Multi-Strike Video Poker

Introduction

Multi-Strike Poker is a clever video poker based game with four levels of hands, each worth twice as much as the last. However the player must keep winning to advance in levels, much like an arcade game. The graphics and sounds effects are very well done. The game also offers returns competitive with conventional video poker, assuming proper Multistrike Poker strategy.

Rules

1. The player can play one to four lines and one to five coins per line.
2. Player is dealt five cards to the bottom, or level 1 hand. Sometimes the player gets a "Free Ride" card, which is replaced after about a second with a regular card.
3. Player keeps the cards of his choice and is given replacement cards as in conventional video poker.
4. If player has any paying hand on the draw, or was given a Free Ride card, he goes onto level 2. There the player repeats the process of the level 1 hand, except all wins on level 2 are doubled.
5. Levels 3 and 4 are also obtained by either any paying hand or a free ride card on the previous hand. Level 3 wins are multiplied by 4 and level 4 hands are multiplied by 8.
6. The player wins the sum of all winning hands on all four levels.
7. The probability of getting a free ride card is indicated on the pay table screens of the game. The probabilities tend to decline as the levels progress. In the Full Pay Deuces Wild version the Free Ride probabilities are 8.25% on level 1, 7.8% on level 2, and 7.8% again on level 3.

Confused? You can play for free at the Multistrike Poker web site. No questions asked, except if you are age 21 or over.

Strategy

The first thing to know is to play all four lines and max coins per line.

The level 4 strategy, and any hand after a free ride card, is the same as conventional video poker with the same pay table. Otherwise the strategy is more conservative because of the incentive to get any paying hand to go onto the next level. For example, in conventional full pay deuces wild with no deuces, three to a royal flush should be played over a pair. However, in the Multi-Strike version keeping the pair is the stronger play because it is more likely to result in a paying hand and thus going onto the next level.

Multi-Strike Poker appendix 1 and appendix 2 indicate the near optimal strategy for the Full Pay Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better versions. Otherwise, software like Video Poker for Winners, Frugal Video Poker, and Video Poker Strategy Master can be used by adding the expected value of subsequent hands to the expected value of each hand. This is very close to 6 for level 1, 4 for level 2, and 2 for level 3.

Expected Return

The following table shows the expected return with optimal strategy for all games and pay tables IGT makes available for Multi-Strike. Permission to publish the Multi-Strike returns was given by IGT, whom I thank. I added the columns for standard video poker and the difference.

More Information

• Multistrike Poker appendix 1 shows the strategy for Multistrike full pay deuces wild.
• Multistrike Poker appendix 2 shows the strategy for Multistrike full pay jacks or better.
• Multistrike Poker appendix 3 shows my calculations for Full Pay Deuces Wild Multi-Strike.

Links

• multistrikepoker.com. Official Multi Strike Poker web site. Includes a very well done practice game.
• Bob Dancer article on Mutlistrike poker.

Written by: Michael Shackleford