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Video Poker Guide

Created at: 27 November 2020

Gambling with real money poses a risk and everyone must do it wisely, under his own responsibility and will.

Video poker appeared in its current form in the 1970s, and it’s been delighting advantage players ever since. That’s because, when played perfectly and with the right paytable, it can actually erase the house edge and give the customer a strong chance at turning a consistent profit. But despite this major selling point, it often goes overlooked by players who are lured in by the flashing lights and graphical superiority of slot machines.

Video poker is a game which requires decision-making skills and as such it requires you to make the right decisions by looking at the cards which have been dealt to you. Therefore, the most important thing you is to know which cards to keep and which to discard. Below, you may see a basic deuces wild strategy that will tell you what cards to discard and what cards to keep in order to have the best chances to win in a game of video poker. Make sure that you hold the cards that you have according to the basic video poker strategy below.

The difference between the basic video poker strategy for jacks or better and the one for deuces wild is that when playing deuces wild your strategy will be changing depending on the number of wild cards that you have in your hand. Below, you may see the best way to play in certain situations – which cards to keep and which to discard, depending on the number of wild cards in your hand:

  1. Five low cards.
    Discard all five cards.
  2. King and Ten; King and Jack or King and Queen.
    Discard the other three cards.
  3. Three-card straight flush.
    Hold the three-card straight flush and discard the other two cards.
  4. Four-card straight.
    Keep the four-card straight and discard the remaining card.
  5. One pair.
    Hold the pair and discard everything else.
  6. Two pairs.
    Keep the two pairs and discard the other card.
  7. Four-card flush.
    Hold the four-card flush.
  8. Three-card royal flush.
    Discard the other two cards.
  9. Four-card straight flush.
    Keep the four-card straight flush and discard the other card.
  10. Three-of-a-kind.
    Discard the other two cards.
  11. Straight.
    Hold all cards (nothing to discard).
  12. Flush.
    Keep all the cards.
  13. Full house.
    Keep all the cards.
  14. Four-of-a-kind.
    Discard the other card and keep the four-of-a-kind.
  15. Straight flush.
    Keep everything.
  16. Four-card royal flush.
    Keep the four-card royal flush and discard the other card.
  17. Royal flush.
    The dream of every player. Hold everything.
  1. One wild card.
    Hold the wild card only and discard everything else.
  2. One wild card and a three-card straight.
    Hold the wild card and the three-card straight.
  3. One wild card and a two-card straight flush.
    Hold the wild card and the two-card straight flush.
  4. One wild card and two-card royal flush.
    Hold the wild card and the two-card royal flush and discard everything else.
  5. One wild card and two-card straight flush.
    Discard everything except the wild card and the two-card straight flush.
  6. One wild card and three-card straight flush.
    Keep the wild card and the three-card straight flush and discard the other card.
  7. One wild card and one pair.
    Hold the wild card and the pair and discard the other two cards.
  8. One wild card and four-card flush.
    Keep all cards.
  9. One wild card and 2 pair – full house.
    Hold all of the cards.
  10. One wild card and three-card royal flush.
    Keep the wild card and the three-card royal flush and discard the other card.
  11. One wild card and three-of-a-kind.
    Discard the other card.
  12. One wild card and four-card straight flush.
    Keep all cards.
  13. One wild card and four-of-a-kind – five of a kind.
    Don’t discard anything.
  14. One wild card and four-card royal flush.
    Hold everything.
  1. Two wild cards.
    Hold the wild cards and discard everything else.
  2. Two wild cards and two-card straight flush.
    Keep the two wild cards and the two-card straight flush and discard the other card.
  3. Two wild cards and two-card royal flush.
    Discard the other card.
  4. Two wild cards and one pair – four of a kind.
    Discard the other card.
  5. Two wild cards and three-card straight flush.
    Keep everything.
  6. Two wild cards and three-of-a-kind – five of a kind.
    Hold all the cards and do not discard anything.
  7. Two wild cards and three-card royal flush.
    Hold everything, you’ve got a royal flush.
  1. Three wild cards.
    Keep the wild cards and discard everything else.
  2. Three wild cards and one pair – five of a kind.
    Hold all the cards.
  3. Three wild cards and two-card royal flush.
    Hold everything.
  1. Four wild cards.
    Hold the wild cards only.

