If you want to experience poker in its rawest and simplest form, video poker is a great option. The online game is just you against the computer, meaning that you don’t have to worry about bluffing or getting a read on other players.
To give yourself the best chance of success at video poker, it’s wise to stick to a basic strategy that involves trying to land the more probabilistically likely hands. However, there are times when you might want to deviate from the traditional methods.
What Is Basic Video Poker Strategy?
To be successful at video poker, you need to know a bit about the odds involved. Games like Deuces Wild Multi-Hand and Jacks or Better Multihand use random number generators to influence the outcome, but players need to choose the best cards to hold.
The standard video poker basic strategy involves trying to land hands that are more likely to appear due to their odds. For example, there’s a much greater chance of hitting three of a kind than a royal flush. Therefore, if your initial spin involves a pair, you should always hold that in the hope of getting two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.
The best way to play video poker is to hold the cards that give you the greatest odds of hitting a hand. If there are no pairs in the initial spin, you should look to hold suited cards or cards that run in consecutive numerical value. That’s because these could potentially lead to a flush or a straight.
Times to Consider Mixing Things Up
The basic video poker strategy is good when you’re playing a standard game. However, there are certain games that require you to mix things up and try a different technique. It’s crucial to familiarise yourself with the rules before you start playing any game, as there could be different features that call for a switch up of your strategy.
For example, some of the video poker games you’ll encounter have progressive jackpots. They’re a bit like the lottery, and the cash pot gets built up over thousands of machines across a network. It then gets paid out to one lucky winner. The requirement for this would usually be to land the best hand in poker – a straight flush. Therefore, if you want to go for the jackpot, you’ll need to skip holding pairs and hold suited connectors that could be transformed into a straight flush.
Another time that you might want to change your video poker approach is if you’re simply playing for fun and trying to get the best hand possible. Hitting pairs will only reward you with low returns, so it can be more enjoyable to aim for flushes and full houses.
Sticking to basic video poker strategy is good practice for most players, as you need to play optimally to give yourself the best ROI possible. However, if you’re playing for a progressive jackpot or just trying to hit the best hand possible, you can deviate from this method.
