Multi Strike Poker – Video Poker Strategies

September 27, 2023 Silas Everhart

I wrote my first video poker article on a whim, focusing on Jacks or Better. I then felt that an overview of Double Double Bonus Poker was in order as video poker has become the most popular game in Las Vegas, and the strategies were different. Having explored those two games, I now feel that to complete the set; I should present the form of video poker that may exceed the current leader and become the most revered game, Multi-Strike Poker. If it’s an action-packed roller coaster ride that gets your juices flowing, check out Multi-Strike Poker.

Table of Contents

Maximizing Wins in Multi-Strike Casino Game

Multi-Strike is a game that parlays your wins into larger wins. There are four lines, and you start on the first one, which costs twenty credits to play when playing the maximum, which is a must. On a single-line, one-dollar machine, playing maximum credits, which would cost you five dollars – playing Multi-Strike, that first line will cost twenty dollars. If you get at least a pair of Jacks, you win according to the value of your hand and move up to the second line.

Now, on the second line, the rules are the same – you must get at least a pair of Jacks, but you are paid two times the number of credits awarded based upon the value of your hand and gain the opportunity to move up to the third line. Again, a minimum of Jacks or better is required, but if you get a paying hand, it is paid four times the value, and again, you advance up to the fourth and last line. If you get a winning hand, it is produced at eight times the normal value. In our example of playing a one-dollar game of Multi-Strike, if you are fortunate enough to hit a Royal Flush on the fourth/top line, your jackpot would be $32,000 instead of the normal $4,000. Wow, this sounds like fun!

Highs, Lows, and Rollercoaster Thrills of Variance

Multi-Strike Poker is the ultimate thrill ride for variance junkies. While the payoffs can be euphoric, there are some negatives as well. As my previous video poker articles pointed out, when the casino gives the customer something good, they take something away. As mentioned, the game parlays your wins, which means you must win on a line to proceed to the next. What if you don’t get at least a pair of Jacks? You lose, but now it costs you four times as much as the stakes you were playing. It is common to play a dollar machine and lose five or six hands in a row at the cost of twenty dollars (playing maximum credits). You would be down $25 or $30 on your single-line game, but now it becomes $100 or $120. In addition, losing five or six hands in a row is far from the record. Multi-Strike is a game of exciting highs and depressing lows. If you can’t stand the heat, don’t even consider entering the Multi-Strike kitchen!

Multi-Strike Poker: Strategies for Ascending the Payline Ladder

The optimum multi-strike poker strategies for the game are very different to take advantage of the parlay effect of the higher-paying lines. Your goal is to climb the ropes where the payouts keep doubling from one to two and then four to eight. With that in mind, the strategy tips listed should make sense. The strategies change from line to line, ultimately reverting to the normal procedure by the third line. Multi Strike can also be played in any video poker format, but this article will combine it with Double Double, which is how I play it. This is the combination to play if you want action and big payouts. If you want your bankroll to last as long as possible and are not concerned with trying to hit it big with a jackpot, then my advice would be to stick with Jacks or Better. For the rest of you action junkies, let’s look at key strategy changes for the exciting Double Double Bonus Multi-Strike Poker game.

All strategies are based on playing the maximum number of credits. The following are the basic strategies and cover most situations. The advanced, perfect plan would encompass so many unusual exceptions as to be beyond the scope of this article.

First Line Strategies

Your only goal on the first pay line is to get to the second line.

Any two or more over-cards, suited or not, should be held versus any underpair.
Any pair should be held if there is only one over card unless the card is an ace.
Deuces, treys, and fours should be held even if accompanied by an ace.
Low four straights should be ignored, while four flushes should be drawn to if they contain an overcard but not if there is an offsuit overcard. Any Jacks or better hand should be kept,t enabling you to advance to the second line.

Second Line Strategies

Again, your only goal is to move up to the next line, where the payout becomes four times normal. The strategies are the same as the first line, with the following exceptions.

Any pair should be held even when accompanied by an ace.
Four flushes should always be drawn to.
Four straights should be drawn unless they hold an over card, then keep the high card.

Third Line Strategies

With a four times payout, most strategies revert to the normal Double Double strategy, which can be read in my previous video poker article if you need a brush-up. However, since there is a tremendous upside in getting to the top row, namely, the payoff becomes eight times normal, there is one exception.

Four straights should continue to be ignored when holding any over card, while four flushes are always drawn to.

Fourth Line Strategies

Congratulations if you have reached the top line; it’s what the game is all about! There is no other line to get to that would entail a strategy. Play all holdings in the normal double-double strategy.

For those of you who have already ventured into this realm of video poker, you know how exciting it can be – including the enhanced audio sounds with each line’s uniqueness. I’ve hit some nice jackpots on this game, and while never hitting the maximum of a Royal Flush on the top rope, I have a friend who cashed for the $32,000 maximum for a twenty-dollar investment. Now that my friends are what I call a parlay!