Jacks Or Better Strategy
Jacks or Better Strategy Understand all combinations and see how close your hand is to winning them. If you require more than 2 cards to achieve the combination, it is better to try for other options. When you have a pair of cards, calculate the odds and decide to hold or break them. Jacks or Better is a video poker game where the lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks. In Jacks or Better strategy, the aim is to at least have two Jacks in your hand or better, hence the name Jacks or Better. It follows rules similar to five card draw poker. In Jacks or Better, or any other video poker game, you have 1 to 5 coins to play with.
- Jacks or Better is was the first variant of video poker to be produced, which is why its play closely resembles the original Draw Poker game. As in most online video poker games, a hand of Jacks or Better begins with the player’s bet. He is then dealt five cards which he may keep or discard in search of a better hand at his choice.
- Jacks or Better Strategy. This section covers some important strategies used by expert players to make the most of their time and money in Jacks or Better poker. The game's RTP, or return to player percentage, is 99.46% on a full pay game. This means the house edge.
- Explanation of Simplified Playing Strategy for Jacks or Better. The chart above lists the hierarchy of hands to be played in Jacks or Better video poker games. The higher the hand is in the chart, the greater its value. For example, Three of a Kind is ranked higher than a.
Jacks or Better Short-term Playing Strategy
The following is taken from Power Video Poker,
the Only Video Poker Book You'll Ever Need!
The following chart shows the Simplified Playing Strategy for all versions of Jacks of Better video poker.While this playing strategy was developed for short-term play, you may use it for long-term play as well giving up only a few hundreds of a percent of potential return.
Simplified Playing Strategy for Jacks or Better
Hand to be held | Cards held | Cards drawn |
5 | 0 | |
Straight Flush | 5 | 0 |
Four of a Kind | 5 | 0 |
Full House | 5 | 0 |
Four to a Royal Flush | 4 | 1 |
Flush | 5 | 0 |
Three of a Kind | 3 | 2 |
Straight | 5 | 0 |
Four to a Straight Flush | 4 | 1 |
Two Pair | 4 | 1 |
High Pair | 2 | 3 |
Three to a Royal Flush | 3 | 2 |
Four to a Flush | 4 | 1 |
Low Pair | 2 | 3 |
Four to a Straight | 4 | 1 |
Three to a Straight Flush | 3 | 2 |
Two to a Royal Flush | 2 | 3 |
Two High Cards | 2 | 3 |
One High Card | 1 | 4 |
Nothing | 0 | 5 |
Explanation of Simplified Playing Strategy for Jacks or Better
The chart above lists the hierarchy of hands to be played in Jacks or Better video poker games.The higher the hand is in the chart, the greater its value.For example, Three of a Kind is ranked higher than a Straight and Two Pair outranks a High Pair.
Hand to be Held- Refers to the hand dealt to you with the first five cards.You will always keep a hand that is closer to the top of the chart.
Cards Held – the number of cards you will keep of the original cards dealt.
Cards Drawn – the number of card you will draw.For example, if you are dealt a High Pair, keep the pair and draw three cards.
Explanation of terms:
1.The term high refers to any card ranked Jack or higher.The term low refers to cards less than a Jack in value.Ace, King, Queen and Jack are high cards.2 through 10 are low cards.
2.A Royal Flush is refers to five sequential cards of the same suit staring with a 10 and ending with an Ace.For example, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of spades.This is the top hand for Jacks of Better.
3.A Straight Flush refers to five sequential cards of the same suit but not starting with a 10 and ending with an Ace.For example, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack of hearts.
4.Four of a Kind refers to four cards of the same number or picture card.For example, four 2s or four Kings.
5.Full House consists of a hand with three cards of the same number or same picture card and two cards of the same number or same picture card.For example, three 6s and two Queens.
6.Four to a Royal Flush means that you have four of the five cards needed to make a Royal Flush.For example, if you have Jack, Queen, King and Ace of diamonds.In this case you only need one card, the Ten of diamonds to complete the Royal Flush.
