Video Poker Basic Strategy
Video Poker is one of the most popular casino games played on any gaming floor in a casino or in online casinos. It is a quick yet intelligent game for players who have an eye for playing skillfully and not just for fun because pro’s at video poker make good money. If you have the basic knowledge of the game of poker then you definitely will know how to win at video poker, but in video poker you can’t bluff and you are only playing against the casino, and not anyone else. It is a unique game and involves more skill and strategy than luck. The game is based on the 5-card draw poker and the key decision involves which cards to hold or which to discard. The game is absolutely rewarding if you play with the right strategy.
Online video poker is more advantageous as you are provided with the pay table on each game at the payout percentages are much better than at land based casinos. The game is played with the usual 52-card deck. The size of the deck may increase when playing video poker variations but the rules are however similar. Video poker basic strategy is a tool which will help you improve your game and help you play intelligently. There are many variations of video poker provided on the internet for gamers like you.
How to Play
The dealer/casino deals out five cards after you have placed your desired bets. After you receive these cards, you have the option of either holding the cards you think might help you win, or discarding the rest. Click ‘deal’ again to replace the discarded cards with new ones. Hands are now compared with the games payout table and if you win your winnings are credited to you immediately. The crucial decision you need to make is knowing which cards to hold or discard. You winnings are determined on the outcome of the decisions you make. The pay table provided in the game shows how much you win on specific hands.
Winning Hand Combination:
• Royal flush – consists of an Ace, king, queen, jack, 10 all of the same suit.
• Straight flush – five consecutive cards of the same rank.
• Four of a kind – four cards of the same rank.
• Full house – three cards of the same rank and 2 cards of another rank.
• Flush – five cards of the same suit.
• Straight – five consecutive cards of different suits.
• Three of a kind – three cards of the same rank.
• Two pair – two cards of the same rank plus another two other cards of the same rank.
• Jacks or better – a pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces.
It is vital to know the payout percentages involved in a particular video poker game but it is not the only thing to look for. If you want to win the maximum then it is very important that you also bet the maximum amount. You can win at a video poker game using a proper mathematical strategy but it will help if you know the basic rules and strategies of a game of poker. Study your poker hands as you progress in a game and learn how to make decisions on the next hand you are dealt with. Strategy charts are available for the various video poker games.
