Video Poker Strategie
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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.
- Video poker is an easy game to play at the best online casinos and it offers an easy way to play with a low house edge. Once you understand how to find machines offering a pay table with a low house edge, all you have to do is use the best strategy. Follow the simple video poker plan on this page and you can start playing in just a few minutes.
- Spinettis Basic Strategy Card for Video Poker. 4.1 out of 5 stars 8. More Buying Choices $6.85 (3 new offers) The Video Poker Edge, Second Edition: How to Play Smart and Bet Right. By Linda Boyd Jan 20, 2006. 4.0 out of 5 stars 117.
This page provides the correct strategy for every situation in Double Double bonus video poker. By using the charts on this page you can actually achieve a payout percentage of roughly 100.07% if you're playing at a full pay Double Double bonus machine. My Double Double Bonus strategy was devised for machines using the pay table below. If you're playing a different Double Double Bonus pay table the strategy won't be perfect, but it will still be good.
| Hand: | Payout: |
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four Aces w/ 2-4 | 400 |
| Four 2-4's w/ A-4 | 160 |
| Four Aces | 160 |
| Four Two's-Four's | 80 |
| Four Five's-King's | 50 |
| Full House | 10 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
Please note that to achieve the 100%+ payout percentage, you need to be betting five coins per hand. By betting five coins you'll receive a bonus for all royal flushes, which drastically improves the payout percentage in the long run.
Beginner Double Double Bonus Strategy
If you want to play with decent strategy and increase your odds without following the full chart below, you should follow the rules listed here. We've identified the most troublesome hands for new players, and advised the correct move for each hand. To use this strategy, play your normal game and make the easy decisions, and if you come upon a tough decision refer to the rules below.
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Find your trouble hand on the chart.
- Follow the chart's recommendation.
Example: Imagine you have Kc-Qc-Jc-Tc-9c. In this case you have a straight flush, but you also have a royal flush draw. By looking at the chart below, you'll see that a straight flush is better than a royal flush draw, so make sure to keep the straight flush and take your payout.
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Straight Flush » Keep the Straight Flush
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Flush » Keep the Royal Flush Draw
- Three of a Kind Aces vs. Full House » Keep the Three Aces
- Three of a Kind (besides Aces) vs. Full House » Keep the Full House
- Pat Straight vs. Four to a Straight Flush » Keep the Straight
- Two Pair vs. a Pair of Aces » Keep the Pair of Aces
- Two Pair vs. any Pair Besides Aces » Keep the Two Pair
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Four to a Flush » Keep the High Pair
- Four to a Flush vs. Four to a Straight » Keep the Four to a Flush
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Open Four to Straight » Keep the High Pair
- Open Four to Straight vs. Pair (Twos through Tens) » Keep the Pair
- Inside Straight Draw vs. Discard All » Keep the Straight Draw
Expert Double Bonus Strategy
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Start at the top of the chart and work down.
- When you see a hand that matches up with yours, follow that strategy.
Example: Imagine you have Qs-Js-Ts-3s-Jh. In this case, you'd match up with a few rows on the table below. Your hand would qualify for a high pair of Jacks, a Q-J-T suited with one penalty (the other Jack is a penalty card), and four to a flush. However, on the table you'll notice that Q-J-T suited with one penalty is higher than a four flush or a pair, so you should keep the Q-J-T suited and ditch the four flush and pair.
Double Double Bonus Full Strategy Chart
Video Poker Strategy 8/5
Here are the ranks for every possible Double Double Bonus hand you can hold before the draw. Remember, find the highest match on the list for your hand and hold those cards. The middle column shows the expected return for the specific hand. In the example column, h = Hearts, s = Spades, c = Clubs, d = Diamonds, T = Ten, s = Suited.
