Although Video Poker is based on the card game applying the strategy you would use for the real thing is not your best policy, later on this page you will find a table of the best action to take when presented with any given hand, but first lets have a quick rundown of how you play a typical video poker game. For an initial stake 5 cards are displayed, you can then change 1 or more of the cards, the payout is made purely on the hand you have, no bluffing or bidding your opponents into the ground. Generally two pairs pays even money a pair of Jacks or better will give you your original bet back, but this does vary from casino to casino so always check the payout table before you play.
Some gerenal rules on what to keep are always draw 1 card to a royal flush, unless you already have a straight flush never break up a full house don’t break up a straight or flush to draw to a straight flush except to a royal flush you should draw to eight-way straight flushes, which are four consecutive cards of th sam suit, in preference to a high pair a three-card royal flush is a better draw than four to a flush draw to a low pair, rather than four to a straight, the only exception being a king high eight-way straight draw to any three card straight flush, rather than two honours if you have 2 or 3 honours of different suits draw 3 cards (if you can keep 2 of the same suit, then do so), given the choice keep the low honours (JQ is better than JA)
Next comes a table which shows the best action to take for a given hand if the hand matches more than one of those listed below take the action highest on the table.
Hand Action Royal Flush stick Straight Flush stick Four of a kind stick Any four to a Royal flush draw
1 Other Flushes stick Full House stick Triplets draw 2 Other straights stick 8-way straight flush draw 1 two pairs draw 1 4-way (inside) straight flush draw 1 pair of aces draw 3 pair of kings draw 3 pair of queens draw 3 QJ10 of same suit draw 2 KQJ of same suit draw 2 pair of jacks draw 3 other 3 card royal draw 2 four flush draw 1 eight-way straight draw 1 lower pair draw 3 3-card straight flush draw 2 AKQJ high draw 1 three honour inside straight draw 1 three honours not same suit draw 3 two honours – same suit draw 3 two honours – not same suit draw 3 jack high draw 4 queen high draw 4 king high draw 4 ace high draw 4 bust non of the above draw 5 Armed with this advice go and enjoy yourself but remember don’t bet what you can’t afford and variations on Pakarbet 88, Video Poker like Joker Poker and Deuces Wild chance the odds again so the above table may not apply, Good Luck!