Expert Video Poker Strategy made easy

If you’re going to be a serious video poker player, you really shouldn’t be without the WinPoker software program. There is no easier or more enjoyable way to learn how to make the correct hold/draw decision for every hand in any game.

WinPoker comes loaded with the 15 most popular games, including 10/7 double bonus, jokers wild, deuces wild, and 12 others. It’s like having practically any video poker machine right on your computer.

In Video Poker only the ranking of the hands is the same as in table poker. Since the game is played on a machine, your only objective is to get the best-paying hand. The machine deals a five card hand. You may keep or throw away as many cards as you like by activating the appropriate button underneath every card. After selecting the card(s) you want to hold or discard, press on "deal/draw." The cards you didn’t want to hold are replaced with new cards. If the new hand contains a winning combination, you get paid.

JACKS OR BETTER

Jacks or Better hand rankings and pay-outs:
The winning hands and pay-outs for Jacks or Better, from highest to lowest are:

Royal Flush - A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit. It’s the highest-paying hand in poker and occurs, on average, once every 40,000 hands. Pays 4,000 or more coins when five coins are bet. Pays only 250 coins when less than five coins are bet.
Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards in the same suit, for instance 8, 9, 10, J and Q. Pays 50 per coin bet.
Four of a Kind – A hand with four cards of the same value, such as four Nines. Pays 25 per coin bet.
Full House - Three cards of one value, and two cards of another value, like three Fives and two Kings. Pays 9, 8, 7 or 6 per coin bet.
Flush – Any five cards of the same suit, in no particular order. Pays 6 or 5 per coin bet.
Straight – Any five consecutive cards, such as J, 10, 9, 8 and 7, but not in the same suit. Pays 4 per coin bet.
Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same value, three Sevens for instance. Pays 3 per coin bet.
Two Pair – A hand containing two pairs, such as two Tens and two Aces. Pays 2 per coin bet.
Pair of Jacks or Better – A pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces makes up the lowest paying hand, (hence the name).

Basic Strategy for Jacks or Better Draw Poker:

When using the strategy tables, analyze every hand carefully, then select the first option on the list that applies to the hand you were dealt. Don’t rush – take your time, the machine will patiently wait for you to make your decision.

Hold all paying hands you’re dealt, except break up a lesser paying hand if you get four cards to a royal flush.

When you’re dealt non-paying hands, check for the following and hold accordingly:

Hold any four cards to a straight flush.
Hold any three cards to a royal flush.
Hold any four cards to a flush.
Hold any low pair (tens or lower).
Hold any four-card consecutive straight.
Hold any two high cards of the same suit.
Hold any three cards to a straight flush.
Hold J, Q, and K of different suites.
Hold any two high cards of different suites.
Hold J, Q or K with a Ten of the same suit.
Hold any single high card.
If you didn’t get dealt any of the above, draw five new cards.

Ready to try Jacks or Better? Click here for an online casino you can trust.

DEUCES WILD

The most important thing to remember when playing Deuces Wild is that the four two’s (deuces) in the deck can be substituted for any other card, for any rank, in any suit. For example, a deuce of spades could be used as the fifth card to complete a straight flush in diamonds. You never discard a deuce.

Deuces Wild hand rankings and pay-outs:

The winning hands and pay-outs for Deuces Wild, from highest to lowest are:

Royal Flush without deuce(s) - A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit. Pays 4,000 or more coins when five coins are bet. Pays only 250 coins when less than five coins are bet.
Four Deuces – Four wild cards in one hand. Pays 200 per coin bet.
Wild Royal Flush – A royal flush made up with one or more deuces. Pays 25 or 20 per coin bet.
Five of a Kind – Any five cards of the same value (includes one or more deuces). Pays 16, 15 or 12 per coin bet.

The following hands pay the same, whether they contain deuces or not:
Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards in the same suit, for instance 8, 9, 10, J and Q. Pays 10, 9 or 8 per coin bet.
Four of a Kind – A hand with four cards of the same value. Pays 5 or 4 per coin bet.
Full House - Three cards of one value, and two cards of another value. Pays 3 or 4 per coin bet.
Flush – Any five cards of the same suit, in no particular order. Pays 3 or 2 per coin bet.
Straight – Any five consecutive cards, such as J, 10, 9, 8 and 7, but not in the same suit. Pays 2 per coin bet.
Three of a Kind – Any three cards of the same value. In Deuces Wild this is the lowest-paying hand. Pays 1 per coin bet (returns your wager).

