Intermediate strategy for Jacks or Better video poker

Last update: July 25, 2006

To use the strategy look up all viable ways to play an initial hand on the following list and elect that which is highest on the list. A "high card" means a jack or higher.

1. Four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush
2. 4 to a royal flush
3. Three of a kind, straight, flush, full house
4. 4 to a straight flush
5. Two pair
6. High pair
7. 3 to a royal flush
8. 4 to a flush
9. Low pair
10. 4 to an outside straight
11. 3 to a straight flush (high cards-gaps>=0)
12. AKQJ unsuited
13. 2 suited high cards
14. 4 to an inside straight with 3 high cards
15. 3 to a straight flush (high cards-gaps=-1)
16. KQJ unsuited
17. QJ unsuited
18. JT suited
19. KQ, KJ unsuited
20. QT suited
21. AK, AQ, AJ unsuited
22. KT suited
23. One high card
24. 3 to a straight flush (high cards-gaps=-2)
25. Discard everything

Note: The number of high cards in holding 3 to a straight flush is roughly offset by the number of gaps. When evaluating 3 to a straight flush subtract the number of gaps from the number of high cards.

Terms:

High card: A jack, queen, king, or ace. These cards are retained more often because if paired up they return the original bet.

Outside straight: An open ended straight that can be completed at either end, such as the cards 7,8,9,10.

Inside straight: A straight with a missing inside card, such as the cards 6,7,9,10. In addition A,2,3,4 and J,Q,K,A also count as inside straights because they are at an extreme end.

Gap: The number of ranks needed to fill in the middle of a straight flush. For example a 6,7,8 would have 0 gaps, a 6,7,9 would have 1, and a 6,7,10 would have 2. The following are considered to have 2 gaps because they are at extreme ends: A,2,3; A,2,4; A,3,4; J,Q,A; J,K,A; and Q,K,A. The following are considered to have 1 gap because they are close to an extreme end: 2,3,4 and J,Q,K.

Example: Suppose you have the following hand.

The top two plays are (1) keep the three to a straight flush and (2) keep two to a royal flush. The number of gaps to the straight flush is 2 and the number of high cards is also 2. So gaps-high cards=0. The table shows that 3 to a straight flush, where gaps-highcards>=0, beats two suited high cards, so go keep the 3 cards to the straight flush.

Comparison to Optimal Strategy

The following table compares the probability and return of each hand under both the simple strategy and the optimal strategy.

The next table is a frequency distribution of the error, or difference in expected return, between the simple strategy and the optimal strategy.