| Hand | Expected Return | Example |
| Pat Royal Flush | 800.0000 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-Ah |
| Pat Four of a Kind Aces w/ 2-4 kicker | 400.0000 | Ac-Ah-Ad-As-3c |
| Four of a Kind Aces | 221.2766 | Ac-Ah-Ad-As-Kc |
| Pat Four of a Kind 2's, 3's, 4's w/ A-4 kicker | 160.0000 | 2h-2s-2c-2d-Ac |
| Four of a Kind 2's, 3's, 4's | 100.4255 | 2h-2s-2c-2d-Kc |
| Four of a Kind Fives - Kings | 50.0000 | 7c-7d-7h-7s-Jc |
| Pat Straight Flush | 50.0000 | 6h-7h-8h-9h-Th |
| Royal Flush Draw | 18.4255 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-4h |
| Three of a Kind Aces | 12.3349 | Ac-Ad-Ah-Js-8c |
| Pat Full House | 10.0000 | Ac-Ad-As-Js-Jc |
| Three of a Kind Twos, Threes, Fours | 7.4505 | 2c-2d-2s-Kc-Ah |
| Pat Flush | 7.0000 | Ac-Jc-6c-5c-4c |
| Three of a Kind Fives through Kings | 5.4339 | 8c-8s-8d-9h-3d |
| Pat Straight | 4.0000 | 4c-5s-6h-7h-8h |
| Open Straight Flush Draw | 3.4809 | 4c-5c-6c-7c-Th |
| Inside Straight Flush Draw | 2.2766 | Qs-Js-9s-8s-4c |
| Pair of Aces | 1.8967 | Ac-Ad-Js-8c-5h |
| Two Pair | 1.7660 | 3c-3s-4d-4h-Ac |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5079 | Kh-Qh-Jh-4c-3c |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5049 | Qh-Jh-Th-4d-3d |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4866 | Qh-Jh-Th-Kc-2c |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4783 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Tc-4c |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ one High Pair penalty*) | 1.4690 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Js-3s |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ one High Pair penalty*) | 1.4625 | Qh-Jh-Th-Jc-4s |
| Pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings | 1.4582 | Jc-Js-2h-4c-8s |
| Four to a Flush, 3 High Cards (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5319 | Ac-Jc-Tc-3h-2h |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4246 | Qs-Js-Ts-Kh-Jc |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4191 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Jc-Ts |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4117 | Ac-Kc-Jc-2h-3h |
| K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4080 | Kh-Qh-Th-4c-3c |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.3941 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Jh-2h |
| K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.3904 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-2c |
| K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.3580 | Kc-Qc-Tc-4c-2h |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3441 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Qh-Ts |
| K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3404 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-Qc |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ no penalty*) | 1.3117 | Ac-Kc-Tc-6h-2h |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ one St. penalty*) | 1.2886 | Ac-Kc-Tc-Jh-2s |
| Four to a flush, No High Cards | 1.2127 | 9c-7c-4c-2c-8s |
| Pair of Deuces, Threes, Fours | 0.8760 | 2c-2h-6s-8c-Jd |
| Open Four to a Straight (Three High Cards) | 0.8723 | Kc-Qh-Js-Ts-3h |
| Open Four to a Straight (Two High Cards) | 0.7979 | Qh-Js-Ts-9c-3h |
| Open Four to a Straight (One High Card) | 0.7447 | Js-Ts-9c-8h-3h |
| Pair of Fives through Tens | 0.7434 | 5c-5h-Js-8d-2h |
| Q-J-9 suited | 0.7086 | Qc-Jc-9c-4h-3h |
| J-T-9 suited | 0.7021 | Jc-Tc-9c-4h-3h |
| Open Four to a Straight (No High Cards) | 0.6809 | Ts-9c-8h-7c-3h |
| Q-J-8 suited | 0.6098 | Qc-Jc-8c-6h-4h |
| Three to a Straight Flush, Open, No High Cards | 0.6050 | 4c-5c-6c-Th-9h |
| K-Q-9 suited, K-J-9 suited | 0.6004 | Kc-Qc-9c-4h-2h |
| Q-T-9 suited, J-T-8 suited, J-9-8 suited | 0.5939 | Jc-9c-8c-4h-3h |
| A-K-Q-J | 0.5938 | Ac-Ks-Jh-Ts-3s |
| Q-J suited (w/ no or one penalty*) | 0.5682 | Qc-Jc-4h-8s-2h |
| K-Q suited, K-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5666 | Kc-Qc-8s-4h-2s |
| Q-J suited (w/ two penalties*) | 0.5603 | Qs-Js-Th-6c-4s |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5552 | Ac-Kc-6s-9d-2h |
| Q-J suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5505 | Qs-Js-Tc-8c-2s |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.5500 | Ks-Qs-8s-6h-2h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.5491 | Ks-Qs-Jc-9c-2h |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 0.5466 | As-Ks-Tc-2h-6h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ 1 St. penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.5451 | Ks-Qs-Tc-6s-4d |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.5385 | Ac-Kc-5c-2h-3h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5325 | Ks-Qs-Th-Td-2s |
