On this page

Video Poker Strategy Calculator

Introduction

The following table shows the results when following perfect strategy (basic strategy and all of the exceptions):

Perfect Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush800495,074,3280.00002540,263.1115.850.019869
Straight Flush1202,372,060,2920.0001198,403.341.680.014280
Four Aces with any 2,3,48001,212,243,3480.00006116,443.2638.810.048652
Four Aces with any J,Q,K6401,272,359,1960.00006415,666.3526.050.040852
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,43202,966,957,2680.0001496,718.4115.130.047630
Four J's, Q's, K's with any J,Q,K,A3204,227,136,0800.0002124,715.5421.560.067861
Four Aces3202,236,804,6800.0001128,911.4811.410.035909
Four 2's, 3's, 4's1607,997,620,1280.0004012,492.4010.120.064195
Four 5's through K's8029,252,624,0160.001468681.429.120.117402
Full House6165,823,350,3000.008319120.210.190.049914
Flush5208,912,285,6800.01048195.410.150.052403
Straight4217,711,242,6600.01092291.560.090.043688
Three of a Kind31,583,580,940,4880.07944412.590.260.238333
Two Pair12,209,908,132,7200.1108669.020.000.110866
Jacks or Better14,548,209,658,5160.2281724.380.010.228172
Nothing010,947,052,027,5000.5491861.820.760.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.22151.191.180026

The following table shows the results when following basic strategy only (not its exceptions):

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush800493,437,4320.00002540,396.6715.800.019804
Straight Flush1202,380,233,1200.0001198,374.491.690.014329
Four Aces with any 2,3,48001,211,323,5720.00006116,455.7438.780.048615
Four Aces with any J,Q,K6401,271,534,1720.00006415,676.5226.030.040825
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,43202,966,903,8680.0001496,718.5315.130.047629
Four J's, Q's, K's with any J,Q,K,A3204,229,217,2880.0002124,713.2221.570.067894
Four Aces3202,234,744,4960.0001128,919.6911.400.035876
Four 2's, 3's, 4's1607,997,965,5840.0004012,492.2910.120.064198
Four 5's through K's8029,252,973,1680.001468681.419.120.117404
Full House6165,809,771,0280.008318120.220.190.049910
Flush5209,301,955,3080.01050095.240.150.052501
Straight4217,437,188,4240.01090891.670.090.043633
Three of a Kind31,583,489,337,2880.07944012.590.260.238319
Two Pair12,209,704,772,6080.1108559.020.000.110855
Jacks or Better14,549,136,094,6480.2282194.380.010.228219
Nothing010,946,313,065,1960.5491491.820.760.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.22151.091.180011

The following table shows the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy
Type of Play Play Details
Pat Hand
(more)Four J's, Q's, K's with any J,Q,K,A; Four 2's, 3's, 4's with an...
4 of a Kind
(more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK...
4 to a Royal FlushTJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
3 of a Kind + 1 KickerJJJQ; JJJK; JJJA; QQQJ; QQQK; QQQA; KKKJ; KKKQ; KKKA
3 of a Kind222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK; AAA
4 to a Straight Flush2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ
Pat HandStraight; Flush
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578...
1 PairAA
1 PairJJ; QQ; KK
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 3344; 3355; 3366; 3377...
3 to a Royal FlushTJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
1 Pair22; 33; 44
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
3 to a Straight Flush9TJ
4 to a Straight9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair88; TT
3 to a Straight Flush9JQ
1 Pair55; 66; 77; 99
4 to a Straight89TJ
3 to a Straight Flush345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; JQKA
2 to a Royal FlushJA; JQ; QA; KA
3 to a Straight Flush234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 78T; 79T; 7TJ
2 to a Royal FlushJK; QK
4 to a StraightTJQA; TJKA
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 8TQ
4 to a StraightTQKA
Single Cardan Ace
3 to a Straight Flush78J; 79J; 9TK
4 to a Straight9JQK
3 to a Straight Flush89Q
3 to a StraightJQK
2 to a StraightJQ; JK; QK
Single Carda Queen; a King
2 to a Royal FlushTJ; TQ
Single Carda Jack
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
4 to a Straight2346
GarbageDiscard everything

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
2 to a Royal Flush: TQSingle Card: a Queen
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 10♥ Q♥
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A35
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 6♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A45
(more)2♣ 4♦ 5♦ 6♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A34
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♣ A♦
4 to a Straight: 3457Garbage: Discard everything
(more)3♣ 4♣ 5♦ 7♥ 10♠
4 to a Straight: 3467Garbage: Discard everything
(more)3♣ 4♣ 6♦ 7♥ 10♠
Garbage: Discard everything4 to a Straight: 2346
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 6♦ 7♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 78JSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 8♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 79JSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 9♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 89QSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 8♦ 9♦ Q♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 9TKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 9♦ 10♦ K♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 7TJ
(more)5♣ 7♦ 10♦ J♦ A♥
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ
(more)5♣ 8♦ 10♦ Q♦ A♥
1 Pair: 993 to a Straight Flush: 9JQ
(more)9♣ 9♦ 8♣ J♦ Q♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3462 to a Royal Flush: JA3♣ 4♣ 6♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3562 to a Royal Flush: JA3♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4572 to a Royal Flush: JA4♣ 5♣ 7♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4672 to a Royal Flush: JA4♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5682 to a Royal Flush: JA5♣ 6♣ 8♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5782 to a Royal Flush: JA5♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6792 to a Royal Flush: JA6♣ 7♣ 9♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6892 to a Royal Flush: JA6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78T2 to a Royal Flush: JA7♣ 8♣ 10♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 79T2 to a Royal Flush: JA7♣ 9♣ 10♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3462 to a Royal Flush: QA3♣ 4♣ 6♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3562 to a Royal Flush: QA3♣ 5♣ 6♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4572 to a Royal Flush: QA4♣ 5♣ 7♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4672 to a Royal Flush: QA4♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5682 to a Royal Flush: QA5♣ 6♣ 8♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5782 to a Royal Flush: QA5♣ 7♣ 8♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6792 to a Royal Flush: QA6♣ 7♣ 9♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6892 to a Royal Flush: QA6♣ 8♣ 9♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78T2 to a Royal Flush: QA7♣ 8♣ 10♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 79T2 to a Royal Flush: QA7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3462 to a Royal Flush: KA3♣ 4♣ 6♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3562 to a Royal Flush: KA3♣ 5♣ 6♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4572 to a Royal Flush: KA4♣ 5♣ 7♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4672 to a Royal Flush: KA4♣ 6♣ 7♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5682 to a Royal Flush: KA5♣ 6♣ 8♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5782 to a Royal Flush: KA5♣ 7♣ 8♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6792 to a Royal Flush: KA6♣ 7♣ 9♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6892 to a Royal Flush: KA6♣ 8♣ 9♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78T2 to a Royal Flush: KA7♣ 8♣ 10♣ K♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 79T2 to a Royal Flush: KA7♣ 9♣ 10♣ K♦ A♦