQ	QJT9	QJT9
6	AKT3	AKT3	AKT3	AKT
7	A	A	A	89T
8	33	33	35T9	35T9
9	KJT	KJT	KJT	KJT
10	Draw 5	Draw 5	345	345
11	KQ	KQ	66	66
12	KQJ	AKQJ	AKQJ	AKQJ
13	QJ	QJ	QJT9	QJT9
14	QJ	QJ	QJ9	QJ9

As users of WinPoker know, the computer program comes with several games "built in," and for which you can change pay schedules easily. To practice this game, I'd probably set up Level 1 in the "Bonus Poker." Now the default for Bonus Poker is to pay four aces more than four 2s, 3s, and 4s, which in turn are more than for the other 4-of-a-kinds. But I can change them all to the same. Normal Jacks or Better returns 25 for 1 for a quad, so if I was practicing Level 1, I'd add 6 to that number and enter 31.

In a like manner, I'd use the Double Bonus "clone" for Level 2 and set the pay schedule appropriately. And maybe Double Double Bonus for Level 3. Double Double Bonus is set up so that it checks for kickers, but if I enter 27 (which is the base amount for 4-of-a-kinds for Jacks or Better plus 2, which is appropriate for Level 3 strategy) for all of the quads, with and without kickers, this Double Double Bonus clone serves my purposes. I could have used the clones for All American Poker, Bonus Poker Deluxe, Double Double Jackpot, or Double Jackpot just as easily for one of the levels if I wanted.

If I am practicing Multi Strike NSU Deuces, or some other form of Multi Strike Deuces Wild, I'd use the Deuces Wild clone, Loose Deuces clone, and Deuces Deluxe clone to enter the appropriate schedules for Levels 1, 2, and 3. (If I didn't have the basic game memorized or at least well practiced, I wouldn't be playing Multi Strike in the first place.)