How To Employ A Video Poker Strategy

Before you can come up with the perfect video poker strategy, you must first understand how it works. The idea is to get at least the minimum hand that is required for receiving a payout and this varies depending on the machine you have chosen. The better your hand, though, the more you can win - so a good strategy can tell you which cards to hold and which to exchange according to mathematical odds.

Jacks or Better is probably the most commonly played version so this is where you should start when you are learning the basics of video poker strategy. As the name implies, you only receive a payout when you get at least a pair of Jacks. You are able to exchange all five if you'd like, too. So, if you didn't get at least a Jack with your first deal, then it's probably best to exchange them all and see what happens. If you get something high, then hang onto it and hope for the best.

Of course, the strength of your hand overall will have a lot to do with the decisions that you will make. If you have only one high card, discard all the rest. If you have a suited 10-K, 10-Q or 10-J, keep those two and get rid of the rest. If you have two high cards that are not suited, then keep the lowest two and exchange the rest. Sometimes, it gets a little more difficult, too. For instance, if you have four to a flush, then always go for it. If you have only a low pair, then always go for the three of a kind.

The video poker strategy you will use can be found online and is optimized for your favorite version. Just print it out and use it and you'll always be making the best decisions.