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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 Flush800495,232,3560.00002540,250.2615.860.019876
Straight Flush502,084,669,9160.0001059,561.820.250.005229
Four Aces with any 2,3,44001,199,450,8200.00006016,618.639.580.024069
Four Aces with any J,Q,K3201,261,817,5920.00006315,797.246.440.020257
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,41602,924,043,4680.0001476,817.013.710.023471
Four J's, Q's, K's with any J,Q,K,A1604,229,000,1840.0002124,713.465.370.033945
Four Aces1602,210,171,9520.0001119,018.862.800.017741
Four 2's, 3's, 4's807,875,003,1920.0003952,531.202.470.031606
Four 5's through K's5028,650,799,4880.001437695.733.450.071867
Full House6177,180,279,4800.008889112.500.220.053332
Flush5217,425,177,2880.01090891.680.180.054538
Straight4251,425,003,5360.01261379.280.120.050453
Three of a Kind31,557,585,708,9600.07814012.800.320.234420
Two Pair12,184,124,326,3360.1095729.130.000.109572
Jacks or Better14,516,183,142,5320.2265664.410.000.226566
Nothing010,978,376,690,1000.5507581.820.530.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.2351.300.976942

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

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush800497,733,9240.00002540,047.9615.940.019976
Straight Flush502,094,086,9160.0001059,518.820.250.005253
Four Aces with any 2,3,44001,205,671,2000.00006016,532.899.630.024194
Four Aces with any J,Q,K3201,266,046,7280.00006415,744.476.460.020325
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,41602,925,071,8560.0001476,814.613.710.023479
Four J's, Q's, K's with any J,Q,K,A1604,212,891,1800.0002114,731.485.340.033816
Four Aces1602,223,529,1280.0001128,964.682.820.017848
Four 2's, 3's, 4's807,874,798,8560.0003952,531.272.470.031605
Four 5's through K's5028,652,467,7160.001437695.693.450.071871
Full House6177,186,260,9520.008889112.500.220.053334
Flush5218,383,986,3000.01095691.280.180.054779
Straight4252,522,103,1280.01266878.940.120.050674
Three of a Kind31,557,602,544,4920.07814112.800.320.234423
Two Pair12,183,502,295,0440.1095419.130.000.109541
Jacks or Better14,500,905,311,3320.2257994.430.000.225799
Nothing010,992,175,718,4480.5514501.810.530.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.2351.450.976916

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; JJJ; QQQ; KKK; AAA
Pat HandStraight; Flush; Full House
3 of a Kind555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567...
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
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
4 to a Straight89TJ; 9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT
3 to a Straight Flush8TJ; 9TJ; 9JQ
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; JQKA
3 to a Straight Flush89J; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
2 to a Royal FlushJA; JQ; JK; QA; QK
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T
2 to a Royal FlushKA
4 to a Straight9JQK; TJQA
4 to a Straight89JQ; 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK; TJKA; TQKA
3 to a StraightJQK
3 to a Straight Flush345; 79J; 7TJ; 8TQ; 9TK
2 to a StraightJQ
3 to a Straight Flush78J; 89Q
Single Cardan Ace
3 to a Straight Flush234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 79T
2 to a StraightJK
3 to a Straight Flush78T
2 to a StraightJA; QK
2 to a Royal FlushTJ; TQ
Single Carda Jack; a Queen; a King
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
4 to a Straight
(more)2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578; 4678; 5679; 5689; 5789...
GarbageDiscard everything

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
2 to a Straight: JKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ J♣ K♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: QKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ Q♣ K♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: JQ4 to a Straight: 89JQ
(more)2♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥
Single Card: a Queen2 to a Royal Flush: TQ
(more)2♣ 3♦ 8♣ 10♦ Q♦
2 to a Straight: JASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ J♣ A♦
2 to a Straight: QASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ Q♣ A♦
2 to a Straight: KASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ K♣ 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: A25
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A34
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 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♦
4 to a Straight: TJKA2 to a Royal Flush: JA
(more)2♣ 10♦ J♣ K♦ A♣
4 to a Straight: TQKA2 to a Royal Flush: QA
(more)2♣ 10♦ Q♣ K♦ A♣
4 to a Straight: TJKA2 to a Royal Flush: KA
(more)2♣ 10♦ J♦ K♣ A♣
4 to a Straight: TQKA2 to a Royal Flush: KA
(more)2♣ 10♦ Q♦ K♣ A♣
4 to a Straight: TJQA2 to a Royal Flush: JA
(more)2♣ 10♦ J♣ Q♦ A♣
4 to a Straight: TJQA2 to a Royal Flush: QA
(more)2♣ 10♦ J♦ Q♣ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 346Single Card: an Ace
(more)3♣ 4♣ 6♣ 10♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 356Single Card: an Ace
(more)3♣ 5♣ 6♣ 10♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 457Single Card: an Ace
(more)4♣ 5♣ 7♣ 10♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 467Single Card: an Ace
(more)4♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ A♥
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 78J
(more)7♣ 8♣ 9♦ J♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 79J
(more)7♣ 8♦ 9♣ J♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 7TJ
(more)7♣ 8♦ 10♣ J♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 89Q
(more)8♣ 9♣ 10♦ Q♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ
(more)8♣ 9♦ 10♣ Q♣ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78J2 to a Straight: JQ7♣ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ A♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 6894 to a Straight: 89JQ6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 79T4 to a Straight: 9TQK7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♦ K♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 3452 to a Royal Flush: JK3♣ 4♣ 5♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4562 to a Royal Flush: JK4♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5672 to a Royal Flush: JK5♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6782 to a Royal Flush: JK6♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 3452 to a Royal Flush: QK3♣ 4♣ 5♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4562 to a Royal Flush: QK4♣ 5♣ 6♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5672 to a Royal Flush: QK5♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6782 to a Royal Flush: QK6♣ 7♣ 8♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 7892 to a Royal Flush: QK7♣ 8♣ 9♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4562 to a Royal Flush: JA4♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5672 to a Royal Flush: JA5♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6782 to a Royal Flush: JA6♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 4562 to a Royal Flush: QA4♣ 5♣ 6♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 5672 to a Royal Flush: QA5♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 6782 to a Royal Flush: QA6♣ 7♣ 8♣ Q♦ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 7892 to a Royal Flush: QA7♣ 8♣ 9♣ Q♦ A♦