A Look at 9-5 Triple Bonus Poker Plus — Part 1 of 3

This game returns a robust 99.80% with perfect play, is found in a number of Las Vegas casinos, and for some reason I have neither taught nor written much about the game. That is about to change.

Today I’ll discuss the basics of the game. Next week I’ll talk about some Intermediate-Level peculiarities to the game. And in two weeks I’ll discuss some of the advanced penalty card situations.

The variance on this game is 44.3, which is comparable to that of Double Double Bonus. This is certainly a higher variance than many players prefer, but at the same time DDB is the most popular video poker game around, so the variance isn’t a show-stopper to everybody.

The “problem” with the game is that four aces (kickers do not matter in this game) pay 1,200 coins. If you’re playing for dollars, that comes with a W2g. Getting a W2g has tax consequences. Getting a W2g with a royal (every 38,821 hands on average) isn’t so bad because $4,000 cushions the blow. But to also get them on aces (every 4,250 hands) is annoying. IGT makes a version that “only” gives you 1,199 coins for aces, and that’s a lot more popular with dollar players.

The $2 game, not found nearly as often, also includes W2gs on four 2s-4s (every 1,895 hands). I do not know of a version that avoids this by paying only 599 coins for this jackpot.

The strategy for 9/6 Jacks or Better is similar — but not exceptionally so. If you use 9/6 JoB strategy for 9/5 TBPP, you’ll only yield 99.38%. That’s a pretty far cry from the original 99.80%, so if you’re going play this game, you should spend some time studying first. A closer match for strategy would be 9/6 DDB (or better yet, 9/5 DDB). 

A “special” feature to the game is that straight flushes pay twice as much as they do in most other games. This changes the correct play on hands like 5♠ 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♥ but not 5♠ 6♠ 7♠ 8♥ 9♠. Numerous 3-card straight flush combinations move up in the strategy chart for TBPP compared to JoB.

The simplest strategy adjustments for JoB players to make when learning TBPP deal with aces. From aces full (e.g. A♠ A♥ A♣ 5♦ 5♠) or aces up (e.g. A♥ A♣ 5♦ 5♠), you just hold the aces rather than the entire paying combination.

From unsuited AK, AQ, or AJ, in TBPP, hold the ace by itself. An unsuited QJ is slightly better than holding the ace by itself (there are exceptions in the more advanced strategies), but A by itself is better than KQ or KJ unsuited.

Finally, since two pair returns even money in TBPP and double money in JoB, this makes a big difference in how you play 4-card inside straights. Generally speaking, you go for these inside straights more often in games where two pair gives you single money. Four-card inside straights with four high cards (i.e. AKQJ), three high cards (e.g. AKJT), two high cards (e.g. QJ98), and no high cards (e.g. 3467) are eligible to be held. Four-card inside straights with one high card (e.g. J987) are never held in this game.

Using these exceptions to 9/6 JoB strategy on 9/5 TBPP, you’re probably up to around 99.7%. In the next two weeks, we’ll get you quite a bit higher than that.

I’ll end with a 10-question quiz. It shouldn’t be too tough to figure out, assuming you know 9/6 JoB strategy and apply the exceptions pointed out above. Some of these are played the same in both games.  If you are dealt the following cards, select the correct cards to hold when playing TBPP:

1. A♥ K♥ Q♥ Q♠ 7♦
2. A♣ K♣ Q♦ J♦ 3♣
3. K♣ K♦ 3♠ 3♦ 7♣
4. A♦ Q♣ J♥ 5♠ 2♦
5. A♥ K♠ Q♥ 8♠ 3♦
6. A♠ A♦ A♣ 3♥ 3♠
7. Q♥ J♥ T♥ 9♠ 8♥
8. Q♣ T♦ 9♦ 8♣ 4♥
9. A♦ Q♣ J♥ 3♦ 2♦
10. 9♣ 9♥ 8♠ 7♦ 6♠

Answers — the cards in red or black are the ones you should hold. The ones in the yellowish color should be discarded.