Strategies for Video Poker and Variants
Should a player use one of the strategy tables listed below, they should to analyze every hand very carefully before acting. Players should take their time, as there is no need to rush. The video poker machine could care less how long it takes a player to decide on a hand and will wait as long as it takes.
Jacks or Better
The player should hold any paying hands dealt. The only reason to split them up would be if the player is dealt at least four cards of a Royal Flush.
If the player doesn’t get any paying hand dealt, they should select the first option on the following list that applies to the hand they were dealt. A player should always hold any:
Single High Card
Two High Cards of a different suit
Two High Cards of the same suit
Low Pair (Tens and lower)
Jack, Queen or King of different suits
Jack, Queen, King or Ten of the same suit
Four consecutive cards to a Straight
Four cards to a Flush
Three cards to a Straight Flush
Four cards to a Straight Flush
Three cards to a Royal Flush
Four cards to a Royal Flush
If the player has not been dealt any of the above, they should draw a whole new hand of five cards.
Jokers Wild
If the player has been dealt a hand without a joker they should always hold any:
Paying hand with the same exception as in Jacks or Better, if the player has four cards to a Royal Flush
Pair from Two's to Queens
King or Ace alone
Unsuited King or Ace
Four cards to any Flush
Three cards to a Straight Flush
Two suited King or Ace to a Royal Flush
Three or four cards to a Royal Flush
Should the player be dealt a hand containing a joker, they should always hold any:
Pair of High Cards (Tens to Ace)
Three of a kind or higher
Four cards to a Straight
Four cards to any flush without an Ace or a King
Three cards to a straight flush
Three or Four cards to a Royal Flush
If none of the above applies, the player should keep the joker only.
Deuces Wild
In Deuces Wild it is recommended that the player always keep any:
Paying hand with the exception of four cards to a Royal Flush
One Pair / Keep two pairs only if a Full House pays the same as a Four of a Kind
Two of Ten, Jack, Queen and King of the same suit
Four consecutive cards to a Straight
Four card Flush
Three cards to a Straight Flush
Four cards to a Straight Flush
Three cards to a Royal Flush
One Deuce with another paying hand
Two Deuces with a four of a kind or better
Three Deuces with Wild Royal Flush or Five of a Kind
Four Deuces (the player’s hand can't get any better than that)
The player should keep only the deuces if none of the above applies to their hand. |
