Double Combo Draw Poker

Okay, concentrate for a minute. This is probably the most difficult to explain video poker game I've ever seen. It is called Double Combo Draw Poker. I saw it earlier this week at the Orleans. In order to minimize confusion as much as possible, I'm going to assume that the reader already knows what a Split Card is.

There are actually two games -- Combo Draw Poker and Double Combo Draw Poker.

Here are the rules as best as I know them and can explain them:

1. In Combo Draw poker one Split Card can appear at a time. In Double Combo, it is two.
2. In both games, Split Cards appear randomly on both the deal and draw. As to the probability of getting one -- I have no idea.
3. To enable the Combo feature, the player must pay an amount equal to 2x his base wager. In Double Combo, it is 4x. Like other video poker variants, these extra bets are more like fees and are never directly returned.
4. If the player has one Split Card after the draw, including from retaining it from the Deal, then he shall get six bonus hands. Keep in mind the player will have four non-split cards. Let's call the two cards in the Split Card x and y. Let's call the other four cards a, b, c, and d. The six bonus hands will include the hands with the following cards: xyabc, xyabd, xyacd, xybcd, xabcd, yabcd. In other words, all combin(4,3)=4 ways to choose 3 cards from the 4 non-Split Cards. It will also include the two cards in the split card plus the combin(2,1)=2 cards in the Split Card plus the other four. 4+2=6 bonus hands.
5. If the player has two Split Cards after the draw, including from retaining them from the Deal, then he shall get 21 bonus hands. Keep in mind the player will have three non-split cards. Let's call the four cards in the Split Cards w,x,y, and z. Let's call the other three cards a, b, and c. 12 of the bonus hands will include 3 cards from the Split Cards plus 2 of the regular cards: wxyab, wxyac, wxybc, wxzab, wxzac, wxzbc, wyzab, wyzac, wyzbc, xyzab, xyzac, xyzbc. It will also include the 6 ways to choose 2 cards from the 4 cards among the 2 Split Cards and the other three regular cards: wxabc, wyabc, wzabc, xyabc, xzabc, yzabc. Finally, it will include the three hands composed of all for cards represented in the two Split Cards plus one of the other three: wxyza, wxyzb, wxyzc.
   

Entiendo? Verstehen Sie? Get it? If you didn't, here are links to the rule screens:

Screen 1
Screen 2
Screen 3
Screen 4
Screen 5
Screen 6

There is also a "demo" video, which I recorded. Maybe I'll post it on YouTube if there is sufficient interest.

Here is an example. Click on either image for a larger version.

Here I got two Split Cards on the deal. I kept both of them, plus another six. I'm not sure if holding that 6 was right or not.



Here is what I got after the draw:



Fortunately, I guess, the Split Card probabilities aren't disclosed so I can't perform an analysis.

The question for the poll is would you play either Combo Draw Poker or Double Combo Draw Poker, assuming the same return as regular video poker?

More information from IGT.

That is just bizarre. But I'd play it.

I played the single combo draw game a few days ago at the Orleans and it was fun. I hit two four of a kinds playing bonus deluxe and each paid me 4000 pennies. Once I remember how to post a picture I'll upload it.