Video poker is an entertaining poker variant that uses slot technology to back up the process and the entertaining nature of the poker game.
Even though video poker is almost identical to traditional poker, there are some things to consider, especially for beginners.
If you know how to play poker, then learning video poker shouldn’t be a problem for you, as you need to focus only on a few different rules like card holding.
Video poker is a game where two draws are happening and you can decide which five cards you’ll hold in your hand. You can find more details about this game here.
But this got us wondering, which are the best cards that you should hold in your hand?
How to Play Video Poker
Even though the gameplay of video poker is quite simple, here are some things to consider before choosing which cards to hold.
The first step of playing video poker is to choose your bet size. The video poker system uses coins or as most people call them credits, and you need to choose how much you are willing to bet.
Once you make a bet and hit the deal button, the first five cards will appear on your screen. From the first set of five cards, you’ll need to decide which cards to hold by clicking the button under the card.
After you’ve chosen which cards to hold, you can hit the deal button and the cards that you are not holding will be replaced with new ones. This will be your final poker hand.
So, as we can see, the holding mechanic in Video Poker is quite important and can help you make better decisions.
Which Cards to Hold?
As with any game of chance, including video poker, it is hard to come up with a straightforward strategy on which is the best way to play. Video poker is based on an RNG (random number generator), which shuffles the card at all times until you hit the “deal” button.
This means that there isn’t a way for you to know which cards will appear next.
However, we can use the paytable in order to determine which cards can potentially give you the best hand.
Low Cards Give You More Value than High Cards
If you are a poker player then you’d know that high cards are the most important cards in the game. However, the situation is different in video poker.
One of the strategies that have been proven to work is holding low pairs of cards, compared to a more valuable high card.
Even though high cards have larger payoffs and will win you more money, holding lower pairs can give you larger average payoffs and consistency in your betting strategy.
For example, if the table has a King, Queen, 8, 8, and 5, which one should you hold?
Well, most people would go for the King and Queen, but actually choosing the double eights is the better way to go.
If you choose King and Queen you’ll have an average return of 2.83 coins per five-coin bet, and the return for the lower pair will be 3.67 coins.
Deciding which cards to hold comes down to mathematics. It is up to you to calculate the chances of a card appearing on your second session.
It is also what type of win you are chasing. If you are looking to get a low pair, you should hold cards 10s or lower, or go for the high pair which is holding Jacks or better.
Final Words
There is no particular strategy that suggests which particular cards to hold in video poker. However, calculating your odds not going for the high win combinations like full house, flush or straight, will give you more consistent wins.
So, make sure to consider all cards at the table and try out different strategies to see which one works for you best in your next video poker session.
