Double Double Bonus (DDB) poker is by far the most popular video poker game. Its popularity stems from the extra bonus payoff that you get with four aces, 2s, 3s, or 4s accompanied with a “kicker” (a specific fifth card that is in the same hand as the four-of-a-kind). Sep 02, 2018 Ten Play Double Double Bonus video poker 2018. Multi hand vp is the shit and lot of you like multi hand video poker better. Double double bonus is also pretty popular and I.
My previous article on Jacks or Better video poker was so well received I thought I would follow up with an article on what has become the most popular of the video poker games, Double Double Bonus Poker. The main reason that Double/Double has become so popular is that there are several extra bonuses built into the game. Of course, the casinos take something away for their generosity regarding the bonuses. These two dynamics, the extra bonuses and the tightening of the game, are what the optimum strategies are built around. The extra bonuses include four aces, deuces, threes and fours, especially with a kicker not higher than a four. What they take away for this generosity is that two pair pay the same as a single high pair whereas in Jacks or Better the two pair pays twice as much. The one becomes break even versus a winning hand.
The table below illustrates the differences in the pay tables between the two games. While you may find different pay tables in casinos you visit, I’ve used 9/6 tables where a full house pays nine times the number of coins played and a flush six times the number of coins.
| Double Double | Jacks or Better | |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a kind (Aces with a kicker of A, 2, 3 or 4) | 400 | 25 |
| Four of a kind (Aces with out a good kicker) | 160 | 25 |
| Four of a kind (2s to 4s with kicker of A, 2, 3 or 4) | 160 | 25 |
| Four of a kind (2s, 3s or 4s with good kicker) | 80 | 25 |
| Four of a kind (5s thru Kings) | 50 | 25 |
| Full House | 9 | 9 |
| Flush | 6 | 6 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 |
| Theoretical return when played perfectly | 98.98% | 99.54% |
On the surface, all of the extra payouts for various four of a kinds make Double/Double appear to be a much better game than Jacks or Better. However, when the loss of the double payout for two pair is factored in, Jacks or Better is actually the better paying game. Two pair is the outcome in approximately 12% of hands so the reduction becomes significant. A twelve percent loss is equivalent to giving up five coins every eight hands in the hope of getting a bonus on some form of quads in every 400 hands. Remember – Las Vegas has not built all its temples of chance because it is giving its patrons an edge. More than one comedian working a Strip showroom has stated, “Welcome to Las Vegas, a city built on Hoover Dam and bad math”. Players seem to love the bigger jackpots offered by Double/Double eventhough they are paying a price for them. It’s the thrill of hitting a jackpot and there are more ways to do it in Double/Double. Now let’s look at the guiding strategy differences in playing optimum strategy in this exciting game.
- When dealt four As, 2s, 3s or 4s with the bonus kicker of A, 2, 3 or 4, keep all five cards. If the four of a kind is accompanied by a 5 through King, draw for the bonus kicker. Never hold a bonus kicker with just three of a kind.
- If dealt aces full, throw the underpair away to draw to the fourth ace.
- If dealt two pair containing aces, only keep the aces.
- If dealt two or three unsuited high cards with an ace, keep only the ace versus two or three high cards without an ace – keep them all.
All the other drawing strategies are the same as Jacks or Better which can be reviewed in my previous video poker article. As you can see, the key strategy differences between Jacks or Better and Double/Double focus to how to handle quads and the treatment of aces. Double/Double places a huge premium on any ace. Four aces with a qualifying kicker pays the same as half a Royal Flush. This 400-to-1 payout can be expected about once in every 16,000 hands played which is 2.5 times the frequency that you can expect a royal flush to make its appearance. Best of all, the adrenalin rush is almost the same!
Double/Double is definitely a more exciting game in my opinion due to the increased volatility. Volatility is what gamblers crave – without it the game becomes boring. The main difference between Jacks or Better and Double Double Bonus is not the .56% of theoretical return but the excitement of the added jackpots. If you would prefer no volatility at all, you could go to a change machine and get four five dollar bills for every twenty you put in it. Wow, that would be a machine with 100% payback and no volatility. It doesn’t sound like much fun to me – how about you?
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By Tom 'TIME' Leonard
Tom has been writing about poker since 1994 and has played across the USA for over 40 years, playing every game in almost every card room in Atlantic City, California and Las Vegas.
