Multi-Strike Poker Deluxe

Multi-Strike Poker Deluxe is the same thing as regular Multi-Strike, but adds a 5th level that pays 16x level 1, and the player must pay for that extra line, of course. I have never seen any information published about the game. All I have accomplished so far is an analysis of 7-5 Bonus Poker. The conventional game returns 98.01%, but the Multi-Strike Deluxe version return 98.36%. Here are the free ride probabilities. The return for regular 4-level Multi-Strike is 98.22%.

Level 4: 5.75%
Level 3: 6.20%
Level 2: 7.00%
level 1: 7.60%

Here is a preview of my analysis of just 7-5 Bonus Poker. I wrote to IGT for their return of the same game, but have not received anything yet.

Any comments?

So it'll take 25 credits to play a full hand? Would there be any strategy changes when playing the top level, or does that just apply to the first?

Quote: JL2

So it'll take 25 credits to play a full hand? Would there be any strategy changes when playing the top level, or does that just apply to the first?

Yup, 25 credits. No strategy changes to level 5 or after any Free Ride. The other situations have huge strategy changes, putting a big emphasis on achieving any win.

Might want to explain why the results are different for each level whether a free ride is awarded or not. Most people would probably not know there is a different playing strategy depending on that.

edit: n/m you answered before I asked...

Thanks. I wonder why they don't just bump it up to 10 levels right now instead of doing it over several years like they did triple-play to hundred-play. I wouldn't mind a 2,048,000 credit royal!

Quote: JL2

Thanks. I wonder why they don't just bump it up to 10 levels right now instead of doing it over several years like they did triple-play to hundred-play. I wouldn't mind a 2,048,000 credit royal!

A big reason is that they actually have to do the math for each different level since it changes. New math = new regulatory, and regulatory is really expensive. The genius of triple play is that you don't need new math at all. You also don't need any additional decisions, while MultiStrike requires a new player decision (with a different strategy) at each level.

Quote: MathExtremist

A big reason is that they actually have to do the math for each different level since it changes. New math = new regulatory, and regulatory is really expensive. The genius of triple play is that you don't need new math at all. You also don't need any additional decisions, while MultiStrike requires a new player decision (with a different strategy) at each level.

Then that's why 50-play & hundred-play came so soon after 10-play I'm guessing. No strategy changes anywhere.

Quote: Lucyjr

Might want to explain why the results are different for each level whether a free ride is awarded or not. Most people would probably not know there is a different playing strategy depending on that.

edit: n/m you answered before I asked...

I plan to explain all that on the page later. What you see how is just my analysis of 7-5 Bonus Poker. I'll post more stuff to that page later.

Quote: JL2

Then that's why 50-play & hundred-play came so soon after 10-play I'm guessing. No strategy changes anywhere.

That, and the 10-play might have been just to see if there really was an interest in more than 3-play. I wouldn't be surprised if they go even higher than 100-play when screen resolutions improve.

Personally, I prefer the 100-play machines. I wish casinos had more of them. Maybe then I'd play VP more....

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Personally, I prefer the 100-play machines. I wish casinos had more of them. Maybe then I'd play VP more....

I like to play free online simulators to pass the time on occasion. The mutlti-strike games are a lot of fun, but when you watch the credit meter you realize the return is really, really bad. You also notice you pay for hands you may or may not play. In a 100 play draw poker amchine, with or without a gimmick like quick quads, you do at elast play all hands.

In real casinos using real money that I'll really risk, I confine myself to five and ten play <sigh>

What I announced before I changed to an appendix. I started from scratch and created a new Multi-Strike Deluxe page. Comments or corrections?

I enjoy the playing 4-level Multi-Strike SDDB 8/5 and would thoroughly enjoy playing MS 16X, if any of my local casinos had decent paytables. By decent, I mean 99.5% or better. I realize that I am more likely to find favorable paytables on the "novelty games" in Reno than here in Carson City - a game like Multi-Strike 16X could pose quite a risk to a smaller casino even in mid-range denominations.