7.Flush consists of five card of the same suit.For example 2 4 5 8 9 and Jack of spades.
8.Three of a Kind is three cards of the same number or same picture card.For example, three Jacks or three 7s.
9.Straight is five cards all in sequential order but not of the same suit.For example, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 or mixed suits.
10.Four to a Straight Flush means that you have four of the five cards needed to make a Straight Flush.For example, if you have 4, 5, 6 and 7 of spades.
11.Two Pair refers to two pairs of the card of the same number or card picture.For example, two 4s and two 9s.
12.High Pair is a pair of cards valued Jack or Higher.For example, a pair of Jacks or a pair of Kings
13.Three to a Royal Flush means that you have three of the five cards needed to make a Royal Flush.
14.Four to a Flush consists of four cards of the same suit.For example, 4, 7, 9 and Jack of diamonds.
15.Low Pair is two of the same cards valued ten or lower.For example two 5s or two 9s.
16.Four to a Straight consists of four cards in order but not of the same suit.For example 4,5, 6 and 7 of mixed suits.
17.Three to a Straight Flush means that you have three cards in order and of the same suit to make a Straight Flush.For example, 3, 4, 5 or hearts or 5, 6, 7 of clubs.
18.Two to a Royal Flush means you have two of the cards in order of the same suit to secure a Royal Flush.For example, a Queen and King of hearts or a Jack and Queen of spades.
19.Two High Cards means two cards which are not a pair valued as Jacks or better.For example, Jack, Ace.
20.One High Card refers to one card ranked Jack or better.For example, if you have one King or just one Ace.
21.Nothing means that none of your cards will make any of the hands mentioned above in the first five cards dealt to you.
Let’s take another look at the playing chart and consider some of the decisions you will have to make when you follow this playing strategy.
1.Whenever you hold Four Cards to a Royal Flush discard the fifth card even if that card gives you a flush or a pair.
2.A High Pair, Three of a Kind, a Straight and a Flush all outrank Three to a Royal Flush.Play the Three to a Royal Flush when you have lesser hands such as Four to a Flush or a Low Pair.
3.With Two Cards to a Royal Flush keep Four to a Straight, Four to a Flush or a High Pair.Otherwise, go for the Royal Flush.
4.Never break up a made Straight or a Flush, unless one card gives you a chance to make a Royal Flush.Another way of saying this is that you will give up a Straight or Flush if you only need only card to make a Royal Flush.
5.Keep a High Pair over Four to a Straight or Four to a Flush.
6.You will never break up Four of a Kind, a Full House,Three of a Kind or Two Pair.The worthless cards for the last two hands will be discarded.
7.Always keep a High Pair unless you have Four Cards to a Royal Flush or Four to a Straight Flush.
8.Keep a Low Pair over Four to a Straight or Three to a Straight Flush.However, you will discard them in favor or Four to a Flush or Three or Four to a Royal Flush.
9.If you are dealt an unmade hand you will try to improve them in the following order:
Four to a Royal Flush and Straight Flush, Three to a Royal Flush, Four to a Flush, Four to a Straight, Three to a Straight Flush, Two to a Royal Flush, Two High Cards and one High Card.Any of these nonpaying hands can, with the right draws, turn into winning hands.
Jacks Or Better Strategy Pdf
10.Lacking any of the above, that is numbered cards 1 to 9, with no card Jack or higher, discard all of the cards and draw five fresh ones.
This strategy can be applied to the
following versions of Jacks or Better:
1.Jacks or Better
2.Bonus Poker
3.Bonus Poker Deluxe
4.White Hot Aces Bonus Poker
5.Double Bonus Poker
6.Double Double Bonus Poker
7.Triple Bonus Bonus Poker
8.Triple Bonus Jacks or Better
9.Super Double Bonus Poker
Instant Access to the Power Video Poker Strategy
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Bob Dancer's Video Poker For Winners!