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The Game
This game uses a regular 52-card deck, while the lowest rank for a winning hand is a pair of Jacks. Similar to Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker will pay a player even money for frequent hands such as a Two Pair. In addition, it will pay a player a lesser amount for hands such as a Flush, a Straight and a Full House compared to what Double Bonus Poker pays.
However, in order to make up for the low rates of return for frequent winning hands, Double Double Bonus Poker will pay considerable amounts for particular rarer hands.
In this game one will find a new card, known as a kicker. Such cards could be a Two, a Three, a Four or an Ace. Let us explain. In case a player holds a special Four of a Kind and a kicker, he/she will earn double the amount paid in Double Bonus Poker. Or, if the player holds four Twos, or four Threes, or four Fours and a fifth card, which may be an Ace, Two, Three, Four, he/she will earn 160 times the amount bet, instead of 80 times that amount. In case the player holds four Aces and the fifth card turns out to be a Two, a Three, or a Four, he/she will earn 400 times the amount bet.
If one plays Double Double Bonus Poker on a restrained budget, then it would be better if he/she uses a low-denomination video poker machine – a 25-cent machine instead of $1 machine. This may prolong the period of time he/she plays and bolster the chance of hitting a rarer but highly profitable hand.
In a short term this game may appear expensive, thus, it requires a larger budget, because in order to accomplish a reasonable return, the player needs to rely on infrequent hands.
As for the game version providing the greatest earning opportunity, experts recommend 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker and a progressive jackpot, that offers larger payouts for particular Four of a Kind and Royal Flush combinations. Note that even without the progressive jackpot, the expected return of this version is 98.98%.
There is a 10/6 variation of the game, which offers a higher expected return (100.07%), but however, it is not that commonly found.
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Double Double Bonus Poker Strategy
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Let us take a look at the pay tables for three variations of Double Double Bonus Poker:
| Double Double Bonus Poker Tables | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 / 6 | 9 / 6 | 9 / 5 | |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind: Aces w/2, 3, 4 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Four of a Kind: Aces | 160 | 160 | 160 |
| Four of a Kind: 2, 3, 4 w/A, 2, 3, 4 | 160 | 160 | 160 |
| Four of a Kind: 2, 3, 4 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Four of a Kind: Fives to Kings | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Full House | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Flush | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 100.07% | 98.98% | 97.87% |
Free Triple Double Bonus Poker
The Strategy
Double Double Bonus Poker Game
We are going to present the play strategy for 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker in a table form, where the possible combinations are shown in order, with the highest-ranking hand being on top. The table should be examined from top to bottom, so that one is able to locate the particular hand he/she was dealt. The first column of the table shows the different hands dealt, while the second one points out which cards, if any, one needs to hold. After a player has found the specific combination, he/she needs to conform with the instructions in the second column, unless, of course, his/her situation matches one of the exceptions in the third column. If the latter is true, the player needs to conform with the instructions in the third column, where exceptions are presented in order of relevance. If number one exception matches one's situation, he/she needs to follow it. If not, he/she will need to move further to the number two exception and etc. The fourth column features actions one should never take when dealt that particular hand. It includes useful information, which could prevent costly mistakes.
