I Love Casinos: Game

Bonus Six is a poker based game card game, popular in the casinos of Black Hawk, Colorado. As in five-card stud the player gets cards gradually and must keep raising to stay in or fold. The twist in this game is that if the player buys insurance initially he has the option to buy a sixth card if he needs one.

The Rules
The game is played with a single deck of cards, which is shuffled after every hand.

The player begins by placing an ante bet. The player may also buy insurance at the cost of half the ante bet. The cost of the insurance policy is never returned.

Each player receives two cards face down and one community card dealt face up. All players may use the community card as part of their hand.

After looking at his cards the player must decide to either bet or fold. If the player folds he forfeits his ante. If player bets he must add to his wager an amount equal to the ante.

All players who raised receive a fourth card.
Again, all players still in must either bet or fold. If the player folds he loses both his ante and previous bet. If player bets he must add to wager an amount equal to the ante.

All players still in receive a fifth card.
If the player initially purchases insurance and does not have a paying hand he has the option to buy a sixth card. The cost of the card is equal to the ante. If the player buys the sixth card he may make the best five-card hand among his six cards. The fee for the sixth card is never returned.
All players still in are paid according to the pay table below.

Pay Table for Bonus Six
Hand Payoff
Royal flush 1000 to 1
Straight flush 100 to 1
Four of a kind 50 to 1
Full house 20 to 1
Flush 6 to 1
Straight 4 to 1
Three of a kind 3 to 1
Two pair 2 to 1
High pair (6-ace) 1 to 1

Strategy
The player should never buy insurance.
With three cards, bet with any of the following hands, otherwise fold. A 'high card' is a six or greater.

Any pair, three of a kind
Any 3 to a flush
3 to a straight with at least 2 high cards
Any 3 high cards
With four cards, bet with any of the following hands, otherwise fold.

Any pair, two pair, three of a kind
Four to a straight, flush, or straight flush
Any 3 high cards
Note that this strategy does not apply if the player buys insurance, which he shouldn't do in the first place.