Video Poker

Introduction To Video Poker

Video Poker is a game based on the five card draw poker game played in casinos. The history of Video Poker games goes back to the time when personal computers came to the fore in mid-1970s. They later became popular as people found them easier than the normal table games. The name of Las Vegas became synonymous with theses games which were played on a video display device with a central processing unit. The local casinos in Vegas offer games for everybody, ranging from high-stakes, high denomination and low stakes low denomination games. With the coming of age of technology in form of smartphones, poker became even more popular as they are the best games to play on the go.

How To Play Video Poker

Video Poker is a game which is very simple to understand and easy to play. You just need to have the coins to play and you are in. The coins (sometimes bar coded tickets) have to inserted into the machine, and Video poker bets have to be placed to begin. Then the player gets five cards from the virtual deck (The game is played digitally in absence of physical cards). Once you have the cards, you can keep or discard. The video poker is different from the table version, as you can discard all five cards. In the case of table version, you can discard up to four cards only.

After the draw is made in Video Poker, the result of the hand is recorded on the pay table. In Video Poker Jacks are the cards that rule. You will need at least a pair of Jacks to make a winning combination. The best part of the Video poker bets is that the wins are immediately paid out before moving on to the next hand. Once you have decided the final five cards that you want to keep the game is on. This is the final hand and it is a win or a lost case. The lowest winning combination is a pair of jacks which pays every player evenly.

The other winning hands in Video Poker are two pairs, three cards of the same kind, four cards of the same kind, a straight combination ( five cards of ascending number value like A,2, 3, 4,5), a flush combination ( 5 cards from the same suit), a full house (a pair and three of the same suit), a combination of straight and flush, and the royal flush (Queen, King, Jack, Ten and Ace of the same suit. The game is all about what you have in comparison to other players. If you have the royal flush it is a natural win without any confusion and rarely does any other player has it.

• Simple game of placing bets and playing with five cards.
• Five cards are dealt initially to each player from a 52 card deck.
• You can keep or discard and choose another from the deck.
• The normal rules of poker are followed except that video poker allow discarding all five.

Video Poker Strategies for winning

Video Poker is a game which is very simple and different kinds of strategies can be employed to increase the o9dds of winning. The first Video poker strategy is to understand which cards to keep and which to discard. If you are given low-value cards in the first hand, do not discard all. Most poker guides advice to keep the low pair. This will enable you to have the chance of getting a three flush or four flush or a straight flush. Always try to eliminate cards that are not near a winning combination. For instance, if you have a King, a Queen, a Ten and a 2 and a 3, then video poker strategy says that yopu should keep the higher cards and discard the 2 and three.

Video Poker is best played when you understand the probability of cards. The mathematics says that a Royal Flush is rare with a chance of one in forty thousand. On the other hand chances of a four of a kind is 24% while three of a kind happens 35% of the times. Basing your play on these probabilities will help you land a winning hand more than not. The best strategy is to learn and practice with fake money with friends for fun. In the case of online poker, you get chances to play for free and that also counts. After learning the tricks of the trade, you can try it for real.

• Be aware of the combinations that lead to a winning hand. Better to keep it handy in form of a card.
• When five cards are dealt, discard the cards that are not leading to a win.
• Calculate the probability of winning combination. Three of a kind is the most likely combination which can lead to four of a kind or a straight.

Different Types of Video Poker

Video Poker has many variations with “Jack or Better” being the most popular among all other games. Some other games that are popular are “Deuces Wild” and “Double Bonus”. Jack or Better is the most common poker with at least a pair of jacks required for a win. The payouts of this game may differ depending on casino rules. A two number prefix before the name signifies the payout. For instance, 9/6 Jack or Better means 9 times payout for a full house and 6 for a flush. Deuce Wild is a variation in which the twos are wild cards. They can substitute any other card of the deck. This game has a theoretical win percentage of 100. However, the game is rarely found in casinos. Double Bonus is a simple variation for Jacks or Better with a special bonus for the player having a hand that contains four Aces. The game is very popular due to higher payouts, and more chances of winning.

Glossary of terms

• Jack or Better – The most popular poker where you need at least a pair of jacks to win.
• Flush – Five cards from the same suit (Suits are hearts, diamonds, spades and bricks).
• Straight – Five cards of consecutive values ( Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5).
• Full House – A Pair and three of same suit (King, Queen, 2, 5, 7 make a full house).
• A Royal Flush – A combination of King, Queen, Jack, Ten and Ace of the same suit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is video poker, a machine or a table game?

Video Poker is essentially an electronic machine, which runs on a software. The algorithm of the machine is based on the five card draw poker. The rules are similar to the table game, but the game is quite different from the table version. The game is played on a video display with the game run from a centralised processing unit.

Which is the best video poker for players?

Deuces Wild Video Poker is the best for players as it has the best return for the player. However, the game is very rare and hard to find. Double Bonus comes a close second with players having a 17% advantage on the house, and the best part is this game is very common. So, Double Bonus is the best game for players keeping in view the availability and winnability.

What is multi-hand play in Video Poker?

Video Poker allows one player to play multiple hands at the same time. The number of hands allowed varies as per the machine and the casino. This feature will help in increasing the chances of a win if you are applying the probability strategy while discarding the cards in the game.

Pokiereview.nz the website that guides you to win

If you are looking for Video Poker full guide, then pokiereview.nz is the website to visit. The website has a treasure trove of information on online casino games. If you want information on the best games or the winning strategy for a particular game, it is all there. Visit today and be enthralled.