Video Poker - Strategy

Of course it is one thing to expect a profit using perfect strategy, it is quite another to put perfect strategy into practice.

Properly covering all video poker strategy would be a Homeric undertaking, and not entirely useful either. There are some basic principles which are worth pointing out however.

In Jacks or Better some useful tips are as follows:

Never keep a kicker
Never keep three cards to a straight or flush – you must always have four
Never draw to an inside straight
Never draw to four of kind if you already have a full house

The perfect system for video poker involves using a set of carefully computer generated charts to determine the optimum play with certain starting hands. The charts give you a list of the best drawing hands, allowing you to decide which cards to discard with any given starting hand.

The strategy chart for Jacks or Better is as follows:

Royal Flush – stand pat
Straight Flush – stand pat
Four of a Kind – stand pat
Four cards to a Royal Flush
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Four cards to a Straight Flush
Two Pair
Pair of Jacks or Better
Three cards to a Royal Flush
Four cards to a flush
Pair of tens or lower
Four cards to an open end straight
Two suited high cards
Three cards to a straight flush
Two unsuited high cards
One high card
Discard everything

How to use the chart is best described with an example. Let’s say you are dealt Ac-Ks-Qs-Js-Ts. You already have a straight here, but one up on the list from a straight is four to a straight flush, which you also have. Discard the Ac and draw again hoping to hit the jackpot!

What if you get dealt 6c-6s-7s-8s-9c? You could either hold three to a straight flush, four to an outside straight, or the low pair. The low pair is highest on the chart, so that is the optimum play.

There are different charts for different games, most of which are available on the Internet. Try familiarising yourself with these charts and your video poker game should improve no end. Good Luck!