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Here is a strategy card for a full pay 9/6 Jacks or Better Video Poker machine. That is, minimum payout for full house is 9 coins and flush is 6 coins. Following this strategy card on a full pay 9/6 Jacks or Better machine will give you a theoretical return of 99.54%.
The "Hand" coloumn is the hand you are dealt, the "discard" is how many cards to discard and "held" is how many cards to hold. So for example if we get a pair of 9s, then we would have "Low Pair - Two through Ten" and we would hold the two 9s and discard the other 3 cards and draw for three of a kind 9s.
Cards Held |
Discard |
Hand |
|
0 |
Royal Flush |
5 |
0 |
Straight Flush |
4 |
1 |
4 of a Kind |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Royal |
5 |
0 |
Full House |
5 |
0 |
Flush |
3 |
2 |
3 of a Kind |
5 |
0 |
Straight |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Straight Flush - open both ends |
4 |
1 |
Two Pairs |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Straight Flush - inside draw |
2 |
3 |
Pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces |
3 |
2 |
3 Card Royal |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Flush |
4 |
1 |
Ten, Jack, Queen and King any suit |
2 |
3 |
Low Pair - Two through Ten |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Straight - sequential order |
3 |
2 |
3 Card Straight Flush - sequential order |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Straight - non sequential order |
3 |
2 |
3 Card Straight Flush - non sequential order |
2 |
3 |
2 Card Royal |
4 |
1 |
4 Card Straight - non sequential - 3 high cards |
This table is based on the mathematical expected value of different draws and the above chart shows which draws will have the highest expected value for each starting 5 cards. You should stick to playing the above method exactly to achieve the best expected value and the lowest house edge. |
