Jacks or Better Game Strategy
Following this video poker strategy is relatively simple, just look up your starting poker hand in the list of video poker hands in the table below, and then hold the highest ranking hand in the list that you are able to make. So once you have been given your initial five cards, simply begin from the top and work your way down, until you find a corresponding hand.
| 9/6 Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy Chart | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starting Video Poker Hands | Cards to Keep | Cards to Discard |
| Royal Straight Flush | 5 | 0 |
| Straight Flush | 5 | 0 |
| 4 of a Kind | 4 | 1 |
| 4 Cards to a Royal Straight Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Full House | 5 | 0 |
| Flush | 5 | 0 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 2 |
| Straight | 5 | 0 |
| 4 Cards to a Straight Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Two Pairs | 4 | 1 |
| A Pair of Jacks or a Higher Pair | 2 | 3 |
| 3 Cards to a Royal Straight Flush | 3 | 2 |
| 4 Cards to a Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Ten – jack – Queen – King (Unsuited) | 4 | 1 |
| A Pair of 10′s or lower | 2 | 3 |
| Nine – Ten – Jack – Queen (unsuited) | 4 | 1 |
| Eight – Nine – Ten – Jack (unsuited) | 4 | 1 |
| Nine – Jack – Queen (Same suite) | 3 | 2 |
| Nine – Ten – Queen (Same Suite) | 3 | 2 |
| 4 Cards to a Straight – open ended – no high Cards | 4 | 1 |
| 3 Cards to a Straight Flush, two gaps, two high cards | 3 | 2 |
| 3 Cards to a Straight Flush, one gap, one high card | 3 | 2 |
| 3 Cards to a Straight Flush, open ended , no high cards | 3 | 2 |
| Jack – Queen – King – Ace (Unsuited) | 3 | 2 |
| 2 Cards to a Royal Straight Flush, two high cards | 2 | 3 |
| 4 Cards to a Straight, one gap, three high cards | 4 | 1 |
| 3 Cards to a straight flush, one gap, no high cards | 3 | 2 |
| Jack – Queen – King (Unsuited) | 3 | 2 |
| 2 High Cards (Unsuited). If you have 3 high cards don’t keep an ace. | 2 | 3 |
| 2 Cards to a to a Royal Flush with a 10 and no Ace | 2 | 3 |
| 1 High Card | 1 | 4 |
| 3 cards to a Straight Flush, Two gaps, no high Cards | 3 | 2 |
| Other Video Poker Hands | 0 | 5 |
