Ultimate Texas Holdem Variant

Hello, I just recently started playing UTH at the casino closest to me. But I noticed that it seems to be a modified variant of the original UTH. Almost all is the same except that when the dealer doesnt open you will get paid on the Play bet regardless of what cards you have, and also you will not get paid the blind if the dealer doesnt open not even if you get a Royal Flush. I would like to know how these changes affect the odds of the game and what is the optimal strategy of this variant, Im gussing that since you get paid if the dealer doesn't open it would make sense to bet higher in the begging , for example betting 4X on all Qs?

I would be more inclined to analyze this if you gave me the name and location of the casino.

Thank you for replying, the casino is in Bogotá Colombia , Río Casino , but from what I've been told most casinos here in Colombia( and in many countries in Latin America) uses this variant of UTH, could be that it is a bit easier for dealing since this game is pretty difficult to deal, or could be that the odds of this variant is more favorable to the house. I just want to play the best optimal strategy for this variant. I use the strategy that you made in your chart but I would think that maybe since the dealer pays all play bets if he doesn't open it is advantages to bet more aggressively in the begging. Thank you for taking your time in analyzing this variant.

Andrew Astrauskas from Colombia

Hello , just wanted to touch base to see if you were able to analyze this variant of UTH, thank you

Quote: lab66464

Hello , just wanted to touch base to see if you were able to analyze this variant of UTH, thank you
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Sorry, I didn't see your earlier replies. I think there may be some terminology confusion. The player already gets paid on the Play bet, whether or not the dealer qualifies. I think you may have meant the Ante bet, not the Play bet.

If that's the case, could it be said the difference is if the dealer doesn't open the Blind bet is an automatic push, not the Ante?

Hello wizard thank you for replying , maybe I'm off on the terminology , I've only payed UTH here in Colombia , but from what I have seen on the internet the UTH in the states pays the blind bet even if the dealer doesn't open , and if the dealer doesn't open you still have to battle which of the 2 cards is better to win the play bet. In the variant here if you bet the play bet and the dealer does not open you get paid the play bet automatically independent of the cards you have And if you get a straight or higher but the dealer does not open you will not get paid the blind. So if dealer does not open the only thing they pay is the play bet , so even if you get a royal flush and he does not open you are out of luck because you won't get paid the blind. Those are the only 2 differences I see of this variant , the blind pay table is the same, 10 to 1 for 4 of a kind , 50 for straight flush and 500 for royal flush. With this variant it would seen that it would be better to bet more aggressively in the begging? Meaning for example bet 4X with Q's and J's ,, like Q2 or J5…?

Thank you for any tips with this variant, I enjoy very much all you videos and info on your website!!

Okay, here is my understanding of the Columbia rules:

If dealer does not qualify:
Ante = Automatic push
Play = Automatic win
Blind = Automatic push

If dealer does qualify = Same rules at in US.

I am hoping to hear you say "Wiz, you understand it." UTH takes a lot of work to analyze, so I hate to put in several hours of work only to hear I misunderstood the rules.

Yes correct , wizard you got it.

If dealer does not qualify:
Ante: push
Play: win ( even if you have the worst hand)
Blind: push ( won't pay you even if you get royal flush)

If dealer qualifies everything the same as US

Thanks so much for taking the time to look into this variant which I have spoken to many players and they said that is the one played in most Latin America.