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EXACT ANSWER · 9/6 JACKS OR BETTER

Break a made flush for 4 to a royal?

Yes — break it. Exact EVs on 9/6 Jacks or Better: the 4-card royal draw is worth 18.4255 per coin vs 6.0000 for keeping the flush. It's the most profitable 'break a made hand' play in the game.

The exact numbers — A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 7♠

HoldEV per coinvs best
4 to a royal (A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠)18.4255best
Pat flush (keep all five)6.0000−12.4255

EVs are exact — every possible draw enumerated, not simulated — at max bet on 9/6 Jacks or Better. Check it yourself: the analyzer runs the same solver in your browser.

See all 32 holds of this hand ranked

Why

One card in 47 completes an 800-coin royal — that chance alone is worth 17 coins, before counting the straights, flushes, and high pairs the draw still makes. Giving up a sure 6 to triple your average return is the rare gamble the math loves.

Chart line #2 of 18 (4 to a royal) outranks every made hand except the royal itself and a straight flush. See the full solver-optimized strategy chart, or drill hands with exact-EV feedback until plays like this are automatic.

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