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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 Flush800514,659,7560.00002638,730.8916.480.020655
Straight Flush1502,694,555,0840.0001357,397.603.000.020277
Four Aces with any 2,3,44001,228,504,2000.00006216,225.619.810.024652
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,42002,854,342,1880.0001436,983.485.670.028639
Four Aces2003,461,854,7880.0001745,757.966.870.034735
Four 2's, 3's, 4's1007,661,578,3680.0003842,601.713.760.038436
Four 5's through K's7032,357,212,4160.001623616.047.720.113630
Full House9215,953,889,9760.01083492.300.690.097505
Flush5227,019,963,5400.01138987.800.180.056945
Straight4247,931,022,0240.01243880.400.110.049752
Three of a Kind31,495,443,644,7480.07502313.330.290.225068
Two Pair12,447,504,537,0760.1227858.140.000.122785
Jacks or Better14,196,639,175,9840.2105354.750.000.210535
Nothing011,051,965,577,0520.5544491.800.600.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.2455.181.043614

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

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush800517,328,5080.00002638,531.0916.570.020762
Straight Flush1502,699,175,3480.0001357,384.933.000.020312
Four Aces with any 2,3,44001,232,733,3360.00006216,169.959.840.024737
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,42002,855,134,7640.0001436,981.545.670.028647
Four Aces2003,471,902,8560.0001745,741.306.890.034835
Four 2's, 3's, 4's1007,661,165,5680.0003842,601.853.760.038434
Four 5's through K's7032,335,092,0120.001622616.467.710.113552
Full House9215,900,372,5200.01083192.330.690.097481
Flush5227,065,817,3640.01139187.790.180.056957
Straight4250,477,602,7680.01256679.580.110.050263
Three of a Kind31,494,694,766,7240.07498513.340.290.224955
Two Pair12,445,750,488,9880.1226978.150.000.122697
Jacks or Better14,184,948,382,7680.2099484.760.000.209948
Nothing011,063,620,553,6760.5550341.800.600.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.2555.321.043581

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 FlushTJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
3 of a KindAAA
Pat HandFull House
4 to a Straight Flush2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ
3 of a Kind222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK
Pat HandFlush
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578...
Pat HandStraight
1 PairAA
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 3344...
3 to a Royal FlushTJQ; JQK
1 PairJJ; QQ; KK
3 to a Royal FlushTJA; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JKA; QKA
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
3 to a Straight Flush9TJ
1 Pair22; 33; 44
3 to a Straight Flush345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 9JQ
4 to a Straight9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 89TJ
3 to a Straight Flush234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 568; 7TJ; 89J; 8TJ; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
4 to a Straight6789; 789T; JQKA
3 to a Straight Flush467; 578; 679; 689; 78T; 78J; 79T; 79J; 89Q; 8TQ; 9TK
2 to a Royal FlushJQ
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45
2 to a Royal FlushJK; QK
4 to a Straight9JQK; TJQA; TJKA; TQKA
2 to a Royal FlushJA; QA; KA
3 to a StraightJQK
Single Cardan Ace
4 to a Straight89JQ; 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK
2 to a Royal FlushTJ
2 to a StraightJQ
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
2 to a StraightJK; QK
2 to a Royal FlushTQ; TK
Single Carda Jack; a Queen; a King
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: JQSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ J♣ Q♦ A♥
Single Card: a King2 to a Royal Flush: TK
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 10♦ K♦
2 to a Royal Flush: TJSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 10♦ J♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: JQ2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)2♣ 3♦ 10♣ J♣ Q♦
2 to a Royal Flush: JA4 to a Straight: TJKA
(more)2♣ 10♣ J♦ K♣ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: QA4 to a Straight: TQKA
(more)2♣ 10♣ Q♦ K♣ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: KA4 to a Straight: TQKA
(more)2♣ 10♣ Q♣ K♦ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: KA4 to a Straight: TJKA
(more)2♣ 10♣ J♣ K♦ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: JA4 to a Straight: TJQA
(more)2♣ 10♣ J♦ Q♣ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: QA4 to a Straight: TJQA
(more)2♣ 10♣ J♣ Q♦ A♦
4 to a Straight: 89JQSingle Card: an Ace
(more)8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥ A♣
1 Pair: JJ3 to a Royal Flush: JQK
(more)J♣ J♦ 2♣ Q♣ K♣
1 Pair: QQ3 to a Royal Flush: JQK
(more)Q♣ Q♦ 2♣ J♣ K♣
1 Pair: KK3 to a Royal Flush: JQK
(more)K♣ K♦ 2♣ J♣ Q♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 236
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 6♣ J♥
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 246
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 6♣ J♥
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 256
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 6♣ J♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 5692 to a Straight: JQ5♣ 6♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 5792 to a Straight: JQ5♣ 7♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 67T2 to a Straight: JQ6♣ 7♣ 10♣ J♦ Q♥
4 to a Straight: 9TJQ3 to a Straight Flush: 9JQ10♦ 10♣ 9♥ J♥ Q♥