Video Poker Tips And Strategy
Dear Mark,
Playing Jacks-or-better and using correct basic strategy,
what do I do in the following situations?
a.) A pair (tens or lower) and a face card.
b.) A pair (tens or lower) no face card.
c.) A pair of face cards with another face card.
d.) If I have flush (four cards), do I draw one and
try to fill it every time, or, do I act differently
if I have face cards or a pair?
e.) Finally, I think I read that you¹re supposed
to always bet the max on progressive machines, is
that right? Bill S
|
|
Slippery question d.)
can be a bit tricky. If you have a 4-card flush, and
a
low pair, toss the low pair overboard. If you have
a high pair, it¹s worth
keeping. If you have three cards to a royal, keep
those and drop the other
two. (Note: I always tend to keep three cards to a
royal flush over a high
pair, though many experts believe a high pair is more
powerful than a 3-card
royal. Either way, the power rating [expected value]
difference between the
two hands is minuscule.)
Two even more powerful hands than a 3-card royal or
a high pair are a) a
4-card inside straight flush or b) an open-ended 4-card
straight flush. Play
those accordingly, with a respectful nod at your favorite
saint.
As to your final question, Bill, always bet the maximum
number of coins on a
progressive machine, to get the bonus for royal flushes.
The same holds true
for non-progressive machines. Typically, with one
coin inserted you get 250
coins back for a royal flush, then 500 returned with
two coins inserted, 750
back for three coins, 1000 coins for four coins in,
and a well-earned jump
to 4,000 coins returned for that fifth coin inserted.
That escalated return
is your bonus for playing the maximum in coins.
Dear Mark,
In video poker, what is more powerful, an ace or a
Jack? Dean M.
Some players do not realize
this, Dean, but the ace is not the most
important card in the deck, the Jack is. Holding the
Jack over the ace gives
you more opportunities of making more lucrative hands
than you¹d get with an
ace; one example would be the open-ended straight.
Dear Mark,
Playing Jacks or better, which do you recommend; holding
two non-suited face cards and drawing three or picking
one and drawing four? Lee C.
Two high cards is a slightly
better hand -- (not a 10 unless suited with
another high card) -- than a single high card hand.
So, Lee, keep two high
cards instead of one.
Gambling quote of the
week: "Gamblers can be divided into three groups.
Those who win, those who lose, and those who haven¹t
a clue." VP Pappy
 Good
Casinos Home
More Columns By Mark Pilarski
Have a question? Ask Mark pilarski@markpilarski.com
|
