Video Poker Strategies

[Tim]

Yesterday I downloaded the free "Jacks or Better" app for the iPhone. I just hit my third four of a kind in the space of 10 minutes! I can't find the cashout button, but oh well.

Anyway, this is a question for TIME (or anyone else who knows). In your video poker strategies article you said:

Always draw to a low pair rather than holding a single high card and never keep a kicker.

What about when you have two high cards and a low pair, such as:



Do you still go for the low pair or keep the two high cards?

And what is optimum strategy on this type of board:



Keep all 3 high cards? Or just two? (I know if two are suited you'd keep them).

[Tim]

I think TIME must have missed this thread.

Anyway, here's another:



What do you hold?

[TIME]

Timmy Magic is back into video poker ... good for you, dude! If they offer Double/Double Bonus Poker download that one. I know the strategy perfectly and we can play partners when you're in town next. So, strategies differ by game (and there are a kazillion different ones) and also by pay table. Tell me what you're pay table is. I'll give you answers for Jacks or Better with a 9/6 pay table.

Originally Posted by Tim

Do you still go for the low pair or keep the two high cards?

Keep the pair of fours and toss the other three.

Originally Posted by Tim

And what is optimum strategy on this type of board:



Keep all 3 high cards? Or just two? (I know if two are suited you'd keep them).

In this case the optimum strategy is to keep the King and Queen and toss the rest. This increases the chances of pairing an overcard while giving you the best opportunity to make a straight. If you keep the ace the only way you can make a str8 is to catch a Jack and a Ten. Second best choice would be to keep all three high cards.

[TIME]

Originally Posted by Tim

I think TIME must have missed this thread.

Anyway, here's another:



What do you hold?

I did see the thread on my phone earlier today but was getting ready to board and thought I'd wait until tonight to respond.

In this case the best EV hold is to go for the straight. Second best would be the three high cards. Going for the straight gives you 13 outs which is almost 28% of the remaining deck.

Back to my first post and how the strategies change by game. In the second case of 8-2-K-Q-A if you were playing my game of Double/Double Bonus you would only keep the Ace instead of the K and Q. Very different, indeed.

[Tim]

This is a 9/6 payout. This might be why I'm on a roll.... starting with 100 credits and I'm now on 800+. I've yet to get a straight flush or royal but I've had several quads. When I first hit quads I let out a silent fist pump.... should I be worried about turning into a degen?

I can't find an app for Double Double so I'll stick with Jacks or Better.

I understand the logic behind the straight draw example I gave. It makes perfect sense. But what about on this board:



Would you hold the jack or go for the gutshot? I'm guessing in this case it's best to hold the jack.

[TIME]

Originally Posted by Tim

should I be worried about turning into a degen?

Turning into?????? Welcome aboard!

Originally Posted by Tim

I understand the logic behind the straight draw example I gave. It makes perfect sense. But what about on this board:



Would you hold the jack or go for the gutshot? I'm guessing in this case it's best to hold the jack.

... and you would be right! The other case had nine outs due to the overcards which this one does not.

[RyckyRych]

All I remember is if you can't find at least a 9/6 payout, don't play.

[TIME]

Originally Posted by RyckyRych

All I remember is if you can't find at least a 9/6 payout, don't play.

There are actually some 10/7s lurking out there if you know where to look. Certainly not on the strip where a lot of tables are 8/5. The airport is really relying on a captive audience as most tables are 7/5 ... ugly. The one thing to remember as they jerk around the pay tables is that bonuses/jackpots are not affected. It really has to do with gaining increased ammo along the way to hopefully hit a jackpot.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by TIME

The one thing to remember as they jerk around the pay tables is that bonuses/jackpots are not affected. It really has to do with gaining increased ammo along the way to hopefully hit a jackpot.

This last sentence is similar to something you once told me that changed the way I viewed video poker... that getting the small hits like pairs and so forth are just to keep you in the game longer and thus giving more opportunities to hit the jackpots. It's obvious, but it wasn't to me at the time.

[Tim]

I got this beauty today:



It was dealt straight out... no drawing necessary!