subject: Video Poker: Strategy for Jacks or Better [print this page] Deciding what strategy to pursue when playing video poker determines primarily upon which game you are playing. Jacks or Better, for example, is one of the most commonly played video poker games out there and can easily be found at most gambling locations; however, it is not the only video poker game available. For now, though, let us examine a basic strategy for Jacks or Better that should help you reach a return of around 99% of your money over time some of the best odds out there for gambling. The first thing you should do when sitting down at a video poker machine is to examine the payout tables for each possible hand. By doing so, you can determine which hands offer the best possible payout ratio and which should be striven for throughout your playtime. Also by doing so, you can better prepare yourself for whatever play you intend to do later on and help give yourself a better understanding of what the game has to offer. Don't be afraid to always go back and reference the list as well you're playing at a machine with no other players rushing you, so take your time and think through each move before proceeding. Once you have examined the list of possible payouts, examine the hand you are dealt carefully and always go for the best possible hand from the list. Take, for example, you are dealt four suited cards and one random card that would give you a paid (such as 4s, Qs, 2s, 10s, 4, where s means the cards are suited with each other). While you could potentially keep the two four and discard the rest, hoping for the much higher probability of a three of a kind, at the same time you could also discard the non-suited queen and attempt to gain a flush a much higher payout hand on any video poker machine. While you are not guaranteed to win and your chances of coming away with a good hand are slim, the payout difference is worth the risk and you are much more likely to realize a positive return overall by going for the higher of the two possible hands than simply settling for the lesser one. Following this simple rule is straightforward and can be applied to most video poker games and by doing so, you can generally guarantee that you will retain at least 99% of your money over time. While it is true that you may lose money periodically, bear in mind that you will also be seeing significant wins as well, so do not be discouraged if you lose a hand or two. Overall, by playing this on a Jacks or Better machine a mistake in a hand being played will cost you roughly 0.08% of your cash, or one in every 1178 hands. Compared to most other video gambling machines available out there, this is an excellent option for most people, can be both simple and fun, and is a much less stressful form of gambling than many card games are for those who are looking for a break from the tables but are not interested in slots.
