February 2009
Playing Quick Quads For Fun & Profit By Linda Boyd
My friend Roxy and I stopped at a Quick Mart on the road to Vegas
for a fill-up and snacks. There they were, Good and Plenty, Neccos,
M&M’s, Hershey Bars, Chuckles and a bunch of other sugary treats that
were around when I was a kid. Still hot sellers too with little
change to the wrappers. (We opted for water, peanuts and bananas, but
for some reason this “eye candy” was uplifting.) Guess certain
products are just too good to totally disappear from the shelves.
Casino management is finding the same thing holds true for some old
time table games. Standards like blackjack, roulette, craps, Hold’em
and stud poker will be around long after all of us are out of the
deal. There will be some new side bet options or even more choices
during play, but you won’t have a problem finding any of the
traditional felt games.
How about video poker options? The first device was introduced by
IGT founder Si Redd and he just called it draw poker. Actually it
bore a close resemblance to the table game called five-card draw.
Each person is dealt five cards and then has a chance to draw from
zero to five new cards. The main difference is that with the video
game there’s only one player and therefore no ante or betting after
the initial deal. Draw poker is still around and just as popular as
ever, only it’s now called Jacks or Better and available in multi-
hands and denominations.
Redd never guessed just how widespread video poker was about to
become, nor did he expect all the variations of games that would soon
follow. One thing, however, has remained and that’s the enduring
player attraction to classic core video poker choices that were
developed in the early days. Several games, in fact, were introduced
over 30 years ago and are still favorites today. I expect them to be
here years from now because just like Milky Ways and Twinkies there
are plenty of customers.
Some things have come along to make these classic choices more
exciting and even increase the theoretical return of the base game.
One of those is a format option that can be applied to any video
poker game, it’s called Quick Quads.
First, some background information so you can fully compare the
standard game with the new one.
Favorites: Here are some classic video poker games along with the
rules. You’ll find many of them in your favorite Midwest casino as
well as in Vegas. You will have to play maximum number of coins to be
eligible for an 800 to 1 payout for a royal flush for each of these
core base games. Usually the max bet is five credits, but always
check before you deposit money. The pay schedule for all games is
either on the machine or accessed by pushing the “see pays” button.
Jacks or Better (JOB): Also called draw poker, it’s the very first
video poker choice to be placed on a casino floor. Many like this
game because you receive double your wager for two pair, a frequent
hand. You only receive 25 times your bet for four of a kind (quads)
so there are fewer jackpots along the path to the royal than more
risky games. You can hold on to your bankroll longer, but some find
it boring. The best version is called 9/6 JOB because it returns 9
times your bet for a full house and 6 times your bet for a flush.
Bonus Poker (BP): Like JOB, Bonus Poker returns double your bet for
two pair, but it pays more for four aces, twos, threes and fours. You
will receive less for both a full house and a flush to compensate for
the extra payout for certain quads. The best version is 8/5 BP, even
though it shorts you one coin on both a full house and flush when
compared with 9/6JOB.
Double Bonus (DB): In Double Bonus you only get even money for two
pair, but in the full pay version, called 10/7 DB, you will be paid
even more than 9/6 JOB for both a full house and a flush. (10/7 DB
pays 10 times your bet for a full house and 7 times your bet for a
flush.) You also get double the money for four of a kind, fives
through kings, compared with JOB. Four twos, threes or fours pays 80
times your bet and four aces pays 160 times your wager. Lots of
opportunities for jackpots make this a favorite of many players. It
is more risky to your bankroll, though, since two pair is a frequent
hand and four of a kind is not.
Double Double Bonus (DDB): Just like the other high risk games you
only receive your wager back for two pair but you get at least double
the amount (compared to JOB) for any four of a kind and even more for
specific quads. You should make sure the version you find is at least
9/6 DDB since it’s so risky.
Quick Quad Format: Many find learning an entirely new game to be
difficult and stick with these four favorites or one of the other
classics. (Eight of the most popular games are the focus of my book,
“The Video Poker Edge” and I have a strategy card in the back of my
book for each game. Removable pay schedules/ERs are in the appendix.)
Instead of introducing completely different video poker choices you
will find several new formats that add more flavor to the existing
games by giving you opportunities for extra payouts.
For years I’ve heard people complain that they had three of a kind
and instead of getting the fourth one, they got two cards that added
up to the one needed. Too bad it doesn’t pay for that. Well, now it
does.
Overview: First you select your favorite video poker game listed on
the machine. You should find at least one of the games listed in the
favorites section. You must play an extra credit to be eligible for
the Quick Quads feature, which means a six-credit bet instead of five-
credit max. Once you have your five dealt cards there are extra ways
to achieve four of a kind. Any time you have three of a kind and the
other two cards add up to the same rank, ace (counts as a one)
through nine, you have quads. The only three of a kinds (trips) that
are eligible are twos through tens. Just to make this game clear,
here are a few examples.
Example One: You are dealt three 5s and the other two cards are a 3
and a 2.
(5, 5, 5, 3, 2) You have four 5s because three plus two equals five.
Example Two: You are dealt three 5s a king and a queen (5, 5, 5, K,
Q). You choose to just hold the three fives and draw an ace and a
four (5, 5, 5, A, 4). You are paid for four fives since an ace counts
as one and four plus one equals five.
Multi-Hand (MH): Currently Quick Quads (QQ) is available on multi-
hand machines as well as single-hand. This means you are dealt a base
hand of five cards and play that hand plus other hands in smaller
graphics above it. The cards you choose to hold, if any, are held for
every hand you are playing even though a separate deck is used for
each of the hands. If, for example, you are dealt a pat hand like
four of a kind, you would hold all cards and be paid for each hand.
