Tourney Flush Jackpot - need a ruling (1 Viewer)

[dkersey]

Dear Sirs!

For last night's game, I decided to have a side pot jackpot for the highest heart flush during the tournament (in honor of Valentine's day). It was $5 per entry, including rebuys. It went well, even though the AKQ86 heart flush hit pretty early in the night and made it anticlimatic for the rest of the tournament.

However, later during the cash game, it was discussed that a heart straight flush almost hit during the tournament. Let's say it would have been T9876. A couple of guys were saying that would supercede the A high flush because it was a straight flush. While I can understand the stance, my initial reaction is that a straight flush is a different (higher ranked) hand altogether. The group was evenly split on who should win the jackpot. In the "fine print" I stated that at least 1 hole card had to play, but I didn't say anything about straight flushes.

Thank Gawd a straight flush didn't hit! I told them I would defer to the experts here...

 

[CraigT78]

I'd rule that a straight flush was a higher heart flush.

 

[RichMahogany]

The highest heart flush would’ve been the straight flush

 

[Josh Kifer]

Yup. Straight flush is still a heart flush, but beats a AKQJ9 flush IMO. A royal in hearts would beat the general straight flush too.

 

[Frogzilla]

Im against others and with OP here...Axxxx heart is a higher flush than T9876 heart. Even though it loses (not because T9876 is higher, but because it is also a straight). I wouldn’t necessarily exclude straight flushes...T9876 would beat a T6532 flush. This means the royal AKQJT is the highest heart flush.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I would rule the straight flush would win.

Think of it this way, if he had the straight flush while someone else made the Ace high flush in the same hand would you say the Ace high flush still get the prize money? It wouldn’t even win the hand.

 

[upNdown]

I’m with OP. A straight flush isn’t a higher flush than an Ace high flush because it’s not a flush at all. A straight flush is a whole different thing entirely. It beats friggen quads!
What if the award was for best two pair? Obviously 10 10 J J A would beat 10 10 J J 2, right? Well what about 10 10 J J 10? Would that win? No, because it’s a boat, not two pair.

 

[Ronoh]

I’m with OP and had the same thought as u&d before I got to his post. Hand ranking was clearly stated as a flush, a straight flush is an entirely different rank.

Yes, a straight flush is technically a type of flush but it’s not ranked as that which was stipulated. I can only assume those saying the straight flush would win wouldn’t see it the same way concerning a full house had it been worded as best 3-of-a-kind. 22233 isn’t going to beat AAAxy in that scenario.

 

[Josh Kifer]

I’m with OP and had the same thought as u&d before I got to his post. Hand ranking was clearly stated as a flush, a straight flush is an entirely different rank.

Yes, a straight flush is technically a type of flush but it’s not ranked as that which was stipulated. I can only assume those saying the straight flush would win wouldn’t see it the same way concerning a full house had it been worded as best 3-of-a-kind. 22233 isn’t going to beat AAAxy in that scenario.

Makes sense, I'm just going off his statement. The highest heart flush. A straight flush might be a different ranked hand, but it is the highest ranked heart flush.

But I get your logic too.

 

[arch3r]

I was completely in the straight flush camp would take it until the two pair/full house argument was made. Totally changed my mind. Ace high flush beats any straight flush, except the Royal.

 

[Mr Winberg]

Obviously 10 10 J J A would beat 10 10 J J 2, right? Well what about 10 10 J J 10? Would that win? No, because it’s a boat, not two pair.

I would rule that 10 10 J J 10 beats 10 10 J J 9 but not 10 10 J J Q, because I would count it as a two pair with a 10 kicker. Along the same lines I would rule that a 10 high straight flush beats a nine high flush but not a J high flush.
Edit: I'm not saying you're wrong, it's all about how you look at it.

Either way, this goes to show the importance of having clear rules.

 

[Bullets06]

Straight flush > Regular flush. Seems to qualify as long as it’s hearts as the straight flush is a higher flush than an Ace high flush! Good luck

 

[JustinInMN]

A straight flush is not a flush because a straight flush does not lose to a full house

 

[BGinGA]

Next time, just make the winning hand requirement "best heart flush or better."

Problem solved, and none of this silly stuff about straight flushes not beating flushes or a full house losing to two pair with a better faux kicker.

And for the record, the best heart flush would be AKQJT of hearts, followed by AKQJ9 (not KQJT9). T9876 of hearts would be a smaller heart flush, although it would win a normal hand as a straight flush.

 

[Eloe2000]

AKQ86 is the “highest heart flush” compared to T9876. Seems pretty straight forward to me. I would make that ruling and would not even blink. The fact that T9876 beats AKQ86 is a different matter. The jackpot was not for the best hand nor for the best hand that includes a flush, it was for the highest flush.

 

[Vintage1974]

To take the ambiguity out of things just say the highest flush of the night wins the jackpot. So if someone gets any type of straight flush from a royal on down to A2345, they win, since any combination of straight flush will always beat any non straight flush.

An alternative would be to say high hand of the night gets the jackpot. Or biggest full house, etc. It just makes life easier.

AC

 

[dkersey]

So after 24 hours, I've tallied the input here, and it seems to be about even about which would be considered higher. I can see both arguments. I loved the 2 pair versus fullhouse analogy. Clearly, this needs to be stated in the rules upfront if I do this again. I was just trying to add something different and fun. Because a super high heart flush hit so early, it was not so much fun, so I'll probably just do the overall high hand of the night.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[surfik]

Flush and straight flush are two different hands. I you would initially said that the highest hand with all heart cards wins jackpot situation would be clear

 

[halfbreed]

Not weighing in on which should win, but echoing the comments about being more clear.

I would probably state it one of these ways depending on what result you want:
Highest ranked hand with all heart cards wins
vs.
Highest flush by individual card rankings wins

And of course include the bit about at least one card needing to be a hole card to be extra clear.

 

[abby99]

The OP might want to add an example, such as: "Straight flushes are considered regular flushes. An AQ942 heart flush is higher than a 98765 flush even though it wouldn't win the hand." Or reverse it depending on which you prefer to use.

Also, state whether the hand has to go to showdown.

 

[Mr Winberg]

The OP might want to add an example, such as: "Straight flushes are considered regular flushes. An AQ942 heart flush is higher than a 98765 flush even though it wouldn't win the hand." Or reverse it depending on which you prefer to use.

Also, state whether the hand has to go to showdown.

Agreed. Clear rules are good, clear rules with examples are better!

 

[PlayerADK]

Weird jackpot haha

I agree with clear rules portion - this.

It's highest flush - assign # values and sum the total.

It's the highest flush jackpot, not high hand jackpot.

1=1
2=2
3=3
4=4
5=5
6=6
7=7
8=8
9=9
10=10
J=11
Q=12
K=13
A=14

ex:
AQ942 > 98765

14+12+9+4+2 > 9+8+7+6+5

41>35

e/ could still get annoying if this were KQJ98 flush vs A2347
A is higher flush but lower point value.

like i said, weird jackpot

 

[phdlance]

I vote for the straight flush as being a type of flush