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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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | Payoff | Combinations | Probability | Hit Frequency | Variance | Return |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 513,460,056 | 0.000026 | 38,821.39 | 16.44 | 0.020607 |
| Straight Flush | 100 | 2,380,735,236 | 0.000119 | 8,372.72 | 1.17 | 0.011944 |
| Four Aces | 240 | 4,690,390,464 | 0.000235 | 4,249.80 | 13.44 | 0.056473 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 120 | 10,517,351,424 | 0.000528 | 1,895.27 | 7.47 | 0.063315 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 32,475,349,584 | 0.001629 | 613.80 | 3.91 | 0.081460 |
| Full House | 9 | 216,433,655,424 | 0.010858 | 92.10 | 0.70 | 0.097721 |
| Flush | 5 | 220,628,280,828 | 0.011068 | 90.35 | 0.18 | 0.055342 |
| Straight | 4 | 252,804,878,868 | 0.012683 | 78.85 | 0.11 | 0.050730 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,500,042,920,964 | 0.075253 | 13.29 | 0.30 | 0.225760 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,453,408,797,932 | 0.123081 | 8.12 | 0.00 | 0.123081 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,217,838,277,464 | 0.211598 | 4.73 | 0.00 | 0.211598 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,021,496,418,956 | 0.552921 | 1.81 | 0.55 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.24 | 44.28 | 0.998033 | |
The following table shows the results when following basic strategy only (not its exceptions):
| Basic Strategy Analysis | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | Payoff | Combinations | Probability | Hit Frequency | Variance | Return |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 515,580,300 | 0.000026 | 38,661.74 | 16.51 | 0.020692 |
| Straight Flush | 100 | 2,358,212,352 | 0.000118 | 8,452.69 | 1.16 | 0.011831 |
| Four Aces | 240 | 4,685,398,164 | 0.000235 | 4,254.33 | 13.43 | 0.056413 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 120 | 10,516,764,732 | 0.000528 | 1,895.38 | 7.47 | 0.063312 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 32,459,280,312 | 0.001628 | 614.10 | 3.91 | 0.081420 |
| Full House | 9 | 216,330,772,248 | 0.010853 | 92.14 | 0.69 | 0.097675 |
| Flush | 5 | 220,040,257,548 | 0.011039 | 90.59 | 0.18 | 0.055194 |
| Straight | 4 | 258,026,218,884 | 0.012945 | 77.25 | 0.12 | 0.051778 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,498,602,057,012 | 0.075181 | 13.30 | 0.30 | 0.225543 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,450,514,991,500 | 0.122936 | 8.13 | 0.00 | 0.122936 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,210,167,939,012 | 0.211214 | 4.73 | 0.00 | 0.211214 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,029,013,045,136 | 0.553298 | 1.81 | 0.55 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.24 | 44.32 | 0.998008 | |
The following table shows the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Type of Play | Play Details |
| Pat Hand | Four 2's, 3's, 4's; Four Aces; Straight Flush; Royal Flush |
| 4 of a Kind | 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK |
| 4 to a Royal Flush | TJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA |
| 3 of a Kind | AAA |
| Pat Hand | Full House |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ |
| 3 of a Kind | 222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK |
| Pat Hand | Straight; Flush |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | (more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578... |
| 1 Pair | AA |
| 2 Pair | (more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 3344... |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | TJQ; JQK |
| 1 Pair | JJ; QQ; KK |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | TJA; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JKA; QKA |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J... |
| 1 Pair | 22; 33; 44 |
| 4 to a Straight | 9TJQ; TJQK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 9TJ; 9JQ |
| 4 to a Straight | 89TJ |
| 1 Pair | 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT |
| 4 to a Straight | 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK |
| 4 to a Straight | TJKA; TQKA; JQKA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JQ; KA |
| 4 to a Straight | TJQA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JA; QA |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 7TJ; 8TQ; 9TK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 78T; 79T |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | QK |
| 4 to a Straight | 9JQK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | A23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 78J; 79J; 89Q |
| 3 to a Straight | JQK |
| 4 to a Straight | 89JQ; 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK |
| 2 to a Straight | JQ |
| Single Card | an Ace |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TJ |
| 2 to a Straight | JK; QK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TQ; TK |
| Single Card | a Jack; a Queen; a King |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 236; 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... |
| Garbage | Discard everything |
The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy Exceptions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Right Play | Wrong Play | Pattern(s) |
| Single Card: a King | 2 to a Royal Flush: TK | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 2 to a Straight: JQ | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | 4 to a Straight: TJKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 4 to a Straight: TJKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | 4 to a Straight: TQKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 4 to a Straight: TQKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 4 to a Straight: TQKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 4 to a Straight: TJKA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 4 to a Straight: TJQA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 4 to a Straight: TJQA | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 2 to a Straight: JK | 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 1 Pair: JJ | 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | |
| 1 Pair: QQ | 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | |
| 1 Pair: KK | 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 3♣ 4♣ 6♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 3♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 4♣ 5♣ 7♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 4♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 5♣ 6♣ 8♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 5♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 6♣ 7♣ 9♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 7♣ 8♣ 10♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | 2 to a Royal Flush: JA | 7♣ 9♣ 10♣ J♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 3♣ 4♣ 6♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 3♣ 5♣ 6♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 4♣ 5♣ 7♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 4♣ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 5♣ 6♣ 8♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 5♣ 7♣ 8♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 6♣ 7♣ 9♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 6♣ 8♣ 9♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 7♣ 8♣ 10♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | 2 to a Royal Flush: QA | 7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 3♣ 4♣ 6♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 3♣ 5♣ 6♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 4♣ 5♣ 7♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 4♣ 6♣ 7♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 5♣ 6♣ 8♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 5♣ 7♣ 8♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 6♣ 7♣ 9♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 6♣ 8♣ 9♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 7♣ 8♣ 10♣ K♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | 2 to a Royal Flush: KA | 7♣ 9♣ 10♣ K♦ A♦ |