Basic video poker strategy, jacks or better

Video poker is all about decision-making, no matter whether you play jacks or better, deuces wild or any other variation of the game. Therefore, the first thing that you have to learn is how to decide which cards of those that you have been dealt to discard and which to keep. Below, you may see a basic jacks or better strategy video poker strategy that will tell you what cards to discard and what cards to keep in order to have the best chances to win. Make sure that you hold the cards that you have according to the system below:

  1. Five low cards.
    Discard all five cards.
  2. One high card (Jack, Queen, King or Ace).
    Keep the high card and discard the other four cards.
  3. Two, unsuited, high cards.
    Keep the high cards and discard the other three cards.
  4. A 10 and a high card.
    Hold the 10 and the high card, in order to go for royal flush.
  5. Unsuited Jack, Queen and King.
    Discard the other two cards.
  6. Three-card straight flush without high cards or with one high card.
    Keep the three-card straight flush and discard the other two cards.
  7. Four-card straight.
    Hold the four-card straight and discard the other card.
  8. Two, suited, consecutive high cards.
    Keep the two high cards and discard the other three.
  9. Unsuited Jack, Queen, King and Ace.
    Keep the high cards and discard the other card.
  10. Three-card straight flush with 2 high cards.
    Keep the three-card straight flush and discard the other two cards.
  11. Suited 10, Jack and Queen.
    Discard the other two cards.
  12. Suited 9, Jack and Queen.
    Discard the other two cards.
  13. Unsuited 8, 9, 10 and Jack or 9, 10, Jack and Queen.
    Discard the remaining card.
  14. Low pair (10 and less).
    Discard the remaining three cards.
  15. Unsuited 10, Jack, Queen and King.
    Discard the remaining card.
  16. Four-card flush.
    Discard the remaining card.
  17. Three-card royal flush.
    Discard the remaining two cards.
  18. High pair (Jacks or better).
    Discard the remaining three cards.
  19. Two pairs.
    Discard the remaining card.
  20. Four-card straight flush.
    Discard the remaining card.
  21. Straight.
    Keep all cards.
  22. Three of a kind.
    Discard the remaining two cards.
  23. Flush.
    Keep all the cards.
  24. Full House.
    Hold all cards.
  25. Four-card royal flush.
    Discard the remaining card.
  26. Four of a kind.
    Discard the remaining card.
  27. Straight flush.
    Keep all cards.
  28. Royal flush.
    The dream of every player. Of course, we hold everything.

Advanced video poker strategy

Our advanced video poker strategy is suitable for experienced players and below, you may see situations with exemplary hands and the way you should act in such situations according to it:

Three cards to straight flush and a single high card.
You should keep the high card because the chance for you to get the other two cards to the straight flush is much smaller than to make a combination with the high card.

King and Queen/Jack and three cards to straight flush.
You’d better keep the King and Queen/Jack.

Queen and Jack and three cards to straight flush.
You should keep the Queen and Jack.

Queen, Jack and Ace.
You keep the Queen and the Jack.

King, Queen and Jack.
You should keep the Queen and Jack.

Three cards to a straight flush and two low cards.
Keep the three cards to straight flush.

Suited 10 and Jack (two cards to royal flush) and three cards to straight flush.
Discard the 10 and Jack.

Four cards to a straight or three cards to a straight flush.
You’d better go for the straight.

Low pair and three cards to straight.
You should keep the low pair.

Low pair and two cards to royal flush.
Keep the low pair.

Four cards to flush or three cards to a straight flush.
Play for the flush.

Four cards to a flush or four cards to a straight.
Keep the flush.

Four cards to a flush or three cards to a royal flush.
You should hold the three cards to royal flush.

Three cards to a royal flush and high pair.
You need to keep the high pair.

Four cards to straight flush or low pair.
Go for the four cards to straight flush.

Four cards to straight flush or high pair.
You need to play the four cards to straight flush.

Flush or three cards to royal flush.
Keep the flush.

Flush or four cards to royal flush.
Go for the royal flush.