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
Natural Royal Flush1,854652,296,0480.00002737,665.2191.160.049223
Five of a Kind2002,297,259,0240.00009410,694.863.700.018701
Wild Royal Flush1002,775,262,3320.0001138,852.811.110.011296
Straight Flush4013,299,193,5840.0005411,847.400.820.021652
Four of a Kind20210,832,633,5360.008581116.533.100.171626
Full House5385,085,644,7760.01567463.800.250.078369
Flush4363,220,634,9760.01478467.640.130.059135
Straight3421,890,626,7480.01717258.240.070.051515
Three of a Kind23,299,560,104,2280.1342987.450.140.268597
Two Pair12,718,255,325,7520.1106389.040.000.110638
Kings or Better13,473,556,747,2280.1413807.070.000.141380
Nothing013,677,439,792,9680.5566981.800.540.000000
Totals24,568,865,521,2001.0000002.26101.040.982132

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

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Natural Royal Flush1,854652,236,1200.00002737,668.6791.150.049219
Five of a Kind2002,296,196,4240.00009310,699.813.700.018692
Wild Royal Flush1002,764,317,6840.0001138,887.861.100.011251
Straight Flush4013,347,039,7560.0005431,840.770.830.021730
Four of a Kind20210,722,503,8240.008577116.593.100.171536
Full House5384,994,173,5280.01567063.820.250.078350
Flush4363,376,062,6000.01479067.610.130.059160
Straight3422,405,314,9440.01719358.160.070.051578
Three of a Kind23,298,464,299,6280.1342547.450.140.268508
Two Pair12,718,196,004,1600.1106369.040.000.110636
Kings or Better13,474,628,024,7760.1414247.070.000.141424
Nothing013,677,019,347,7560.5566811.800.540.000000
Totals24,568,865,521,2001.0000002.26101.020.982084

The following tables show the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy — No Jokers Dealt
Type of Play Play Details
Pat HandFull House; Natural Royal Flush
4 to a Natural Royal FlushTJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
4 of a Kind
(more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK...
Pat HandFlush; Straight Flush
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
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578...
3 to a Natural Royal FlushTJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 22AA...
1 PairKK; AA
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
1 Pair22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT; JJ; QQ
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 9TJ; 9QK
2 to a Natural Royal FlushKA
3 to a Straight Flush345
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ; TJQK
3 to a Straight Flush
(more)A34; A35; A45; 234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 79T; 89J...
2 to a Natural Royal FlushTK; JK
3 to a Straight Flush679; 689; 78T
2 to a Natural Royal FlushQA; QK
2 to a Natural Royal FlushTA; JA
2 to a StraightKA
Single Cardan Ace
Single Carda King
3 to a Straight Flush458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T; 78J; 79J; 7TJ; 89Q; 8TQ; 8JQ
2 to a Natural Royal FlushTJ
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367
2 to a Natural Royal FlushTQ; JQ
GarbageDiscard everything

Basic Strategy — One Joker Dealt
Type of Play Play Details
Pat HandFull House; Straight Flush; Wild Royal Flush; Five of a Kind
4 of a Kind
(more)W222; W333; W444; W555; W666; W777; W888; W999; WTTT; WJJJ; WQQQ; WKKK...
4 to a Wild Royal FlushWTJA; WTJQ; WTJK; WTQA; WTQK; WTKA; WJQA; WJQK; WJKA; WQKA
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)W234; W235; W245; W345; W346; W356; W456; W457; W467; W567; W568; W578...
Pat HandFlush
3 of a KindW22; W33; W44; W55; W66; W77; W88; W99; WTT; WJJ; WQQ; WKK; WAA
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)WA23; WA24; WA25; WA34; WA35; WA45; W236; W246; W256; W347; W357; W367...
Pat HandStraight
3 to a Wild Royal FlushWTA; WTJ; WTK; WJA; WJK; WQA; WQK; WKA
4 to a Flush
(more)W23K; W24K; W25K; W26A; W26K; W27A; W27K; W28A; W28K; W29A; W29K; W34K...
3 to a Straight FlushWA5; W9K
3 to a Straight FlushW89
3 to a Straight FlushWA4; W45
3 to a Straight FlushW56; W78
3 to a Straight FlushWA3
3 to a Straight FlushW67
3 to a Straight FlushWA2
4 to a StraightWTJK; WTQK; WJQK
3 to a Wild Royal FlushWTQ; WJQ
3 to a Straight FlushW9T
1 PairWA
1 PairWK
3 to a Straight FlushW46; W57; W68; W79; W8T
3 to a Straight FlushW34; W35; W9J
4 to a StraightW456; W567; W678; W789; W89T
3 to a Straight FlushW36; W47; W58; W69; W7T; W8J
3 to a Straight FlushW23; W24; W25; W9Q
4 to a StraightW345; W9TJ
1 PairW8
1 PairW6
1 PairW7
1 PairWT
1 PairW9
1 PairW5
Wild Only

