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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 Flush800434,643,7320.00002245,861.0813.920.017444
Straight Flush502,369,877,4560.0001198,411.080.290.005945
Four of a Kind2546,330,761,2520.002324430.241.340.058107
Full House6225,251,240,1480.01130088.490.280.067802
Flush9342,520,253,7720.01718358.201.100.154650
Straight4207,440,066,4600.01040796.090.090.041627
Three of a Kind31,444,817,936,6040.07248313.800.290.217449
Two Pair22,509,709,592,7800.1259067.940.120.251812
Jacks or Better13,835,970,895,4920.1924415.200.000.192441
Nothing011,318,385,249,5040.5678151.760.580.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.3118.001.007276

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

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush800438,660,4680.00002245,441.1414.050.017605
Straight Flush502,360,195,0640.0001188,445.590.280.005920
Four of a Kind2546,300,956,0600.002323430.511.340.058070
Full House6225,157,543,0200.01129688.530.280.067774
Flush9341,942,823,2880.01715458.291.100.154390
Straight4207,468,246,3240.01040896.080.090.041633
Three of a Kind31,443,761,263,8480.07243013.810.290.217290
Two Pair22,508,506,717,1840.1258457.950.120.251691
Jacks or Better13,844,771,938,1080.1928835.180.000.192883
Nothing011,312,522,173,8360.5675211.760.580.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.3118.131.007254

The following table shows the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy
Type of Play Play Details
Pat HandFull House; Straight Flush; Royal Flush
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
Pat HandFlush
3 of a Kind222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK; AAA
4 to a Straight Flush9TJQ
Pat HandStraight
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567...
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 22AA...
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
3 to a Royal FlushTJQ; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
1 PairJJ; QQ; KK
3 to a Royal FlushTJK; TQK
1 PairAA
3 to a Royal FlushTJA; TQA; TKA
3 to a Straight Flush9JQ
4 to a Straight9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair88
3 to a Straight Flush9TJ
1 Pair22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 99; TT
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; 345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 7TJ; 8JQ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 89TJ
3 to a Straight FlushA34; A35; A45; 234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 568; 89T; 89J; 8TJ
4 to a Straight6789; 789T
3 to a Flush
(more)2JA; 2JQ; 2JK; 2QA; 2QK; 2KA; 3JA; 3JQ; 3JK; 3QA; 3QK; 3KA; 4JA; 4JQ...
3 to a Straight Flush467; 578; 679; 689; 78T; 78J; 79T; 79J; 89Q; 8TQ; 9TK
2 to a Royal FlushJQ; JK; QK
4 to a StraightJQKA
2 to a Royal FlushJA; QA; KA
3 to a Flush
(more)23J; 23Q; 23K; 24J; 24Q; 24K; 25J; 25Q; 25K; 26A; 26J; 26Q; 26K; 27A...
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
4 to a Straight9JQK; TJQA; TJKA; TQKA
3 to a StraightJQK
2 to a Royal FlushTA; TJ; TQ; TK
2 to a StraightJQ; JK; QK
2 to a StraightJA; QA; KA
Single Carda Jack; a Queen; a King; an Ace
3 to a Flush
(more)237; 238; 239; 23T; 247; 248; 249; 24T; 257; 258; 259; 25T; 267; 268...
GarbageDiscard everything

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
Single Card: a Jack2 to a Straight: JA
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ J♥ A♦
2 to a Straight Flush: 9TGarbage: Discard everything
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 9♥ 10♥
2 to a Straight Flush: 89Garbage: Discard everything
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 8♥ 9♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 9TJ4 to a Straight: 9TJQ
(more)2♣ 9♦ 10♦ J♦ Q♣
2 to a Straight Flush: 45Garbage: Discard everything
(more)4♣ 5♣ 7♦ 9♦ 10♥
2 to a Straight Flush: 78Garbage: Discard everything
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 7♥ 8♥
1 Pair: JJ3 to a Royal Flush: JQA
(more)J♣ J♦ 10♣ Q♦ A♦
1 Pair: QQ3 to a Royal Flush: JQA
(more)Q♣ Q♦ 10♣ J♦ A♦
1 Pair: AA3 to a Royal Flush: JQA
(more)A♣ A♦ 10♣ J♦ Q♦
1 Pair: JJ3 to a Royal Flush: JKA
(more)J♣ J♦ 10♣ K♦ A♦
1 Pair: KK3 to a Royal Flush: JKA
(more)K♣ K♦ 10♣ J♦ A♦
1 Pair: AA3 to a Royal Flush: JKA
(more)A♣ A♦ 10♣ J♦ K♦
1 Pair: QQ3 to a Royal Flush: QKA
(more)Q♣ Q♦ 10♣ K♦ A♦
1 Pair: KK3 to a Royal Flush: QKA
(more)K♣ K♦ 10♣ Q♦ A♦
1 Pair: AA3 to a Royal Flush: QKA
(more)A♣ A♦ 10♣ Q♦ K♦
3 to a Flush: 26TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 6♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 36TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 6♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 46TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 6♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 56TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 5♦ 6♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 27TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 7♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 37TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 7♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 47TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 7♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 57TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 5♦ 7♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 28TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 8♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 38TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 8♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 48TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 8♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 58TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 5♦ 8♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 29TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 9♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 39TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 9♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 49TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 9♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 59TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 5♦ 9♦ 10♦ A♣
2 to a Straight Flush: 56Garbage: Discard everything2♣ 5♦ 6♦ 9♥ 10♠
3 to a Flush: 23TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 24TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 34TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 25TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♣ 10♣ A♦
3 to a Flush: 35TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 45TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 5♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Flush: 23TSingle Card: a King2♣ 3♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 24TSingle Card: a King2♣ 4♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 34TSingle Card: a King3♣ 4♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 25TSingle Card: a King2♣ 5♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 35TSingle Card: a King3♣ 5♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 45TSingle Card: a King4♣ 5♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 26TSingle Card: a King2♣ 6♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 36TSingle Card: a King3♣ 6♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 46TSingle Card: a King4♣ 6♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 56TSingle Card: a King5♣ 6♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 27TSingle Card: a King2♣ 7♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 37TSingle Card: a King3♣ 7♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 47TSingle Card: a King4♣ 7♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 57TSingle Card: a King5♣ 7♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 28TSingle Card: a King2♣ 8♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 38TSingle Card: a King3♣ 8♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 48TSingle Card: a King4♣ 8♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
3 to a Flush: 58TSingle Card: a King5♣ 8♣ 9♦ 10♣ K♦
4 to a Straight: 9TJQ3 to a Straight Flush: 9JQ10♦ 10♣ 9♥ J♥ Q♥