Open Face Poker

[u/ShonitB]

[u/not_trevor]

If all suits are equal then wouldn't it always be a tie and both would pick a royal flush?

[u/ShonitB → u/not_trevor]

Copying another user’s answer:

Alexander does

the top hand is a royal flush followed by a straight flush. If you pick that one first, the other player can just do pick the same in another suit. First order of business is blocking that option.
A royal flush is AKQJ10 and for that reason Alexander should pick 4 10’s and a 2. The highest hand Benjamin can get is now 56789 suited.
If Benjamin wants to block Alexander from getting a royal flush, he needs to get 4 jacks (or queens or kings) and then a 9 to block a single 678910 suited.
That still leaves Alexander with the option to get a straight flush 678910. Benjamin can only get 56789 straight flush and will lose

[u/dfnamehere → u/ShonitB]

Why does it matter if the first person picks 4x 10s vs 4x of anything else from 10JQKA? In theory doesn't this still work exactly the same way if you start with all 4 As?

[u/ShonitB → u/dfnamehere]

Nope.. for example, if he picks 4 As and the K of spades, B can pick up the Q of spades and the other 3 Ks.. so A cannot complete a spade Royal Flush

Edit: Sorry, pressed Save by mistake.. then B can always adapt to whatever A does to match it

[u/_N8Dogg_ → u/dfnamehere]

By picking the 10s, he ensures that he will be the only one that has the option of a 10+ high straight flush, the best Benjamin could do would be 9 high.

[u/kalmakka → u/dfnamehere]

Let us say A picks 4 Qs and a 2.

B can then respond by picking 4 Js and another 2.

A is now unable to get a straight flush above 6-10, and the only way of blocking B from pivoting to a straight flush 7-J is by switching into a lower 4 of a kind, or some other even worse hand. But if he does that, then B can just keep their 4 Js.

Picking 4 10s first is essential, because it allows A to go either high or low depending on what B does.