| Playing correct strategy is very important in
Video Poker, as it can decrease the edge of the house tremendously. Below, we
list important strategies you should know when playing Video Poker, so you can
also decrease the edge of the house and play more Video Poker for the same
money. Always play with maximum coins! This is very important as the
payout for the royal flush is much higher in terms of units payout (amount you
get for $1 bet) when you play maximum coins, instead of just 1 coin. If you
can't afford maximum coins, go to a machine that has a lower coin value (instead
of playing at the $1 machines, play at the $.25 machines).
Know the paytables! Knowing the paytables is very important because
it will help you find the best video poker machines. For example, when playing
Jacks or Better Video Poker, make sure that you play on a 9/6 machine.
This means, make sure that you play on a machine that pays you 9 units for
a Full House and 6 units for a flush. There are many machines out
there, that pay only 8 or 6 units for a Full House and only 5 units for a
flush. Avoid these machines!
When holding a pair, don't hold a single "money card"! Should you be
dealt a pair and also have a single money card (like Jack, Queen, King or Ace
in Jacks or Better), don't keep this money card, as keeping the card greatly
reduces your chances of hitting 4 of a kind.
Keep winning hands dealt to you, unless only 1 card to Royal Flush!
When you are dealt a winning hand, always hold this hand, instead of trying to
get an even better hand. The only exception to this rule is when you have a
made hand, but also only need 1 card to get a Royal Flush. In that case, go
for the Royal Flush!
Don't go for the flush, when holding nothing! Should you have only 3
cards of the same suit and nothing else, don't go for the flush, but instead
either hold a money card you might have. Should you not have a money card,
throw the entire hand out! The payout of the flush too low to draw to it with
only 3 cards of the same suit.
When nothing on initial hand, hold "money cards" or throw out entire
hand! Should you be dealt a hand with no initial pair or draw to anything,
keep only your money card, should you have one and throw the other 4 cards
out. Should you not have a money card, throw the entire hand out.
These basic rules should help you decrease the edge of the casino. This is
not perfect strategy because perfect strategy varies with each game of Video
Poker, the different payout tables and can become incredibly complex. But when
using this strategy, which we think is pretty easy to remember, you are
already decreasing the edge of the house significantly.
Should you be ready to play Video Poker at an online casino, visit our
Video Poker Casinos
section to find great casinos available online. I have played at these casinos
myself and was always very satisfied with the gambling, the customer service
and the payment processing. |