The Game
Before we take it a step further discussing the strategies for this game, let us see the highlights.
First, it is considered as the ”grandfather” of all video poker games. It is also known under the name ”Draw Poker”, while on multi-hand video poker machines, such as triple-hand, five-hand and ten-hand ones, the game is labeled ”Triple Play”, ”Five Play”, ”Ten Play” Jacks or Better. On 50-hand and 100-hand machines, the game is simply labeled ”Jacks or Better”;
Second, in this game one is paid even money (an amount equal to what has been bet) for a hand such as two Jacks or higher (two Queens, two Kings, two Aces);
Third, in this game one is paid twice the amount bet for a combination such as Two Pair;
Fourth, in this game one is paid the same amount for all possible Four of a Kind hands. It is usually 25 coins for 1 coin placed as a bet.
The draw line between a good and a bad Jacks or Better game is usually the amount of coins paid for combinations such as Full House and Flush.
It is the returns of these two winning combinations that are featured in the name of the respective version of the game. Or, in 9/6 Jacks or Better, a player will receive 9 coins for a Full House combination and 6 coins for a Flush. Let us take a look at the pay tables of the different versions of Jacks or Better, where payouts for a 1-coin bet are included.
| Jacks or Better Pay Tables | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | 9 / 6 | 8 / 6 | 9 / 5 | 8 / 5 |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Full House | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Flush | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 99.54% | 98.39% | 98.45% | 97.30% |
The Strategy
We are going to present the play strategy for Jacks or Better in a table form, where the possible combinations are shown in order, with the highest-ranking hand being on top. The table should be examined from top to bottom so that one is able to locate the particular hand he/she was dealt. The first column of the table shows the different hands dealt, while the second one points out which cards if any, one needs to hold.
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After a player has found the specific combination, they need to conform with the instructions in the second column, unless, of course, his/her situation matches one of the exceptions in the third column. If the latter is true, the player needs to conform with the instructions in the third column, where exceptions are presented in order of relevance.
If the number one exception matches one’s situation, they need to follow it. If not, they will need to move further to the number two exception and etc. The fourth column features actions one should never take when dealt that particular hand. It includes useful information, which could prevent costly mistakes.
Jacks or Better
8/5 Bonus Poker
9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe
Full Pay Deuces Wild
Not So Ugly Deuces Wild
| Dealt Hand (What is available) | What needs to be done | Exceptions | Actions one should avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | Hold Royal Flush | None | 1. One should abstain from selecting the Double Down option, which may be available. |
| Straight Flush | Hold Straight Flush | None | 1. One should never hold four to a Royal Flush over a Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the Straight Flush. |
| Four of a Kind | Hold Four of a Kind | None | None |
| Full House | Hold Full House | None | 1.One should never keep three Aces over a Full House. Instead, he/she should always hold the Full House. 2. One should never keep Three of a Kind over a Full House. Instead, he/she should always hold the Full House. |
| Flush | Hold Flush | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Flush over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal Flush. |
| Straight | Hold Straight | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Straight over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal Flush. |
| Three of a Kind | Hold Three of a Kind | None | None |
| Two Pair | Hold both Pairs | None | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Pair of Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours when dealt a hand such as Two Pair. Instead, he/she should always hold the Two Pair. |
| Jacks or Better | Hold high Pair | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. 2. Hold four to a Straight Flush. 3. In progressive 9/6 Jacks or Better, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 4 780 coins without a Flush Penalty. If there is a Flush Penalty, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 050 coins. 4. In progressive 9/6 Jacks or Better, with Ace-Ten-any card combination, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 335 coins without a Flush Penalty. If there is a Flush Penalty, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 605 coins. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal. 2. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair over four to a Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Straight Flush. 3. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair when playing a high-paying Jacks or Better progressive. In case one holds three to a progressive Royal, and an Ace is not one of the three, he/she should hold three to a Royal, if the Royal pays out over 4 780 coins without a Flush Penalty, or over 5 050 with a Flush Penalty. In case an Ace is not one of the three, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, if the Royal pays out over 5 335 coins without a Flush Penalty, or over 5 605 coins with a Flush Penalty. /td> |
| Four Flush | Hold Four Flush | 1. Hold three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Four Flush over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only the three to a Royal. |
| Low Pair | Hold this Pair | 1.Hold three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a low Pair over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold three to a Royal. |
| Open-Ended-Four-Straight | Hold Four-Straight | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping Open-Ended-Four-Straight over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only three to a Royal. |
| Inside Four-Straight | Hold nothing | 1. One should keep Inside Four-Straight with three or four high cards. | 1. One should never discard an Inside Four-Straight with three or four high cards. Instead, he/she should hold the four cards. |
| High Cards | Hold high cards | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should keep two to a Royal Flush, unless Ace and Ten, King and Ten, or Queen and Ten. Then, he/she should keep high cards. 3. In case one is dealt three high cards, including an Ace, he/she should keep the two non-Ace high cards. 4. One should keep three to any 0-gap or one-gap Straight Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping high cards over three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep suited Ace and Ten, King and Ten, or Queen and Ten in order to go for a Royal. Instead, he/she should hold the high cards. 3. One should never keep an Ace when dealt three high cards. Instead, he/she should hold the two non-Ace high cards. 4. One should never keep high cards when dealt three to a 0-gap or one-gap Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should hold the cards to the Straight Flush. |
| No Pairs or High Cards | Hold nothing | 1. One should keep three to a Straight Flush. | 1. One should never discard three to a Straight Flush. 2. One should never keep three to a Straight or three to a Flush. |
