Hold'em against the dealer. Make one Play raise (the earlier you commit, the bigger it is) with a coach that shows the optimal move every street.
Ultimate Texas Hold'em is Texas Hold'em played against the dealer, not other players. So there's no bluffing and the math is fixed. You and the dealer each get two cards and share five community cards; the best five-card hand wins. The skill is one thing: when and how much to raise.
Every hand you post an equal Ante and Blind (both mandatory), plus an optional Trips side bet. Then you get one, and only one, chance to make the Play raise, and it shrinks the longer you wait:
Because the raise gets smaller each street, betting big early with a strong hand is the whole game. The dealer needs a pair or better to qualify; if they don't, your Ante pushes.
Optimal play is a fixed set of rules. The coach computes the exact move every street (and on the river it counts precisely how many of the dealer's possible hands beat you):
With perfect play the house edge is 2.185% of the Ante. Since the average total wagered by showdown is about 4.15× the Ante, the element of risk (per dollar actually bet) is roughly 0.53% - competitive with the best table games.
| Hand | Blind bet | Trips bet |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 500 to 1 | 50 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 | 40 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 10 to 1 | 30 to 1 |
| Full House | 3 to 1 | 9 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 2 | 7 to 1 |
| Straight | 1 to 1 | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | push | 3 to 1 |
The Blind only pays its bonus when you win with a straight or better; with less than a straight it pushes. The Trips side bet pays on your hand regardless of the dealer (and even if you fold), losing only on less than three of a kind.
Raise 4× pre-flop with any pair, any ace, K5+, Q8+, JT (plus a few suited hands); raise 2× on the flop with two pair+, a hidden pair, or a strong flush draw; bet 1× on the river when you likely beat the dealer, otherwise fold. Correct play is a 2.185% edge per ante.
2.185% of the ante with optimal play, or about 0.53% as an element of risk (per dollar wagered), since the average hand commits ~4.15× the ante.
You only raise once, and the size drops each street (4× → 2× → 1×). With a hand worth raising, committing early bets the most while you're a favorite. Checking is for hands too weak to raise yet.
The Blind equals the Ante and pays a bonus only on a winning straight or better (up to 500:1 for a royal); otherwise it pushes. Trips is an optional side bet paying on your own three-of-a-kind-or-better regardless of the dealer.