| Four to a Straight, Inside, Three High Cards | 0.5319 | Qc-Js-Ts-8d-2h |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ two penalties*) | 0.5279 | Ac-Kc-5c-Th-3h |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, 1 High Card | 0.5125 | 8h-Th-Qh-9c-2s |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 1 Gap, 0 Hi Cards | 0.5051 | 4h-5h-7h-9c-Tc |
| K-Q-J | 0.4903 | Kh-Qs-Jc-4c-2h |
| J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.4757 | Jc-Tc-6s-4d-2d |
| Four to a Straight, Inside, Two High Cards | 0.4681 | Qs-Jd-9c-8h-2s |
| Ace (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4678 | Ad-Tc-7s-4s-2h |
| Q-J | 0.4641 | Qc-Jh-7d-5c-2h |
| Ace (w/ one or more flush penalties*) | 0.4622 | Ah-Th-7s-5c-2d |
| J-T suited (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4590 | Js-Ts-6s-4c-2h |
| K-Q, K-J (w/ no Straight penalty*) | 0.4544 | Ks-Qc-8h-5h-3d |
| J-T suited (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.4532 | Js-Ts-8c-7c-2h |
| K-Q, K-J (w/ one or more Straight penalties*) | 0.4504 | Kc-Qs-9d-5h-2c |
| Q-T suited (w/ no Flush penalties*) | 0.4476 | Qc-Tc-7s-5h-2s |
| J-Ts (w/ 1 Straight penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.4445 | Js-Ts-8c-2s-5h |
| J-T suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.4394 | Js-Ts-7c-Ad-2s |
| Jack (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4370 | Jd-9s-7c-4h-2h |
| K-T suited (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4319 | Kc-Tc-7s-5d-2d |
| Q-T suited (w/ one flush penalty*) | 0.4302 | Qc-Tc-7c-5h-2h |
| Queen | 0.4281 | Qc-9d-7d-4s-2s |
| King (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4261 | Kc-9h-8d-4s-2s |
| Jack (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4251 | Jd-8d-5d-3s-2s |
| K-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4225 | Kc-Tc-8c-5h-2s |
| King (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4217 | Kh-Ts-8d-5h-2c |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, No Hi Cards | 0.4126 | 5h-7h-9h-2d-3d |
| Four to a Straight, Inside, No High Cards | 0.3404 | 5d-6c-7s-9h-2d |
| Everything Else » Draw Five New Cards | 0.3254 | 10s-8c-6d-4s-2h |
*Penalty cards are any cards which you plan to discard that hurt your chances of completing a draw. For example, if you have 7c-9c-Jc-8s-5h and plan to keep the 7c-9c-Jc, the 8s that you're discarding actually hurts you because there is one less card in the deck that completes your straight. However, it still makes sense to discard the 8s because you have better expected return going for the straight flush than to draw to the inside straight.
Straight (St.) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a straight. Flush penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a flush. High Pair (HP) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a high pair (a pair Jacks or better).
Playing video poker can get frustrating once you see your bankroll is headed south due to the wrong cards you discard and hold. Fortunately, you can easily find a trainer of video poker online that will help you master your skills and become comfortable in choosing which cards to hold in order to form a high-ranked hand.
A good alternative for paid training products, a video poker trainer is basically free software online that lets you practice different video poker games like Jack or Better, Deuces Wild, Aces and Eights, Double Double Bonus, and Joker Poker among others. You don’t need to download any software to enjoy the services of a trainer, because you can already begin putting your skills to the test right on your browser.
Video Poker Strategy Software
Depending on the poker trainer you choose, you will be treated to an interface that resembles real video poker machines or to a simple yet straightforward look. Picking either of the two just boils down to your personal preferences, because both will certainly provide you with the help that you deserve. For example, from the five dealt cards, you will have to select those that you wish to hold. If you have made an incorrect move, the trainer will, then, inform you which cards you should have held on. Every wrong move you make will be recorded side by side the correct ones so you can monitor your progress.
A regular video poker trainer has a pay table, five cards with their corresponding Hold buttons below, and a Deal button on the side. Now, the other available options vary across different versions. Some trainers offer users the option to reset the dealt cards and their statistics, while others even let users choose the difficulty level and pay table for each game.
So, if you want to experience what it’s like playing a round of video poker without having to suffer from every wrong play you make, then you should get your hands on these trainers first. In this way, you’re sure to master this popular game and win high payouts.