Extreme X Poker

Here is my latest video poker analysis -- Extreme X Poker. In this game, the game goes into Extreme mode, with five Fever Games with a multiplier, after a full house or better on the draw. The humdinger is that the player can use it only once. If he chooses to apply it to a win, then he forfeits the rest of his Fever Games.

You can see from the length of the page that I put a fair bit of time into it, and I still have a separate strategy page coming.

As always, I welcome questions, suggestions, and especially corrections.

The question for the poll is would you play Extreme X, given the same return as conventional video poker?

Wizard,

First of all, in your post, you put, "Ultimate X Poker," in the blue text. I checked to see if you were logged in and you were not, so I took the liberty of changing it to, "Extreme X Poker."

Secondly, and while I (amongst uncountable others) appreciate the analysis, I think this is a needlessly complicated way of increasing Variance. While I do like the concept of Bonus Games, something that I think is missing from most VP variants and could be something of an untapped niche player, it doesn't really seem like much of a Bonus to potentially chuck a winning hand (or more than one) and ultimately end up with nothing from the Bonus.

What I'd really like to see is something with conditional Free Games based upon having a final hand of Four-to-a-Royal, whether or not it is otherwise a winning hand. I think it'd be cool to have a high probability of getting something better than the SF, Flush, Straight, or High Pair out of the missed Royal Draw. Whether that would necessitate a crappy paytable, more credits bet, or both, I don't know, but it seems like that would be a nice consolation prize for the missed Royal.

In short, I would not play this game because it doesn't feel like a Bonus game. A proper Bonus Game, in my view, is one in which the player doesn't have to rely upon ADDITIONAL strategy for playing the game and can yield the full value of the Bonus simply by playing Optimal VP predicated upon the base game. If this had the same theoretical return as conventional VP, I'd take the conventional VP, because I could play Optimal Conventional VP Strategy to get that Conventional VP return.

Thanks for your comments and fixing my title error.

Most video poker players like variance. Jacks or Better used to be the main game but all the others that came after it, from bonus poker, to triple double bonus, have more variance. The only one will less is tens or better, which is of marginal popularity.

I tend to agree that bonus rounds should not require a different strategy. Or at least it shouldn't seem that way. Then again, Top Dollar is a hugely successful slot machine, and this game is pretty much the same concept in the bonus.

Quote: Wizard

I tend to agree that bonus rounds should not require a different strategy. Or at least it shouldn't seem that way. Then again, Top Dollar is a hugely successful slot machine, and this game is pretty much the same concept in the bonus.

You're welcome.

I agree with the comments having to do with Variance.

Top Dollar is a strange one, does the game tell you whether keeping the win is Optimal or whether one should try again? I understand how the game works, but I've never played it. Does the game give the probabilities of hitting certain results?

I remember, on one occasion, I was going after a low ($50) must-hit and hit some sort of Bonus Games. It gave me the choice of selecting a Credit Bonus, which had a range, or playing x number of Free Games. I just figured the mean amount of the credit reward range would be the same as the ER of the Free Games, so I went with the credit reward. Besides, I only had to make $100 in bets to get a guaranteed $50+ whatever else was won, so I didn't want to waste time going through the Free Games.

Quote: Mission146

I remember, on one occasion, I was going after a low ($50) must-hit and hit some sort of Bonus Games. It gave me the choice of selecting a Credit Bonus, which had a range, or playing x number of Free Games. I just figured the mean amount of the credit reward range would be the same as the ER of the Free Games, so I went with the credit reward.

I can tell you that I did a game like this and that it was about 50% better to play the free spins as opposed to taking the fixed credit amount.

Quote: DRich

I can tell you that I did a game like this and that it was about 50% better to play the free spins as opposed to taking the fixed credit amount.

Geez!

Thanks for the advice, you'd think the machine would want your money faster and would at least make it an even decision. Is there any particular reason the manufacturer and/or house would prefer a player take the Free Spins?

Fortunately, for me, I ended up on the high end of that Bonus Credits range, made $82 off of that play, overall. I'll remember just to deal with the Free Games next time, though.

Quote: Mission146

Thanks for the advice, you'd think the machine would want your money faster and would at least make it an even decision. Is there any particular reason the manufacturer and/or house would prefer a player take the Free Spins?

On the game I put out, I did not do the math model for the game so I can not tell you why they decided to make that choice so much worse than the free spins. I did tell them on future models to make it closer than that. My feeling is that the person taking the lump sum may be more risk averse and more likely to cash out after the bonus. I agree with shorting the pay on that decision, but I would probably make it in the 10%-20% range.

This is the first I've seen of this game, but I kind of like it. I'm not sure if I totally understand it without playing it, but is the multiplier random once you get into the bonus? Do I always get a multiplier in the bonus if I get a winning hand?

Quote: RealizeGaming

This is the first I've seen of this game, but I kind of like it. I'm not sure if I totally understand it without playing it, but is the multiplier random once you get into the bonus? Do I always get a multiplier in the bonus if I get a winning hand?

If you keep said winning hand, it's always a 6x multiplier. It applies only to the hand you keep, so it's possible not to keep a hand (preferably pursuant to Wizard's strategy) and then not end up getting anything out of the Bonus if you don't hit another winning hand.

Which is it? 6 or 7? Depends on game variant?

How does the bonus work for deuces games? Natural full house or better? Those paytables are jacked up a bit for regular deuces.

Quote: Mission146

If you keep said winning hand, it's always a 6x multiplier. It applies only to the hand you keep, so it's possible not to keep a hand (preferably pursuant to Wizard's strategy) and then not end up getting anything out of the Bonus if you don't hit another winning hand.

Ok, I got it. Thanks.

I'd give it a try if I saw it in a casino.

Quote: tringlomane

Which is it? 6 or 7? Depends on game variant?

How does the bonus work for deuces games? Natural full house or better? Those paytables are jacked up a bit for regular deuces.

I had the same question on the deuces games and saw this was not answered. I am presuming that we must be dealing with natural hands. At 7x, the EVs are a little smaller than advertised if one assumes a wild SF or better (and if I got the math right) ... and at 6x, the EVs are way too high if one assumes a wild 4oak or better.

I was able to get to IGT's numbers on 9-7 TDB, 8-6 BnsDlx, and 9-5 Jacks ... but I missed something on 9-6 DDB, getting 99.06% (instead of 99.48%); so maybe I have an error in my spreadsheet somewhere on the deuces games as well.

As tring asked, it would be helpful if the explanation sheet indicated which multipliers were 7x and which were 6x.

Thanks for the great job at informing us.

I'll try to look at the game again when I get to GVR or Red Rock this weekend if no one else finds out first.