Because you have four wild cards to help make up winning combinations, the lowest pay-out is for Three-of-a-Kind. Four Deuces is a more volatile but also a more exciting game than Jacks or Better.

Basic Strategy for Regular Deuces Wild

If you’re dealt:
Four Deuces – Hold all five cards, you can’t improve this hand.
Three Deuces - Keep a wild royal flush and five-of-a-kind. Otherwise hold the deuces only.
Two Deuces – Keep any hand that’s four-of-a-kind or better. Keep any four cards to a royal flush. Otherwise just the two deuces.
One Deuce - Keep all paying hands, with the exception of four cards to a royal flush. Keep four cards to a straight flush, three cards to a royal flush. Otherwise keep the deuce only.
No Deuce:
Keep all paying hands, except hold four cards to a royal flush, instead of a lesser paying hand.
Keep a four-card straight flush.
Keep a three-card to a royal flush.
Keep any one pair (keep two pair only if full house pays the same as four-of-a-kind).
Keep a four-card flush.
Keep a consecutive four-card straight.
Keep three cards to a straight flush.
Keep any two of 10, J, Q or K, if they’re in the same suit.
If you’re not dealt any of the above, draw five new cards.

Ready to try Deuces Wild? Click here for an online casino you can trust.

JOKERS WILD

Jokers Wild is played with a 53-card deck, the regular 52-card deck plus a joker. The joker is a wild card, and can be used as any card you want. This increases the chance of getting a winning combination. On average the joker appears in about one out of every ten hands, making this a uniquely different game.

Jokers Wild hand rankings and pay-outs:

The winning hands and pay-outs for Jokers Wild, from highest to lowest are:
Royal Flush without the joker - A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit. Pays 4,000 or more coins when five coins are bet. Pays 400 per coin bet if playing less than five coins.
Five of a Kind – Four same-value cards plus the joker. Pays 200 per coin bet.

The following hands may be made with or without the joker: 
Joker Royal Flush – A royal flush where one of the five cards is the joker. Pays 100 per coin bet.
Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards in the same suit, for instance 8, 9, 10, J and Q. Pays 50 or 40 per coin bet.
Four of a Kind – A hand with four cards of the same value. Pays 20, 17 or 15 per coin bet.
Full House - Three cards of one value, and two cards of another value. Pays 8, 7 or 5 per coin bet.
Flush – Any five cards of the same suit, in no particular order. Pays 5 per coin bet.
Straight – Any five consecutive cards, such as J, 10, 9, 8 and 7, but not in the same suit. Pays 3 per coin bet.
Three of a Kind – Any three cards of the same value. Pays 2 per coin bet.
Two Pair / Pair of Kings or Aces – Pays 1 per coin bet. These are the lowest paying hands in Jokers Wild.

There are two versions of Jokers Wild games. One version returns your bet on a two-pair hand, the other (better) game gives back your money if you line up a pair of Kings or Aces.

Basic Strategy for Kings or Better Jokers Wild

If the hand you’re dealt contains the joker:
Keep all hands that are three-of-a-kind or higher, except hold four cards to the royal flush, even if it means discarding a paying hand of lower value.
(Always remember that the joker is part of the combination you’re looking for, for example two sevens and the joker equals three-of-a-kind).
Keep any four-card straight flush and a four-card flush if it includes K, A or both.
Keep three cards to a royal flush
Keep a paying pair of high cards (King, Joker or Ace, Joker).
Keep any three cards to a straight flush.
Keep any four-card flush without King or Ace.
Keep consecutive four-card straights
If not dealt any of the above, keep the Joker only.

If you’re dealt a hand without the Joker:
Keep all paying hands, except hold a four-card royal flush.
Keep any four cards to a straight flush and any three cards to a royal flush.
Keep four cards to any flush.
Keep any pair of 2’s to Queens.
Keep any three cards to a straight flush.
Keep any four-card consecutive straight.
Keep two cards to a royal flush if one of the cards is a Ace or King.
Keep unsuited King and Ace.
Keep King or Ace alone.
Keep two suited royal flush cards lower than King or Ace.
If you’re not dealt any of the above, draw five new cards.

Ready to try Jokers Wild? Click here for an online casino you can trust.