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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 | 1,200 | 592,592,520 | 0.000030 | 33,637.33 | 42.74 | 0.035675 |
| Straight Flush | 40 | 2,051,617,572 | 0.000103 | 9,715.86 | 0.16 | 0.004117 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 46,849,614,216 | 0.002350 | 425.47 | 0.85 | 0.047007 |
| Full House | 8 | 228,675,586,104 | 0.011472 | 87.17 | 0.57 | 0.091777 |
| Flush | 5 | 218,525,215,488 | 0.010963 | 91.22 | 0.18 | 0.054814 |
| Straight | 4 | 225,410,962,788 | 0.011308 | 88.43 | 0.10 | 0.045233 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,475,169,497,592 | 0.074006 | 13.51 | 0.30 | 0.222017 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2,566,519,980,120 | 0.128756 | 7.77 | 0.14 | 0.257512 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,243,481,675,568 | 0.212885 | 4.70 | 0.00 | 0.212885 |
| Nothing | 0 | 10,925,953,775,232 | 0.548128 | 1.82 | 0.52 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.21 | 45.55 | 0.971035 | |
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 | 1,200 | 592,866,000 | 0.000030 | 33,621.81 | 42.76 | 0.035691 |
| Straight Flush | 40 | 2,028,655,056 | 0.000102 | 9,825.84 | 0.16 | 0.004071 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 46,853,289,168 | 0.002351 | 425.44 | 0.85 | 0.047010 |
| Full House | 8 | 228,693,149,712 | 0.011473 | 87.16 | 0.57 | 0.091784 |
| Flush | 5 | 218,187,166,344 | 0.010946 | 91.36 | 0.18 | 0.054730 |
| Straight | 4 | 225,018,924,048 | 0.011289 | 88.58 | 0.10 | 0.045155 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,475,338,471,080 | 0.074014 | 13.51 | 0.30 | 0.222042 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2,566,784,353,752 | 0.128769 | 7.77 | 0.14 | 0.257538 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,245,603,107,400 | 0.212991 | 4.70 | 0.00 | 0.212991 |
| Nothing | 0 | 10,924,130,534,640 | 0.548036 | 1.82 | 0.52 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.21 | 45.57 | 0.971011 | |
The following table shows the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Type of Play | Play Details |
| Pat Hand | Full House; Straight Flush; Royal Flush |
| 4 to a Royal Flush | TJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA |
| 4 of a Kind | (more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK... |
| 3 of a Kind | 222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK; AAA |
| Pat Hand | Straight; Flush |
| 2 Pair | (more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 22AA... |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | (more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567... |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | TJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA |
| 1 Pair | JJ; QQ; KK; AA |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J... |
| 4 to a Straight | 9TJQ; TJQK |
| 1 Pair | 22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT |
| 4 to a Straight | 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 9TJ; 9JQ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JQ |
| 4 to a Straight | JQKA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JA; JK; QA; QK; KA |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK |
| 4 to a Straight | 9JQK; TJQA; TJKA; TQKA |
| 3 to a Straight | JQK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TJ |
| 2 to a Straight | JQ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | A23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 89Q; 8TQ |
| 2 to a Straight | JK; QK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 78J; 79J; 9TK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TQ; TK |
| 2 to a Straight | JA |
| Single Card | a Jack |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 78T; 79T |
| 2 to a Straight | QA; KA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TA |
| Single Card | a Queen; an Ace |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 234; 235; 245; 679; 689 |
| Single Card | a King |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | (more)236; 246; 256; 346; 347; 356; 357; 367; 457; 458; 467; 468; 478; 568... |
| Garbage | Discard everything |
The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy Exceptions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Right Play | Wrong Play | Pattern(s) |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 2 to a Straight: QK | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 2 to a Royal Flush: TK | |
| 2 to a Straight: JQ | 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 9JK | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 9QK | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79J | 2 to a Straight: JK | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 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: 346 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | Single Card: a King | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | 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: 568 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | Single Card: an Ace | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 234 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 235 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 245 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A23 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A23 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A23 | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A24 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A24 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A24 | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A34 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A34 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A34 | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A25 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A25 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A25 | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A35 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A35 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A35 | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A45 | |
| 2 to a Straight: QA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A45 | |
| 2 to a Straight: KA | 3 to a Straight Flush: A45 | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | Single Card: a Jack | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | Single Card: a Queen | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 679 | Single Card: a Jack | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | Single Card: a Jack | |
| 4 to a Straight: JQKA | 2 to a Royal Flush: JQ | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 234 | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 235 | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 245 | |
| Single Card: a Queen | 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 78T | |
| Single Card: a Queen | 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | |
| Single Card: a King | 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: 78J | |
| 2 to a Straight: JA | 3 to a Straight Flush: 79J | |
| 2 to a Straight: QK | 3 to a Straight Flush: 89Q | |
| 2 to a Straight: QK | 3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 78J | 2 to a Straight: JK | 7♣ 8♣ J♣ K♦ A♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 234 | Single Card: a Jack | 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 235 | Single Card: a Jack | 2♣ 3♣ 5♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 245 | Single Card: a Jack | 2♣ 4♣ 5♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | Single Card: a Jack | 3♣ 4♣ 6♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | Single Card: a Jack | 3♣ 5♣ 6♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | Single Card: a Jack | 4♣ 5♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | Single Card: a Jack | 4♣ 6♣ 7♣ 9♦ J♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 346 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 3♣ 4♣ 6♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 356 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 3♣ 5♣ 6♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 457 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 4♣ 5♣ 7♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 467 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 4♣ 6♣ 7♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 568 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 5♣ 6♣ 8♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 578 | 2 to a Royal Flush: TA | 5♣ 7♣ 8♣ 10♦ A♦ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A23 | 2♣ 3♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A24 | 2♣ 4♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A34 | 3♣ 4♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A25 | 2♣ 5♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A35 | 3♣ 5♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TQ | 3 to a Straight Flush: A45 | 4♣ 5♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣ |