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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 | 497,516,688 | 0.000025 | 40,065.45 | 15.93 | 0.019967 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 2,123,092,824 | 0.000107 | 9,388.77 | 0.26 | 0.005326 |
| Four Aces with any 2,3,4 | 400 | 1,228,310,184 | 0.000062 | 16,228.17 | 9.81 | 0.024648 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4 | 160 | 2,854,473,252 | 0.000143 | 6,983.16 | 3.62 | 0.022912 |
| Four Aces | 160 | 3,459,809,880 | 0.000174 | 5,761.37 | 4.39 | 0.027771 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 80 | 7,662,852,888 | 0.000384 | 2,601.28 | 2.40 | 0.030754 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 32,536,223,652 | 0.001632 | 612.65 | 3.92 | 0.081613 |
| Full House | 9 | 216,639,836,640 | 0.010868 | 92.01 | 0.70 | 0.097814 |
| Flush | 5 | 218,785,162,368 | 0.010976 | 91.11 | 0.18 | 0.054880 |
| Straight | 4 | 257,980,198,392 | 0.012942 | 77.27 | 0.12 | 0.051769 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,501,776,975,600 | 0.075340 | 13.27 | 0.31 | 0.226021 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,454,744,788,496 | 0.123148 | 8.12 | 0.00 | 0.123148 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,227,940,545,588 | 0.212105 | 4.71 | 0.00 | 0.212105 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,005,000,730,748 | 0.552093 | 1.81 | 0.53 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.23 | 42.17 | 0.978729 | |
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 | 499,714,848 | 0.000025 | 39,889.21 | 16.01 | 0.020056 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 2,105,631,900 | 0.000106 | 9,466.63 | 0.25 | 0.005282 |
| Four Aces with any 2,3,4 | 400 | 1,229,169,840 | 0.000062 | 16,216.82 | 9.82 | 0.024666 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4 | 160 | 2,854,575,936 | 0.000143 | 6,982.90 | 3.62 | 0.022913 |
| Four Aces | 160 | 3,462,426,516 | 0.000174 | 5,757.01 | 4.39 | 0.027792 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 80 | 7,662,444,216 | 0.000384 | 2,601.42 | 2.40 | 0.030752 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 32,530,818,036 | 0.001632 | 612.75 | 3.92 | 0.081599 |
| Full House | 9 | 216,644,982,192 | 0.010869 | 92.01 | 0.70 | 0.097817 |
| Flush | 5 | 218,634,340,212 | 0.010968 | 91.17 | 0.18 | 0.054842 |
| Straight | 4 | 257,226,074,196 | 0.012904 | 77.49 | 0.12 | 0.051618 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,501,840,573,632 | 0.075344 | 13.27 | 0.31 | 0.226031 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,455,083,113,184 | 0.123165 | 8.12 | 0.00 | 0.123165 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,229,392,643,892 | 0.212178 | 4.71 | 0.00 | 0.212178 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,004,064,008,600 | 0.552046 | 1.81 | 0.53 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.23 | 42.24 | 0.978710 | |
The following table shows the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Type of Play | Play Details |
| Pat Hand | (more)Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4; Four Aces with any 2,3,4; Straigh... |
| 4 of a Kind | (more)2222; 3333; 4444; 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 | Straight; Flush; Full House |
| 3 of a Kind | 222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | (more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567... |
| 1 Pair | AA |
| 2 Pair | (more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 3344... |
| 1 Pair | JJ; QQ; KK |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | TJA; 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 Straight | 89TJ; 9TJQ; TJQK |
| 1 Pair | 22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 8TJ; 9TJ; 9JQ |
| 4 to a Straight | 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; JQKA |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 89T; 89J; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JQ; JK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 345; 456; 567; 678; 789 |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | QK |
| 4 to a Straight | 9JQK; TJKA |
| 4 to a Straight | 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK; TJQA; TQKA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JA; QA; KA |
| 3 to a Straight | JQK |
| 4 to a Straight | 89JQ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | A23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 78J; 79J; 7TJ; 89Q; 8TQ; 9TK |
| 2 to a Straight | JQ |
| Single Card | an Ace |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 78T; 79T |
| 2 to a Straight | JK; QK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TJ; 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 | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | 2 to a Straight: JK | |
| 2 to a Straight: JK | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 2 to a Straight: QK | Single Card: an Ace | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 2 to a Straight: JQ | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 4 to a Straight: TJKA | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 4 to a Straight: TQKA | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | Single Card: an Ace | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 78J | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 79J | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 7TJ | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | 2 to a Straight: JQ | 5♣ 6♣ 8♣ J♦ Q♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | 2 to a Straight: JQ | 5♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ Q♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | 2 to a Straight: JQ | 6♣ 7♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥ |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 89Q | 8♣ 9♣ 10♦ Q♣ A♥ |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ | 8♣ 9♦ 10♣ Q♣ A♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | 4 to a Straight: 89JQ | 6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | 4 to a Straight: 9TQK | 7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♦ K♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 345 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | 3♣ 4♣ 5♣ J♦ K♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 456 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | 4♣ 5♣ 6♣ J♦ K♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 567 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ J♦ K♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 678 | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | 6♣ 7♣ 8♣ J♦ K♦ |