Double Double Bonus Video Poker
Double Double Bonus, also known as 10/6 video poker, is another popular variant based on Jacks or Better. This game also uses the standard 52-card deck and offers all the same video poker fun and more. What makes this variant special is that it pays a premium for all hands containing Four of a Kind.
For instance, when you have Four of a Kind with 2s through 4s and an Ace through 4 kicker, you will receive a 160:1 payout instead of the typical 40:1 payout offered in Jacks or Better. Four of a Kind Aces with a 2 through 4 kicker will pay 400:1, rather than the usual 80:1 Jacks or Better payout. All other Four of a Kind Aces hands will see you earn a 160:1 payout. Double Double offers the same payouts as Jacks or Better for all other hands.
Double Double Bonus Hand Ranking
The list below shows the hand ranking of Double Double Bonus. The rank starts with the highest paying hand and ends with the lowest acceptable hand.
- Royal Flush
- Four of a Kind – Aces with a 2, 3, or 4
- Four of a Kind – 2s through 4s with an A, 2, 3, or 4 kicker
- Four of a Kind – Aces
- Four of a Kind – 2s through 4s
- Four of a Kind – 5s through Ks
- Straight Flush
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pairs
- Jacks or Better
Double Double Bonus Basic Strategy
Like Double Bonus video poker, Double Double Bonus is one of the few video poker games that gives you a chance to actually get an edge over the house when employing optimum strategy. The extra bonuses absolutely change the way you treat the five hands that come with increased payouts.
The basic rule of thumb for all video poker variants demands that you never break up a standing winning combination, and in Double Double Bonus, when holding Four of a Kind 2s through 4s or four Aces, you will always want to hold or draw a premium kicker. That being said, there are however very few exceptions to the rule that will require you to break up a paying hand, so as to win a higher hand.
For example, because you might break a Full House for four Aces. You would hold the three aces and discard the Pair, hoping to draw a fourth Ace. In the same way, it is to your advantage to break up Two Pair if one is a Pair of Aces. Ditch the low Pair in hopes of drawing another Ace for Three of a Kind or better when you already hold two Aces because the payout for Three of a Kind is higher than that for Two Pair.
Whenever you have a Flush or a Straight, if four of the cards are eligible for a Royal Flush, discard the fifth and go for the Royal Flush by drawing a new card. Even though the odds of getting the right card to complete your hand are 1 in 47, the possibility of winning a high payout make it worth the risk.
More so, always hold four cards to a Flush or three or four cards to a Royal Flush. Additionally, always keep four cards to an outside Straight with one or more high cards. Otherwise, hold the low Pair and discard the other three cards.
If you do not hold even a Pair in your first draw, then follow the guidelines below.
- Keep Four of a Kind, Four of a Kind with a kicker, a Straight Flush, or a Royal Flush.
- Keep four cards to a Royal Flush.
- Keep Four of a Kind Aces to kicker.
- Keep Four of a Kind 2s, 3s, 4s, to kicker.
- Keep Three of a Kind, a Straight, Flush, or a Full House.
- Keep four cards to a Straight Flush.
- Keep Two Pair.
- Keep a high Pair (Jacks or better).
- Keep three cards to a Royal Flush.
- Keep four cards to a flush.
- Keep a low Pair.
- Keep four cards to an outside Straight.
- Keep any two suited high cards.
- Keep three cards to a Straight Flush.
- Keep two unsuited high cards.
- Keep suited high cards K/10, Q/10, or J/10.
- Jack or better.
If you have any other hand that does not fit anywhere in the above strategy then you should discard it and draw five new cards.
Double Double Bonus is for Hardcore Video Poker Players
Double Double Bonus video poker is not for beginners. It requires the player to take a completely different perspective on the game and think differently than other less complicated video poker variants because the payouts are so varied. These inflated payouts are essential to strategy and the way in which the cards are played. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn, though, if you’re interested. It’s a very challenging but rewarding variation of online video poker.
