Today's puzzle is from a game that few of you play, namely Deuces Bonus Multi Strike. The fact that you don't play it shouldn't matter. If you are knowledgeable about ANY version of Deuces Wild, you should be able to figure out the puzzle on logical grounds.

First the pay schedule:

Royal Flush	800
4 Deuces with Ace	400
4 Deuces	200
Wild Royal	25
5 Aces	80
5 3s, 4s, or 5s	40
5 6s - Ks	20
Straight Flush	9
4 of a Kind	4
Full House	4
Flush	3
Straight	1
3 of a Kind	1
Max coins Return	99.45%
Multi Strike Return	99.60%

Although I play this game at Green Valley Ranch for high stakes (on 5x and higher point days only), I don't recommend it for most players. The variance is sky high, and the median loss on the $2 game to play $250,000 a month to maintain Chairman status is around $10,000 - $15,000. (When you hit a big one, though, it all comes back --- if you can survive the swings.)

Today's puzzler comes from Level 1 of this game --- in the "no deuces" section of the strategy. Usually in this game at this level, pairs are better than any 3-card royal flush. There are two exceptions to this. The puzzle for you, which I believe smart players will be able to figure out, is to figure out these two exceptions.

Let me simplify it slightly. There are ten different 3-card royal flushes, namely 'AKQ', 'AKJ', 'AKT', 'AQJ', 'AQT', 'AJT', 'KQJ', 'KQT', 'KJT', 'QJT'. Excluding deuces, there are twelve different possible pairs, namely AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, and 33. When you mix-and-match each of the 3-card royal flushes with each of the pairs, usually the pairs come out as the better play. Except in two different cases. What are they?

I suggest you quit reading now and go off and figure it out for yourself. I'll be right here when you get back. I don't mind waiting for you.

Let's first look at the 3-card royal flushes. In terms of value, the ranking is:

• 'QJT' is the highest ranking 3-card royal
• KQJ' = 'KQT' = 'KJT' are all worth the same amount, but less than 'QJT'
• 'AKQ' = 'AKJ' = 'AKT' = 'AQJ' = 'AQT' = 'AJT' are all worth the same amount, but less than all the ones without an ace.

The reason for this ranking is simply the number of straights and straight flushes possible. This ranking holds in ALL Deuces Wild games and should be common knowledge of competent players.

Now let's look at the pairs. The ranking here is

• AA is worth the most
• 33 = 44 = 55 are worth the next highest amount, and
• 66 = 77 = 88 = 99 = TT = JJ = QQ = KK are worth the least.

This ranking is only valid in Deuces Bonus and Deuces Double Bonus games and the reason for the ranking is the amount you receive for 5-of-a-kinds. If you don't play one of these games you're not used to this ranking, but a quick glance at the pay schedule should have given you this information.

While it doesn't HAVE to work out this way, if I were trying to figure out this puzzle I would take the highest-ranking 3-card royal flush, namely 'QJT', and check out what happens when I match it with the lowest-ranking pairs --- which is a group of eight combinations from 66 to KK. Since we know the correct answer is "only two combinations," is there something special about two of these that makes them worth less or 'QJT' worth more?

The answer is 'yes.' When you match 'QJT' with either 66 or 77, 'QJT' is worth more than when you match it with 88. Can you see why?

The answer has to do with straight interference. 88, for example, hurts the chances for a QJT98 straight. However hard it is to get this straight when all four 8s are still in the pack of 47 cards we'll be drawing from, it's much harder when two of the eights have been discarded before the draw. 99 and KK (along with AA, which was already excluded because it is worth so much already) have a similar problem.

The problem with QQ, for example, is that it makes ending up with 3-of-a-kind queens more difficult when you remove these cards from the deck. JJ and TT have the same problem.

The only pairs from the lowest group that haven't been excluded because of straight penalties or 3-of-a-kind penalties are 66 and 77. Since we were looking for exactly two cases, we've found them. Even in these two cases, however, we have another caveat. Both cards of the pair must be unsuited with the 'QJT' --- otherwise we have a flush penalty which is actually quite a bit stronger than a straight penalty.

Did you get it right? It wasn't that hard if you have a good foundation in any Deuces Wild game. If you missed this and you play any form of Deuces Wild, I strongly suggest you study the Winner's Guide for whichever game you play. Understanding video poker is a lot more than memorizing strategies. The Winner's Guides will give you some depth of knowledge that will teach you WHY many hands are played the way they are.

Bob Dancer is America's best-known video poker writer and teacher. He has a variety of "how to play better video poker" products, including the software "Video Poker for Winners," Winner's Guides, strategy cards, his autobiography Million Dollar Video Poker, and his two novels, including Sex, Lies, and Video Poker. Dancer's products may be ordered at www.bobdancer.com or by telephone at 1-800-244-2224 M-F 9-5 Pacific Time.