Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3 Strategy
Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3 returns 95.96% with perfect play at low volatility. The pay table and numbers below are computed combinatorially, not estimated.
Pay table
| Hand | Pays (per coin) | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 800 | 1.82% |
| Four Deuces | 200 | 3.83% |
| Wild Royal Flush | 20 | 3.68% |
| Five Of A Kind | 10 | 3.02% |
| Wild Straight Flush | 8 | 3.77% |
| Wild Full House | 4 | 35.03% |
| Wild Flush | 3 | 6.32% |
| Wild Straight | 2 | 11.73% |
| Wild Three Of A Kind | 1 | 26.77% |
Royal-flush payouts above show the per-coin value at max bet — always bet five coins to earn the full royal jackpot.
Key numbers
- Return with perfect play: 95.96%
- Royal flush: about 1 in 44,053 hands
- Hit frequency (paying hand or better): 44.5%
- Volatility: Low
How strategy works
From the five cards you're dealt, the correct hold is the one with the highest expected value — the average coins it returns over the long run. The biggest payouts here are Natural Royal Flush (800), Four Deuces (200), Wild Royal Flush (20), which shape which draws are worth chasing. PerfectPLAY computes the optimal hold and its expected value for every possible hand, so you can learn the exact play rather than a rule of thumb.
You’re reading original analysis. Every hold and expected value here is calculated in-house by PerfectPLAY.vegas for this exact pay table — nothing aggregated, nothing taken from elsewhere. These are never generic charts copied from another site.
Hand-by-hand strategy
The optimal hold and its expected value for every key decision in Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3, computed combinatorially by vpengine — not rules of thumb.
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 19.25 coins. Next best: holding 4 to Wild Straight Flush — EV 15.42 coins (margin 3.83 coins). The optimal play discards a made wild flush (pays 15 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 96.27 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 10 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild straight flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 96.80 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight flush (pays 40 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 96.48 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins (margin 93.79 coins).
3 of a kind — over a made five of a kind
Optimal hold: 3 of a kind — EV 68.15 coins. The optimal play discards a made five of a kind (pays 50 coins).
3 of a kind — over a made wild four of a kind
Optimal hold: 3 of a kind — EV 22.55 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild four of a kind (pays 20 coins).
4 of a kind — over a made wild four of a kind
Optimal hold: 4 of a kind — EV 22.55 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 21.70 coins (margin 0.85 coins). The optimal play discards a made wild four of a kind (pays 20 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — over a made wild flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 15.95 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild flush (pays 15 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 14.89 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 10 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — vs Wild 3 of a kind
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 15.00 coins. Next best: holding Wild 3 of a Kind — EV 9.16 coins (margin 5.84 coins).
4 to wild straight flush — over a made wild flush
Optimal hold: 4 to wild straight flush — EV 15.42 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild flush (pays 15 coins).
Hold two deuces — vs 4 to wild straight flush
Optimal hold: Hold two deuces — EV 14.68 coins. Next best: holding 4 to Wild Straight Flush — EV 14.68 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Wild 3 of a kind — vs 4 to a wild straight flush
Optimal hold: Wild 3 of a kind — EV 9.16 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Wild Straight Flush — EV 8.61 coins (margin 0.55 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 10.85 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 10 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — vs Wild 3 of a kind
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 9.78 coins. Next best: holding Wild 3 of a Kind — EV 9.16 coins (margin 0.62 coins).
4 to a Straight Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 4 to a Straight Flush — EV 5.95 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins (margin 3.26 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 6.36 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 2.55 coins (margin 3.81 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 6.29 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins (margin 3.60 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 2 pairs
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 6.38 coins. Next best: holding 2 pairs — EV 3.40 coins (margin 2.98 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 6.43 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.63 coins (margin 4.80 coins).
3 to wild straight flush — equal EV vs Hold single Deuce only
Optimal hold: 3 to wild straight flush — EV 5.01 coins. Next best: holding single Deuce only — EV 5.01 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
3 to wild straight flush — vs Hold single Deuce only
Optimal hold: 3 to wild straight flush — EV 5.57 coins. Next best: holding single Deuce only — EV 5.54 coins (margin 0.03 coins).
4 to a Flush — vs 3 to a Straight Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Flush — EV 3.83 coins. Next best: holding 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 2.55 coins (margin 1.28 coins).
4 to a Flush — vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a Flush — EV 3.83 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 2.55 coins (margin 1.28 coins).
4 to a Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 4 to a Flush — EV 3.83 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins (margin 1.14 coins).
4 to a Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 4 to a Flush — EV 3.83 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.64 coins (margin 2.19 coins).
Hold 1 pair — vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.96 coins (margin 0.73 coins).
Hold 1 pair — vs 3 to a Straight Flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins. Next best: holding 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 2.62 coins (margin 0.07 coins).
Hold 1 pair — vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 2.55 coins (margin 0.14 coins).
3 to a Straight Flush — vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 1.99 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.96 coins (margin 0.03 coins).
3 to a Straight Flush — vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 1.92 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 1.70 coins (margin 0.22 coins).
3 to a Straight Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 2.72 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.69 coins (margin 0.03 coins).
3 to a Straight Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 1.63 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.62 coins (margin 0.01 coins).
4 to a straight — equal EV vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a straight — EV 1.70 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.70 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
4 to a straight — vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a straight — EV 1.70 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.67 coins (margin 0.03 coins).
4 to a straight — vs 3 to a Straight Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a straight — EV 1.70 coins. Next best: holding 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 1.63 coins (margin 0.07 coins).
4 to a straight — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 4 to a straight — EV 1.70 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.63 coins (margin 0.07 coins).
2 to a Royal Flush — equal EV vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.70 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 1.70 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
2 to a Royal Flush — equal EV vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.61 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.61 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
2 to a Royal Flush — vs 3 to a Straight Flush
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.64 coins. Next best: holding 3 to a Straight Flush — EV 1.63 coins (margin 0.01 coins).
2 to a Royal Flush — vs 4 to a straight
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.71 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Straight — EV 1.70 coins (margin 0.01 coins).
2 to a Royal Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.64 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.63 coins (margin 0.01 coins).
FAQ
- What's the most costly mistake to avoid in Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3?
- Keeping a made wild straight flush. When you hold 4 to a Royal Flush, the correct play is to break the wild straight flush and draw — that hold is worth 96.80 coins versus just 40 for the wild straight flush.
- What's the closest decision in Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3?
- Hold two deuces versus 4 to Wild Straight Flush — they tie exactly at 14.68 coins, so either is a correct play.
- Can I practice Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3 at PerfectPLAY.vegas?
- Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3 training is a PerfectPLAY.vegas membership feature. Bonus Poker 6/5 is free to try; join PerfectPLAY to practice Deuces Wild 20/10/8/4/4/3 with real-time, hand-by-hand feedback and the exact expected value of every hold.