Ernest Moody of Action Gaming holds the patent for MH and so the
rules are set in stone regarding whether you must play max hands to
receive full pay on a royal flush. Here’s how it works.
3/5/10 Play: You use the menu on the display screen to select both
the game as well as the number of hands you will be playing. You may
even have a choice as to the denomination, like nickels, dimes,
quarters and so on. Once you have selected the number of games you
must play six coins in every hand so the QQ feature applies.
Example: You select a quarter three-play JOB game. You must play 18
credits per game for both the max payout on the royal flush and the QQ feature to apply. In other words it will cost you $4.50 per hand
to play ($.25 x 18 = $4.50). If you’re watching your bankroll then
you should have approximately the same bankroll as you would for a
single-line dollar JOB game.
Basic Vocabulary:
Quads: Four of a kind; for example, four 8s.
Trips: Three of a kind; for example, three kings.
Expected Return (ER): Theoretical return assuming correct strategy
over the long run. 100% ER, for example, means if you play
mathematically correct you will receive even money for your play over
time.
Base Game: The game without the special format; for example, 9/6 JOB.
Expected Return Comparisons: The expected return for Quick Quads is
better than that of the base game, making it an excellent play. Table
1.1 shows you the figures, assuming accurate play.
Game Analysis: You can see from Table 1.1 that Quick Quads is always
better than the base game. The fact that correct playing strategy is
assumed and the amount paid for quads differs from game-to-game means
the increase in expected return (ER) is not constant. In other words
there is no formula that you can use to determine the increase in ER
for all base games. It must be on a case-by-case basis.
So what does this mean to the average player? See Table 1.2. The
data in Table 1.2 tells you there are advantages in QQ for both 9/6
JOB and 9/6 DDB, but DDB benefits more than JOB from this new format.
The variance (risk factor) in DDB is slightly less than the base game
while the ER (expected return) is more. In simple terms you have less
risk to your bankroll while you have a big increase in theoretical
return. If your game is 9/6 DDB then you absolutely should look
around for a 9/6QQ version.
Base Game Deviations: One reason why Quick Quads has a better ER but
a higher variance than the base game for 9/6 JOB is that quads pay
more. Instead of 125 credits for quads (five credits per hand bet)
you’ll receive 236 credits (six credits per hand bet). The higher
payout increases the ER, but the fact that quads are an infrequent
hand also increases the variance or risk to bankroll. Strategy
adjustments include going for quads more often than in the base game.
For example, if playing 9/6 JOB in QQ you would hold a low pair
instead of four to a flush. Since correct strategy involves more
attempts for quads and the QQ feature produces more, in 9/6 JOB you
will get quads around once every 163 hands with QQ compared to around
once every 423 hands with the base game.
Playing Tips: Check Pay Schedules: Now that you’re playing more
credits you will want to make sure you find the best version of the
game. For example, you will look for the full pay version of JOB,
which is 9/6. Sometimes you will have to play a higher denomination
to get a better payout for a winning combination so take your time
looking at the paytables before you select a game and denomination.
Consider Bankroll: You should be reasonable when it comes to your
bankroll. If you normally play quarters on a single line device then
each hand costs you $1.25. You would need a similar bankroll,
assuming you select the same game, to play five-hand nickels for a 30-
coin per hand wager. ($.05 X 30 = $1.50).
Another way you can balance things if you want a better chance at
similar playing time is to select a less risky game but play more per
hand. An example would be to play more credits per hand but select
JOB instead of DDB. It’s important for you to be realistic so you
don’t lose your money too fast or spend more than you budgeted.
Bet Extra Credits: Once you’ve selected a Quick Quads device you
should make sure you play the credits required for the bonus.
Slow Down: Any time you are playing a new game or a new format, you
should take your time until you get the hang of it. If you’re playing
too fast then you could accidentally miss an obvious adjustment that
will increase your long-term results.
Play Them: Regardless of how good a game is, when they are not
played casinos eventually remove them and don’t order more. That’s
why you should play some of the good formats on the casino floor like
Quick Quads. If the 18 credits per hand is too steep for you on your
normal denomination then drop to a smaller one. For example, if you
normally play single line dollars at a cost of $5 per game, then
consider dropping to triple-play quarters (18 quarters), which has a
cost of $4.50 per game.
Multi-Points Days: Since you will be playing more credits per hand
than traditional games you should maximize both comps and cash by
playing during multi-points promotions. This means the casino gives
you from twice the normal slot points to many times the normal
points. Sometimes comps are not included, so ask if you’re not sure.
Final Thoughts: Game manufacturers realize that classic video poker
options, like blackjack and Texas Hold’em are here for the long haul.
People like these standards because just like hooking up with an old
flame or buying candy bar favorites from your sandbox days, they
bring back fond memories and there’s comfort in knowing what to expect.
Game developers have cleverly spiced up traditional winners by
mixing in some new ingredients with your video poker favorites. The
best part is some of them, like Quick Quads, increase the theoretical
return of the base game making it a good deal for players.
Several other formats already in casinos allow you to play a classic
game with an extra feature and look for even more in 2009. Gaming
expert John Grochowski says it best when he states, “more options are
always a good thing for players.” Yes, there will be a few strategy
adjustments, like with Quick Quads, but it’s a whole lot easier than
learning a brand new game.
— Linda Boyd’s book The Video Poker Edge includes free strategy cards
and removable pay schedules. It’s available in major bookstores, amazon.com and Square One Publishers. www.squareonepublishers.com or
call (877) 900-2665.
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