When playing video poker hands, no one is immune to making a variety of mistakes, which usually cost money, or cut playing time. It is pointless to categorize mistakes, because in some cases, they may belong to more than one category. At times, a mistake may have something to do with a person’s playing skills, while in other cases what appears to be a mistake is not. In any case, in order to rectify a mistake, one should identify it first, while, on the other hand, mistake rectification is a good way to enhance performance.
Since there is an array of errors surrounding video poker games, we dedicate some time to discuss those related to hand play only. We should mention a few other types of errors, one should avoid. For instance, making an inappropriate choice of a game, not using a slot club card, or simply not concentrating during a play session.
The case when one’s expected value of play differs from the expected value of the ”best play” for a particular video poker game can also be considered as an error!
Now, let us see a number of hand play-related errors, which may cause one’s return to drop.
Making a Poor Prediction
Let us assume that one is playing a variation of Deuces Wild, which pays 3 coins per 1-coin bet for a combination such as a Full House and the following is dealt: 4h 4s 5d 5c Kh.
In this game a player may choose to keep only one of the two pairs, thus, they select the Fours and presses the ”Draw” button. The other two Fives and a Deuce appear on the screen, which results in a Full House. However, it offers a lesser payout compared to a Five of a Kind, and the player would have had such a hand if the two initial Fives were held instead.
This may appear as a mistake, but let us look closer.
The expected value of keeping the Fours and the expected value of keeping the Fives is one and the same. We noted above that an error in play is a situation, which reduces the expected value of a player. Therefore, in this case, there has been no error. On average, in Deuces Wild games one will be dealt Two Pair once every 28 hands. There will be cases when a person makes mostly wrong decisions, and cases, when mostly correct decisions are made on these 50/50 hands. In time, it will average out.
Using an inappropriate strategy for the pay table
Let us assume that one is playing a variation of Deuces Wild, which pays 4 coins per 1-coin bet for a Full House and they are dealt the same hand as last time (4h 4s 5d 5c Kh). The player decides to keep the two Fours once again. Now, they have made an error. With this pay table the player should have kept both pairs.
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Giving one and the same priority to all three-card straight flushes
In video poker games, where combinations such as a pair of Jacks or better pay even-money, 8 categories of three-card straight flushes are available and each one of them has a different value:
- A. 2 high cards, 2 inside
- B. 2 high cards, 1 inside
- C. 1 high card, 2 insides
- D. 1 high card, 1 inside
- E. 1 high card, 0 insides
- F. 0 high cards, 2 insides
- G. 0 high cards, 1 inside
- H. 0 high cards, 0 inside
In Deuces Wild games there are 5 categories of three-card straight flushes, when no Deuces are present:
- A. 2 insides
- B. 1 inside
- C. 0 insides
- D. Ace-low
- E. 3,4,5 which does not fit into any of the other four categories
In the strategy rankings for each video poker game, three-card straight flushes are placed in one and the same group in accordance with their strength. Two or more may be stronger than some two-card Royal Flushes and may be weaker than other two-card Royal Flushes. It is the pay table for the game that causes three-card straight flushes to be grouped in a different manner. No matter which video poker game one is playing, they should be aware where every three-card straight flush ranks in the respective game.
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Not identifying Straight Flush Draws
When one is playing Jacks or Better, they should not play Ah Kh 3s 4s 5s and Ah Kh 2s 3s 4s in one and the same manner. In Deuces Wild one should not qualify 4c 5c 6c as equal in value to 5c 6c 7c, as 4-5-6 includes 1 inside and 5-6-7 includes none. In Deuces Wild a player should not qualify Ad 3d 5d as equal in value to 3d 6d 7d. The reason for it is that A-3-5 is an Ace-low three-card Straight Flush, which can be completed with one or two Deuces. 3-6-7 can be completed by two Deuces, or by two natural cards, or by one Deuce and one natural card.
What we try to explain is that there is a difference between being aware where a three-card Straight Flush with no high cards and no insides stands in the strategy table, and being aware of what card combinations fall into the category. In the Jacks or Better example above 3-4-5 falls into the three-card Straight Flush category, but 2-3-4 does not.
”Errors of Aggression”
Let us assume that one is playing 10/7 Double Bonus Poker and they are dealt the following hand: As Ks Qs 5s 3d. The player is aware that the correct decision is to keep A-K-Q-5, but, chooses to hold A-K-Q instead, as they are quite eager to draw a Royal Flush. Knowing the right strategic decision for a given hand and playing that hand in another way is called an ”error of aggression”. On the other hand, not knowing that one should hold all four spades is an error of using an incorrect strategy for the pay table.
”Errors of Passivity”
Let us presume that one is playing a variation of Deuces Wild and is dealt the following hand: W W W 4d 6d. The player is aware that the correct strategical decision is to keep the three Deuces only, but as they do not have a sufficient number of credits, they decides to keep all five cards. In this case, the player made an error of passivity. On the other hand, not knowing that one should hold the Deuces only is an error of using an incorrect strategy for the pay table.
Suited and Unsuited High Cards
If a player finds themself holding a pair of high cards, they will be paid even money. In many video poker games, high cards are those such as Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces. Deuces Wild games make an exception, as no high cards are to be found in them. Suited high cards have a greater value than unsuited high cards. Both combinations are equally likely to complete high pairs, Two Pair, straights, and so on. What we should note, however, is that suited high cards may complete Royal Flushes, Straight Flushes, and ordinary Flushes. For this reason, a hand such as As Ks will be higher in the strategy table compared to As Kh.
Inside Straights
Players tend to underhold Inside Straights. It is so, because if one aims at such a combination, the best they can come up with may be a relatively low-valued Straight. Those players prefer to risk and either draw five new cards, or just hold the high cards, and that is an incorrect decision. The majority of video poker games have at least inside straights, which can be kept. The decision which inside straight should be kept depends on the game itself, on the pay table, how many cards from that combination are available and whether the high cards are suited with each other or not.
Aces are often overvalued
A number of video poker games, which feature ”bonus”, offer a huge payout for a combination such as four Aces. At times, the amount paid may be even greater, if a kicker card is featured as well. If we take Double Double Bonus Poker as an example, players often keep the Ace only when dealt a hand such as Ah Qs Jd 7h 4s (with the correct decision being to keep Q-J). In the same game, when one is dealt a hand such as 5h 5s Ac 9d 8s, many players tend to keep either the Ace only or 5-5-A. The correct decision, in that case, is to hold 5-5.
Full Houses are often undervalued
In video poker games, which pay even-money for a combination such as Two Pair, if one is dealt a hand such as Kh Ks 8d 8c 3s, the correct decision is to keep almost always K-K-8-8. However, many players tend to keep the two Kings only. To keep the Kings alone provides a player with 1 out of 360 chance to draw a hand such as four Kings. According to experts in the field, it is nine times more difficult to draw a Full House from K-K, than it is from K-K-8-8.
Errors regarding Penalty Cards
It is up to a player whether or not they will implement a strategy, which regards Penalty Cards. If one is playing the 9/6 Jacks or Better game and takes into consideration Penalty Cards, when dealt Ah Kh 10h 8h Qc or Ah Kh 10h 8h 10s, the correct decision is to keep the four hearts. When dealt Ah Kh 10h 8h 9c, or Ah Kh Jh 8h Qs, or Kh Qh 10h 8h 10c, it would be incorrect to keep the four hearts. It is not good to use advanced rules in an incorrect manner and simply follow the basics.