The fact that my own iterative calculations (via spreadsheet and vpgenius.com) match those of IGT's (displayed on the Wizard's Multi-Strike Poker Deluxe page) gives me a good measure of faith in IGT's calculations (and my own for that matter!). Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ! My calcultation of the return for each of the paytables that I have observed at my local casinos are listed below:

Multi-Strike Poker (4-level):
Bonus 7/5 0.076/0.07/0.062 EV=0.982245
Bonus 8/5 0.076/0.07/0.062 EV=0.993746
Bonus Deluxe 50/8/5 0.078/0.072/0.062 EV=0.976931
Bonus Deluxe 50/9/6 0.078/0.072/0.062 EV=0.998631
Deuces Wild 20/12/10/4 0.09/0.081/0.079 EV=0.978467
Deuces Wild 25/15/9/4 0.0891/0.0804/0.0775 EV=0.989926
Deuces Wild Bonus 10/4/3/3 0.09/0.08/0.08 EV=0.976926
Deuces Wild Bonus 13/4/3/3 0.09/0.08/0.0794 EV=0.989937
Deuces Wild Bonus 9/4/4/3 0.09/0.08/0.08 EV=0.995981
Double Bonus 9/6/5 0.083/0.069/0.062 EV=0.979986
Double Bonus 9/7/5 0.084/0.07/0.063 EV=0.992934
Double Bonus Deuces Wild 25/9 0.084/0.081/0.081 EV=0.988195
Double Double Bonus 9/5 0.077/0.07/0.061 EV=0.979948
Double Double Bonus 9/6 0.079/0.07/0.061 EV=0.991788
Jacks or Better 8/5 0.077/0.07/0.064 EV=0.976302
Jacks or Better 9/5 0.077/0.07/0.064 EV=0.98781
Jacks or Better 9/6 0.077/0.07/0.064 EV=0.997918
Joker (K) 940/17/7 0.089/0.082/0.079 EV=0.986311
Super Aces Bonus 6/5 0.08/0.068/0.0597 EV=0.979927
Super Aces Bonus 7/5 0.08/0.068/0.0576 EV=0.989923
Super Double Bonus 7/5 0.078/0.068/0.06 EV=0.979902
Super Double Bonus 8/5 0.078/0.068/0.06 EV=0.988892
Super Double Bonus 9/5 0.078/0.068/0.06 EV=0.99885
Super Double Double Bonus 8/5 0.077/0.068/0.061 EV=0.998932
Triple Double Bonus 9/5 0.0835/0.066/0.059 EV=0.975285
Triple Double Bonus 9/6 0.0835/0.066/0.059 EV=0.985777
Triple Double Bonus 9/7 0.0835/0.066/0.059 EV=0.997648

Multi-Strike 16X Poker (5-level):
Bonus 7/5 0.076/0.07/0.062/0.0575 EV=0.983556
Bonus Deluxe 50/8/5 0.078/0.072/0.062/0.0575 EV=0.977436
Deuces Wild 20/12/10/4 0.09/0.081/0.079/0.074 EV=0.978831
Deuces Wild 25/15/9/4 0.0891/0.0804/0.0768/0.0754 EV=0.989827
Deuces Wild Bonus 13/4/3/3 0.09/0.08/0.0787/0.076 EV=0.98986
Double Bonus 9/6/5 0.083/0.069/0.0614/0.0535 EV=0.979974
Double Bonus Deuces Wild 25/9 0.084/0.081/0.081/0.075 EV=0.988812
Double Double Bonus 9/5 0.077/0.07/0.0608/0.0515 EV=0.979958
Jacks or Better 8/5 0.077/0.07/0.064/0.0524 EV=0.976784
Joker (K) 940/17/7 0.089/0.082/0.079/0.075 EV=0.986552
Super Aces Bonus 7/5 0.08/0.068/0.0575/0.0499 EV=0.989984
Super Double Bonus 8/5 0.078/0.068/0.06/0.05 EV=0.989184
Triple Double Bonus 9/6 0.0835/0.066/0.059/0.0508 EV=0.986309

Without knowing the probabilities of the free ride card for each level, I have not ventured a calculation for any of the other paytables.