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
Single Card: an Ace2 to a Straight: KA
(more)6♣ 10♣ J♣ K♦ A♥
1 Pair: WT1 Pair: W6
(more)2♣ 3♦ 6♣ 10♣ W
1 Pair: WT1 Pair: W8
(more)2♣ 3♦ 8♣ 10♥ W
1 Pair: W61 Pair: W8
(more)2♣ 6♦ 8♣ 9♥ W
1 Pair: W71 Pair: W8
(more)2♣ 3♦ 7♥ 8♣ W
1 Pair: W71 Pair: W6
(more)2♣ 3♦ 6♣ 7♦ W
1 Pair: WK1 Pair: WA
(more)2♣ 3♣ K♦ A♥ W
1 Pair: WT1 Pair: W7
(more)2♣ 3♦ 7♣ 10♦ W
1 Pair: W91 Pair: W6
(more)2♣ 3♦ 6♣ 9♦ W
1 Pair: W51 Pair: WT
(more)2♣ 5♦ 9♥ 10♣ W
1 Pair: W51 Pair: W8
(more)5♣ 6♦ 8♥ 10♦ W
1 Pair: W91 Pair: W7
(more)2♣ 3♦ 7♣ 9♥ W
1 Pair: W91 Pair: W8
(more)2♣ 3♦ 8♣ 9♥ W
1 Pair: W51 Pair: W7
(more)5♣ 7♦ 9♥ 10♣ W
1 Pair: W91 Pair: WT
(more)2♣ 3♦ 9♥ 10♣ W
1 Pair: W51 Pair: W9
(more)2♣ 5♦ 9♣ J♦ W
1 Pair: W51 Pair: W6
(more)5♣ 6♦ 9♥ 10♦ W
3 to a Wild Royal Flush: WTQ4 to a Straight: WTQK
(more)2♣ 10♦ Q♦ K♣ W
3 to a Wild Royal Flush: WJQ4 to a Straight: WJQK
(more)2♣ J♦ Q♦ K♣ W
1 Pair: WT3 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 10♣ W
1 Pair: WT3 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 10♣ W
1 Pair: WT3 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 10♣ W
1 Pair: W83 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 8♣ W
1 Pair: W83 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 8♣ W
1 Pair: W93 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 9♣ W
1 Pair: W93 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 9♣ W
1 Pair: W73 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 7♣ W
1 Pair: WA3 to a Wild Royal Flush: WTQ
(more)2♣ 10♣ Q♣ A♦ W
1 Pair: WA3 to a Wild Royal Flush: WJQ
(more)2♣ J♣ Q♣ A♦ W
1 Pair: W63 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 6♦ 7♣ W
1 Pair: W83 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 8♥ W
1 Pair: W93 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 9♣ W
1 Pair: W63 to a Straight Flush: W9Q
(more)2♣ 6♦ 9♣ Q♣ W
1 Pair: W63 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 4♣ 6♦ 8♣ W
1 Pair: W73 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 7♥ W
1 Pair: W53 to a Straight Flush: W9Q
(more)5♣ 9♦ 10♥ Q♦ W
1 Pair: W83 to a Straight Flush: W9Q
(more)2♣ 8♦ 9♣ Q♣ W
1 Pair: WT3 to a Straight Flush: W9Q
(more)2♣ 9♣ 10♦ Q♣ W
Wild Only3 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ J♣ W
1 Pair: W63 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 5♣ 6♦ 9♣ W
3 to a Straight Flush: W363 to a Straight Flush: W69
(more)3♣ 6♣ 7♦ 9♣ W
3 to a Straight Flush: W473 to a Straight Flush: W7T
(more)4♣ 7♣ 8♦ 10♣ W
3 to a Straight Flush: W583 to a Straight Flush: W8J
(more)5♣ 8♣ 9♦ J♣ W
1 Pair: WJWild Only2♣ 3♦ 4♥ J♠ W
Wild Only3 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ J♣ W
1 Pair: W53 to a Straight Flush: W23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 5♦ J♣ W
Wild Only3 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ J♣ W
1 Pair: W53 to a Straight Flush: W24
(more)2♣ 4♣ 5♦ J♣ W
1 Pair: W73 to a Straight Flush: W25
(more)2♣ 5♣ 7♦ J♣ W
1 Pair: WA3 to a Straight Flush: W454♣ 5♣ 6♦ A♥ W
1 Pair: W73 to a Straight Flush: W9Q
(more)2♣ 7♦ 9♣ Q♣ W
3 to a Straight Flush: 6792 to a Natural Royal Flush: JK6♣ 7♣ 9♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6892 to a Natural Royal Flush: JK6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: W253 to a Straight Flush: W582♣ 5♣ 7♦ 8♣ W
3 to a Straight Flush: W9Q3 to a Straight Flush: W696♣ 7♦ 9♣ Q♣ W
Wild Only3 to a Straight Flush: W9Q2♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♣ W
4 to a Straight Flush: W79T4 to a Straight Flush: W9TQ7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♣ W