How to play difficult Double Double Bonus Video Poker Hands


We have all been dealt 5 cards playing Double Double Bonus Video Poker where we could hold two or more combinations. But what is the best thing to do? Listed below are Twelve (12) of the most challenging hands and the optimum way to play them. If you have another hand you would like to share with our followers, please send it to us on our Contact Us page.

Note that the strategies shown below are for Double Double Bonus optimum play over a longer period of time. You can certainly play some of these differently if you want to be more aggressive or if your flight is leaving Las Vegas in one hour!

  1. You are dealt 3 cards to an open ended straight flush and 4 cards to an open ended straight. What should you hold?

    2. There is a 0.196115 advantage per coin played to holding the 4 cards to an open ended straight:
    4 to an open ended straight: 0.680851
    3 to an open ended straight flush: 0.484736

  2. You are dealt 3 Aces and a 2, 3 or 4 like the hand below. Should you only keep the 3 Aces or also hold the 2 kicker with the 3 Aces?

    3. There is a 0.659575 advantage per coin played to only holding the 3 Aces. Reason being is you are drawing two cards to get your 4th Ace vs. only 1 card so you have a greater chance to draw the 4th Ace. Note that the reason it’s not even higher is holding the 2 still might lead to a 4 Aces with a Kicker or a Full House draw.

    3 Aces only: 12.489362
    3 Aces and 2: 11.829787

  3. You are dealt a full house. Issue is you have 3 two’s. Should you hold it or go for the fourth 2 or maybe even get four 2’s with a kicker?

    4. There is a large 1.46346 advantage per coin played to holding the Full House. This optimum play would also be the same for three 3’s or three 4’s with any pair.
    Full House: 9.000000
    Three 2’s: 7.536540

  4. You are dealt a Full House with 3 Aces. Should you hold it or go for the fourth Ace or maybe even get four Aces with a kicker?

    5. Unlike the full house in # 3 above, there is a very large 3.716929 advantage per coin played to holding just the 3 Aces:
    Full House: 9.000000
    Three Aces: 12.716929

  5. You are dealt a 9, Jack, Queen and King of the same suit. Should you hold all 4 for a 1 in 5 chance of getting a flush or even better yet a Straight Flush or should you throw the 9 and go for the Royal Flush?

    6. There is a 1.12581 advantage per coin played to holding the 4 to an inside Straight Flush.
    Four to an inside Straight Flush: 2.531915
    Three to the Royal Flush: 1.406105

  6. You are dealt a Straight, with 4 cards to an Inside Straight Flush. Should you keep the Straight or go for the much higher payout of the Straight Flush or even slightly more return by getting a Flush?

    7. There is a 1.744681 advantage per coin played to holding the Straight.
    Holding the Straight: 4.000000
    Holding 4 to an Inside Straight Flush or Flush: 2.255319

  7. Here is a slightly different scenario. You are dealt a Straight, with 4 cards to an Open Ended Straight Flush. Should you keep the Straight or go for the much higher payout of the Straight Flush or even slightly more return by getting a Flush?

    8. There is a smaller 0.553191advantage per coin played to holding the Straight.
    Holding the Straight: 4.000000
    Holding 4 to an Open Ended Straight Flush: 3.446809

  8. You are dealt 2 Aces and 2 Fours. Should you keep both pairs and go for the Full House or only hold the 2 Aces?

    9. There is a 0.220228 advantage per coin played to holding just 2 Aces.
    2 Aces only: 1.901079
    2 Aces and 2 Fours: 1.680851

  9. You are dealt 3 cards to a Royal Flush and a 4th small card to a 4 card Flush. Should you keep the 3 cards to a Royal Flush or hold all 4 and just go for a 5 card Flush?

    10. There is a 0.117483 advantage per coin played to holding the 3 cards to the Royal Flush.
    3 cards to the Royal Flush: 1.457909
    All 4 cards to the Flush: 1.340426

  10. You are dealt 3 cards to a Royal Flush and also have a Jacks or Better high pair. Should you keep the 3 cards to a Royal Flush or hold the Jacks or Better?

    11. There is a very small 0.022942 advantage per coin played to holding just the 3 cards to the Royal Flush.
    3 cards to the Royal Flush: 1.469010
    Jacks or Better: 1.446068

  11. You are dealt 4 to an open ended straight with a small pair. Should you hold the small pair or go for the open ended straight?

    12. There is a small 0.052359 advantage per coin played to holding the small Pair.
    Small Pair: 0.733210
    4 to an open ended straight: 0.680851

  12. You are dealt 4 high cards consisting of an Ace and Queen of the same suit and a King and Jack of the same suit like shown below. Should you keep all 4 cards, only the Ace and Queen so you have a chance to draw a Royal or get 3 more Aces, or keep the King and Jack so you can go for the Royal in that suit and the cards are more in the middle to catch a Straight?

    13. There is a small 0.054394 advantage per coin played to holding all Four High Cards. And in second place by a sliver is the King and Jack.
    All Four High Cards: 0.595745
    King and Jack: 0.541351
    Ace and Queen: 0.533827