Videopoker strategies

Video poker is a game that has gained much popularity in recent times and is now one of the most important single player games in any casino. Its popularity has much to do with the fact that the payout rates in this game are fairly high and the player can employ a number of different strategies and use their poker skills to ensure that there is a good chance of winning in the long run.

Video Poker Odds

Depending on the game chosen and the machine that the player is using, the odds of the game vary fairly drastically. On an average however, Video Poker has a very small house advantage, with some machines even having 0 edge over the player. This means that it is possible to win against the computer every single time. This rate of winning however involves the player following the best possible strategy for that game. This means that players who do not thoroughly understand the strategy and the game-play of video poker thoroughly will have a high chance of losing, while those who are willing to take the time to study the game in more detail will be able to ensure a win virtually every time.

Video Poker Strategies

The strategy employed in video poker depends on the kind of game that is chosen. This article gives a brief outline of the strategies and game play tactics most popular version of the game: Jacks or Better video poker.
In Jacks or Better video poker, the strategy can tend to be a little complicated. The basic idea however is to hold any card that completes a winning combination in the hand. There are a few exceptions to this rule however. The most important of these are to discard a royal flush that needs another one card so that it is possible to make either a flush or a straight. Since there is ranking based on the card value, it is a good idea to keep the higher valued pairs and discard pairs with lower values. It is also important to hold straights only if the player has more than three high cards, otherwise it is better to discard them
Generally speaking, the strategy can be summarized into a few major points. The first point is that when players hold two cards of the same suit, it is a good idea to keep them, however if there are two high cards in the hand that are unsuited, then the player should discard them. The second strategy tip is for when the player has four high cards of different suits. If three are suited, then retain these three and discard the rest otherwise the player is better off keeping all of them if they are all from various suits.

The third point is that when the player has high cards of different suits, then if there is an Ace in the mix that are not in order, like an A-K-J or an A-Q-J, the player will gain most advantage by discarding the Ace, otherwise it is better to keep them all. Finally, any single card of high value should be held.