Wizard, I would welcome and greatly appreciate any information that you might glean from IGT regarding Multi-Strike Big Pick, whether it be the possible multipliers and their respective frequencies for level 4, the expected value of that random multiplier, or IGT's calculation of the overall return for each variant.

Many thanks to you, the administrators, and everyone else who posts with positive and helpful intentions.

~Cam

"I'd rather be lucky than good!"

Quote: PaulEWog

You should be able to find Ace Invaders in greater numbers before too long. Leading Edge has released a new multi-game cabinet called "Multi-Strike Ultra-Deluxe" that includes Multi-Strike, Multi-Strike 16, Multi-Strike Big Pick, Multi-Strike Super Times Pay, Multi-Strike Double Down Stud, Big Split Poker and Ace Invaders. Reports are that Caesars has one, as does the Rio, but I don't know of any others at this point.

Quote: Nareed

That would be great! I like the game, from playing online simulations, and it's one of the Wizard's early gigs to boot.

Can any local check this out? It would also be a great activity for WoVCon.

The Rio does have one of these machines, with all the games above except Ace Invaders. In fact, the slot manager told me she'd never heard of Ace Invaders. Horrible pics, I know, but I said I'd take pics. It's by the poker room.

Thanks for the pics.

I found the naming of this to be a little bit confusing. I originally thought that the name "Multi-Strike Deluxe" was just the single game that is actually known as "Multi-strike 16", when in fact it is the package of games and includes all the games mentioned above except Multi-Strike Super Times Pay and Ace Invaders. This is what is pictured above.

The latest release is "Ultra-Deluxe" and includes those 2 additional games. I'd guess that whoever reported it as being at the Rio also didn't know the difference between the two, and perhaps the reporting of the one at Caesars as well.

I'll see if I can find out if there are any on the floor anywhere in Vegas.

Quote: zippyboy

The Rio does have one of these machines, with all the games above except Ace Invaders. In fact, the slot manager told me she'd never heard of Ace Invaders. Horrible pics, I know, but I said I'd take pics. It's by the poker room.

Thanks for the pics and the info.

Now if I can only manage to finish a wor. :P

Seriously, I think Ace Invaders will forever remain unavailable. But that0s ok. Every desert needs a mirage, right?

South Point is reported to have some of the ultra-deluxe machines.

Quote: Nareed

Seriously, I think Ace Invaders will forever remain unavailable. But that0s ok. Every desert needs a mirage, right?

Ye of little faith... you should be able to find the stand alone Ace Invaders game at:

Santa Fe Station
Emerald Island Casino
Club Fortune

I should hear back later on other places where the Ultra game's are.

Quote: PaulEWog

Ye of little faith... you should be able to find the stand alone Ace Invaders game at:

Santa Fe Station
Emerald Island Casino
Club Fortune

I should hear back later on other places where the Ultra game's are.

So now will have to do with just The Mirage for a mirage? :P

Thank you. I hope I'll be able to find it next year. I think the paytable is not that good, but the game's fun.

I asked LED gaming where there were Ultra-Deluxe machines in Nevada and they gave me this list:

Atlantis
Bonanza
Carson City Nugget
Carson Valley Inn
Casino Fandango
Flamingo
Grand Lodge
Harrah's
Imperial Palace
Jerry's Nugget
Mandalay Bay
Nevada Gaming Partners LLC
Rampart
Rio
Silverton
South Point
Tamarack Junction
The Cannery

Of course games can come and go so there is no way of knowing if these casino's still have them, but its a good place to start.

Copied from the Wizard's Strategy page for this game.. for purposes of asking a question...

To get a strategy for any game and pay table, I suggest using strategy generating software like Video Poker for Winners or Video Poker Strategy Master. You will need to trick the software into giving you the right strategies. To do this, add 8 to each win, except keep a losing hand 0, and you will get a strategy appropriate for level 1. For level 2, add 6. For level 3, add 4. For level 4, add 2. In other words, add 2 for each level above your current level to the pay table win. By the pay table win, I mean the win per coin bet per level.

Can someone explain the math behind the addition of 8/6/4/2 to the one coin payout? I'm just not getting it. (I get that you need to add in amounts for expected value of future hands... I don't get why it's exactly (or close) to the numbers 8/6/4/2.