Although a video poker machine may look like a slot machine, there's a huge difference. Video poker is a game of skill in which the player has an influence on the win or lose outcome. Luck plays a part in which cards are dealt, but the ones you keep and the ones you throw away are very important to your overall chance of winning.
For each version of video poker machine out in casinos or online, there is an optimal strategy for playing video poker. The good news is that computer wizards have figured out the best strategy by calculating the expected value of each hand. The bad news is that for a 52 card deck there are 134,459 unique poker hands and potential decisions to be made, and that's way too many to try to memorize. With that many possible outcomes, it comes down to more of an art than a science to distill the most accurate rules and strategy. There isn't always total agreement on the best plays, but what we present below is a combination of three popular systems. We'll use a Jacks or Better 9/6 machine for this example.
One term that might need explaining is the idea of a gap. This term was first introduced by Jeff Lotspiech on his video poker pages in 1995. Here's how he described this concept in the original article:
“Now would be as good a time as any to discuss how to count gaps in three-card straight flushes. These hands are a bit of a dilemma, because the standard terminology of poker no longer suffices to describe the possibilities. In the table game, where the only interesting hand is a four-card straight, you have inside straights and outside straights. When you only hold three cards, there are two types of 'inside' straights, and almost all video poker books use the ugly term double inside to distinguish them. Not here. I prefer to distinguish straights by the number of gaps in the cards you hold. For example, holding a 6-7-8 you have no gaps, whereas holding 6-7-9 (or 6-8-9) you have one gap, and 6-7-10 (or 6-8-10 or 6-9-10) you have two gaps.”
The way to use the chart below is to look up the hand you've been dealt and make he appropriate discards. Be sure to hold the cards that you've found on the chart.
Jacks or Better 9/6 Strategy Card | |
Discard | |
0 | |
0 | |
1 | |
1 | |
0 | |
0 | |
2 | |
0 | |
1 | |
1 | |
3 | |
2 | |
1 | |
1 | |
3 | |
1 | |
1 | |
2 | |
2 | |
1 | |
Three-card straight flush, two gaps, two high cards | |
J-Q-K-A: unsuited | |
2-card royal | |
Four-card straight, one gap, three high cards | |
Three-card straight flush, two gaps, one high card | |
Three-card straight flush, one gap, no high cards | |
J-Q-K: unsuited | |
Two high cards: unsuited (when you have three don't keep the ace) | |
Two-card royal flush with 10 and no ace | |
One high card | |
Nothing (draw five cards) | |
The real trick here is to remember these rules. It will take a while to master them all, but concentrate on the ones that have always bothered you first. For example, I was never clear as to whether or not I should hold one or two if I'm dealt only two high cards (jacks or better). The chart tells me to hold two high cards.
Another good example is when you are dealt two pair. There are 21 rules below this one. That means there are 21 other possibilities you don't have to consider. If you look above two pair, there are 9 rules that would beat two pair. However, there are only two other hands you may not have considered keeping without this chart – the 4 card straight flush and a 4 card royal flush. All of the other hands above two pair are pat hands (you don't have to draw any cards) that pay more than two pair.
So the idea is to take this chart piece by piece until you have it mastered. Even if you make a mistake, the consequences aren't dire. If you have a normal ability to recognize poker hands, but don't play expert strategy, you're probably only down 1.0% over those who do. Just don't throw away a royal flush by accident. That's a mistake you'll kick yourself for.
Here at ReadyBetGo!, we have a large selection of articles by some of the best writers in the field on the different varieties of Jacks or Better poker. If you are beginner, we would suggest you start with Basil Nestor's ReadyBetGo's Guide to Video Poker. Basil will give you a thorough introduction to this entertaining game. For a more advanced perspective, we recommend Bob Dancer and his strategy articles, including his discussions on the difficulty of learning jacks or better and comparing the difference between 9/6 to 8/5 machines. John Grochowski offers great insights on Jacks or Better variations like Double Bonus Poker and Gayle Mitchell will give you the lowdown on Super Aces machines.
Jacks Or Better Strategy Slot Machines