9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker
Pick 'Em Poker
Common Mistakes in Video Poker
Bankroll Management
Selecting Video Poker Game and Casino
Play Double Double Bonus Poker
| Dealt Hand (What is available) | What needs to be done | Exceptions | Actions one should avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | Hold Royal Flush | None | 1. One should abstain from selecting the Double Down option, which may be available. |
| Four of a Kind with a Kicker | Hold the five cards | None | 1. One should never keep the Four of a Kind only. Instead, he/she should keep all five cards. |
| Four of a Kind without any Kicker | Hold Four of a Kind | None | 1. One should never keep the five cards. Instead, he/she should keep the Four of a Kind only. |
| Four of a Kind: Fives to Kings | Hold all the cards | None | None |
| Full House | Hold Full House | 1. One should keep three Aces. | 1. One should never keep a Full House over three Aces. Instead, he/she should keep the three Aces. 2. One should never keep three Twos, Threes or Fours over a Full House. Instead, he/she should keep the Full House. |
| Flush | Hold Flush | 1. One should keep the four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep four to a Straight Flush over a Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the Flush. 2. One should never keep a Flush over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the four to a Royal Flush. |
| Straight | Hold Straight | 1. One should keep the four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep a Straight over four to a Royal Flush. He/she should keep the four to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep four to a Straight Flush over a Straight. Instead, he/she should keep the Straight. |
| Three of a Kind | Hold Three of a Kind | None | None |
| Two Pair | Hold Two Pair | 1. One should keep a Pair of Aces. | 1. One should never keep Two Pair over a Pair of Aces. He/she should keep the Pair of Aces. 2. One should never keep a Pair of Twos, Threes or Fours over Two Pair. He/she should keep both Pairs. |
| Jacks or Better | Hold high Pair | 1. One should keep four to a Royal Flush. 2. One should keep a suited Jack, Queen and King, unless he/she holds a Pair of Aces. If that is the case, he/she should keep the Aces. 3. If one is playing six-way progressive Double Double Bonus Poker, he/she should keep the three cards to a Royal Flush, when the latter pays 4 955 coins or more. This is valid if there is no Pair of Aces and no Flush Penalty has been imposed. If there is a Flush Penalty, the Royal Flush must be worth 5 225 coins. 4. If one is playing six-way progressive Double Double Bonus Poker, he/she should hold the three cards to a Royal Flush, when the latter pays 7 500 coins or more and no Flush Penalty has been imposed. If there is a Flush Penalty, the Royal Flush must be worth 7 800 coins. | 1. One should never keep a high Pair over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the four to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep a high Pair over suited Jack, Queen and King, unless it is a Pair of Aces. If that is the case, he/she should keep the Aces. 3. One should never keep a high Pair other than Aces over the three cards to any Royal, when the progressive exceeds 4 955 coins and there is no Flush Penalty. If there is a Flush Penalty, the progressive should be over 5 225 coins. If one has a Pair of Aces, he/she should keep the three cards to a Royal, when the latter is worth 7 500 coins or more and there is no Flush Penalty. Another possibility is to keep the three cards to a Royal over a Pair of Aces, when the Royal is worth 7 800 coins or more and there is a Flush Penalty. |
| Four to a Flush | Hold Four to a Flush | 1. One should keep the three cards to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep a Four to a Flush over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the three to a Royal Flush. |
| Low Pair | Hold the Low Pair | 1. One should keep an Open-Ended Four-Straight with any high card. | 1. One should keep a low Pair over an Open-Ended Four-Straight with one or more high cards. He/she should keep the Open-Ended Four-Straight. |
| Open-Ended Four-Straight | Hold the Open-Ended Four-Straight | 1. One should keep the three cards to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep an Open-Ended Four-Straight over three to a Royal Flush. He/she should keep the three cards to a Royal Flush. |
| Three to a Straight Flush | Hold the three to a Straight Flush | 1. One should keep the three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should keep the three to a Straight Flush, Three and higher with 0 gaps. 3. One should keep two high cards to a Royal Flush over three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with gaps. 4. One should keep high cards over three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with two gaps. | 1. One should never keep three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with one or two gaps over two high cards to a Royal. He/she should always keep two high cards to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with gaps over three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with 0 gaps. He/she should keep the cards with 0 gaps. 3. One should never keep three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with gaps over two high cards to a Royal Flush. He/she should keep the two cards to a Royal Flush. 4. One should never keep three cards to a low-card Straight Flush with two gaps over various high cards. He/she should keep the high cards. |
| High Cards | Hold high cards | 1. One should keep two cards to a Royal Flush, unless there is a Flush Penalty. With a Flush Penalty he/she should keep the four cards to an Ace-high Straight. 2. One should keep the four cards to a Straight with two or more high cards. 3. The player should keep one Ace over two unsuited high cards. 4. One should keep the Ace and not three unsuited high cards, unless there are an Ace, a Queen and a Jack. If that is the case, he/she should keep the Queen and the Jack. 5. One should keep a suited King and Ten, Queen and Ten, Jack and Ten instead of one high card. | 1. One should never keep high cards over four cards to any Straight, which includes two or more high cards. He/she should keep the four cards to the Straight. 2. One should never keep two unsuited high cards over one Ace. He/she should keep the Ace only. 3. One should never keep an unsuited Ace, Queen and Jack. He/she should keep the Queen and the Jack only. 4. One should never discard a suited King and Ten, Queen and Ten, Jack and Ten. |
| Inside Four-Straight | Hold Inside Four-Straight | None | None |