Chase the Flush

Introduction:

Chase the Flush is a poker variant where players aim to achieve a higher flush than the dealer. Its betting structure resembles Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, while its flush scoring aligns with High Card Flush. Initially observed at the Luxor in Las Vegas on August 11, 2016, it’s also available at venues like Fantasy Springs near Palm Springs. AGS markets this captivating game.

Rules:

  1. Played with a single 52-card deck.
  2. Players start by placing equal bets on Ante and X-Tra Bonus, with an optional Same Suit Bonus side bet.
  3. Each player and dealer receive three hole cards.
  4. After examining their cards, players may check or bet 3x the Ante on the All In bet.
  5. The dealer then reveals the first two community cards.
  6. If no All In bet was placed earlier, players may check or bet 2x the Ante on the All In bet.
  7. The final two community cards are revealed by the dealer.
  8. If no All In bet was placed earlier, players must bet 1x the Ante on the All In bet or fold.
  9. The dealer then reveals their three hole cards and forms their best flush hand, needing a nine-high flush to qualify.
  10. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, the Ante bet pushes.
  11. Player and dealer hands are compared, with the longest flush taking precedence. In case of a tie, individual cards are compared.
  12. Winning hands result in even-money payouts for Ante and All In bets, with X-Tra Bonus payouts according to the pay table.
  13. Ties result in all bets pushing, while losses occur if the dealer has the higher hand.

Strategy:

To date, there hasn’t been any quantifiable strategy extensively tested. In the absence of such data, a table outlining the probability of each player action could offer some guidance.

Analysis:

The provided table displays the probability and impact on returns for all potential outcomes of the Ante, All In, and X-Tra Bonus bets, under the assumption of optimal player strategy. Organized left to right by the player’s initial raise, dealer qualification, length of player’s longest flush, outcome against the dealer, net win, number of combinations, probability, and contribution to returns.