Some time ago I gave some guides about the poker play. Sadly there was not much resonance to it.
May be it was not quite understandable (sorry), or the importance was not realized.
Therefore I tried to do it again, more detailed, and – hopefully – more understandable.
Here are pictures of the Pokertable:
- This is the most profitable (but absolutely trivial) table setting 2 moves before the table closing:
o X X X o
X T T T X
X T T T X
X T T T X
o X X X o
With
o = empty
X = cards from both hands
T = cards on table.
If you can get this, then most likely you will win in the end. It’s a typical 3-3 constellation (3 horizontal, 3 vertical on the borders).
If it is your turn, just discard! (even with lots of pokers in the hand). AI will do next move (without bonus), and after that you will get 4x the bonus from the borders.
AI is excellently programmed, but against humans still silly. AI only discards, when it must (when it has not even a pair, having no sorcerer joker), but does not discard tactically to get the border bonus.
- In midgame, there is often a situation when you have the choice to put cards horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Like in the following picture (2-2):
o X X o o
X T T T X
o T T T o
X T T T X
o X X o o
Try to put your cards horizontally or vertically, preferrable not diagonally. After that, there are 2 possibilities.
First: AI will take the other horizontal or vertical option, what brings you the first picture above (3-3). You discard.
Second: AI will take one of the two diagonal possibilities. This will lead to the following (4-3):
X X X o o
X T T T X
X T T T X
X T T T X
o X X o X
With a bold X as the lastly played cards.
Next move you either take the other diagonal option (5-3, giving you 2x border bonus): AI will also get 2x border bonus.
Or you discard: If you are lucky, AI doesn’t take the diagonal option, but the vertical one (4-4). Then you take the diagonal option, getting again 2x border bonus.
The decision is dependent on the cards ofc (table, hands).
There are always exceptions: When you have a chance to hit hard with a high gem, then hit.
But border bonuses are quite valuable in most cases, specially, if you fill the borders in a profitable way during the game (like all Jokers on one side, all Kings /Hearts on the other side).
Lets say, early in the game, one diagonal is taken already:
X X X o o
X T T T X
o T T T o
o T T T o
o X X o X
Basically you would totally avoid to take vertical or diagonal, coz that would probably give the AI a double border bonus (exceptions see above).
In a 3-2 situation (like 3X horizontal, 2x vertical), go for a 3-3, avoid a 4-2.
In early games, following often happens:
X o X o o
o T T T o
o T T T o
X T T T X
o o X o X
It’s a 2-2 situation. No danger.
Now, the other diagonal option would be a good one to take, coz you get a 3-3, with a 5-3 after the AI’s move.
Taking horizontal or vertical gives a 3-2, which is not bad, but a 3-3 after your move is always preferable.
If you leave a 3-2 to the AI, you might get a back a 3-3, which is not good at all. You have to think about discarding to avoid giving it a 4-3 or (even worse) a 4-4.
A 3-3 would look like:
X o X o X
o T T T o
o T T T o
X T T T X
X o X o X
Normally, AI is not discarding. Therefore you will get back a 4-3. Which means, you have 5-3 (double bonus). AI gives back 5-4, means 5-5 (double bonus for you again).
Its not too difficult imo. Like that, you will win against a lot of really strong monsters. Go for 3-3 !
Also look at the cards of the opponent, often you can guess what he might planning.
Having some lightning gems and play them with a good timing may also help to get most of the border bonuses.