VIDEO POKER STRATEGIES

General Strategies

• Holding a kicker to any pair reduces your return by 5%. So Never keep a kicker with any pair.
• Never draw four cards if you can draw three to a royal flush.
• Always keep five-card winning pat hands with on exception: if you can, draw one card to a royal.
• Don't break a flush even if you can draw one to a straight flush, but always break a flush to draw to a royal.
• Never break a straight to draw to a straight flush.
• Never draw five if you have a jack or better.
• Don't keep a ten for a four card draw.

Deuces Wild Strategies

• It should go without saying you should always hold any 5 of a kind or royal flush.
• If you are dealt four 2's: hold them.
• If you've got three 2's keep them.
• If you are dealt two 2's ... 

1. hold any made straight, five of a kind or royal flush.
2. hold any 4 of a kind.
3. hold any 4 of a royal flush.
4. otherwise, keep the 2's and discard the rest.

• If you've only been dealt a single 2, keep any made hand as follows ...

1. hold four card royal flushes over made straights, flushes and straight flushes.
2. keep four card straight flushes of all types.
3. hold three card royal flushes .
4. pairs: with two pair, keep one, but not both.
5. hold four card flushes.
6. hold four card straights.
7. hold three card straight flushes, including gaps.
8. hold four card inside straights.
9. hang on to two card Q or J high straight flushes.
10. discard two card royal flushes.

More on Video Poker Strategies