Rules for Playing Video Poker

How to Play

Method of Play

The game of Video Poker consists of two phases. In the first, first you place a bet, then in receive a five card hand after you push the button that is marked ‘Deal/Draw’. After looking at your hand and evaluating it, you must decide which cards you want to keep (‘hold’) and in most cases you click on them to indicate this. The remaining cards are replaced after you push the ‘Deal/Draw’ button. After the discarded cards have been replaced, you have your final hand. A predetermined payout table is used to decide your winnings which are based on the strength of your hand.
Video poker comes in several variations. Examples are Deuces Wild, Aces and Faces, Jacks or Better, and others. Combined with each of these variations is its on predetermined payout table. There may be slight differences between these types in hand rankings. The method of playing the game is in most cases similar for all variations. The strategy to be employed in playing video poker may very depending on the game variation.

Terms and Hand Descriptions

Royal Flush
A hand that contains a 10, J, Q, K, A – which are all of the same suit and color.

Straight Flush
This is when the five cards follow in proper order having adjacent values. An example would be the cards 5-6-7-8-9, where there is no wrapping (like in the case of K,A,2,3,4 which is not a straight). In addition, the cards are all of the same suit. When determining your hand you may value an ace as being either high or low. An example of an ace high straight flush would be A-K-Q-J-10, all of the same suit. A low straight flush might be 5-4-3-2-1 (ace), also all of the same suit.

Four of a Kind
this is when you are holding four cards of the same value in addition to a 5 th. An example would be 6,J,J,J,J, or 10,A,A,A,A , or 3,9,9,9,9.

Full House
A Full House is a hand that contains three cards that have the same value such as AAA, or 999, plus another 2 cards that are also of similar value, or a pair. Examples would be 3,3,J,J,J, or Q,Q,8,8,8 or7,7,A,A,A. What you in fact have is three of a kind combined with a pair.

Flush
When all the cards in your hand are of the same suit, you have a flush. An example would be the 5,6,8,Q,K all of spades.

Straight
When you have five cards that are adjacent and in sequence you have a straight. Here are two examples: 3,4,5,6,7 ; 9,10,J,Q,K. When determining a straight the Ace may either be counted as high or low. A high Ace would be A,K,Q,J,10, while a low and would be 5,4,3,2,1 (Ace). A wraparound cannot be considered as forming a straight as in K,A,2,3,4.

Three of a Kind
Three of a Kind is when you are holding three cards of the same value (rank), in addition to two other cards that are not paired. An example would be the following hands, all of which rank as Three of a Kind: A,A,A,4,6 ; 3,3,3,Q,K ; 6,6,6,10,A

Two Pair
When your hand contains two separate pairs in addition to a fifth card, such as in - Q,Q,3,3,K ; 4,4,8,8,A ; J,J,6,6,K.

Pair
When you are holding two cards of the same rank or value (a prior) plus three other cards that are not similar in value to the other two, or to one another. For example: A,A,4,8,9 ; 4,4,Q,K,9 ; 10,10,3,4,7

Video Poker Payoffs
The following is the payout schedule that is employed in the Video Game of Jacks or Better:

• If the final hand is a royal flush, the payout is 1 to 250 (a dollar bet would bring in $250).
• A straight flush would pay 1 to 50.
• Four of a kind would pay 1 to 20.
• A full hose pays 1 to 7.
• A flush pays 1 to 5.
• A straight pays 1 to 4.
• Three of a kind pays 1 to 3.
• Two pairs pays 1 to 2.
• Jacks or Better pays 1 to 1.