Video Poker table

There are no pairs, no four-card draws and no suited high cards here. Holding the lone ace gives more expected value than drawing five new cards.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (EV about 0.82) beats holding two unsuited high cards like KQ (about 0.47), so keep the pair of fives and draw three.

A low pair of sevens (EV about 0.82 per credit) beats every other option here, including the lone queen or an inside straight draw.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, two suited high cards (KQ of diamonds) have a higher expected value than three unsuited high cards (KQJ), so I hold only the Kd and Qd.

A low pair (fives) is worth more than a three-card flush draw (7d 4d Td), and there is no four-card flush or straight draw. So I keep the pair of fives and draw three.

Holding the pair of eights is the optimal play under 9/6 strategy. It outranks the three-card flush draw and the inside straight draws.

Three of a kind (2s) is dealt; the optimal play is to hold the trips and draw two, for a shot at a full house or quads.

There is no pair, no four-card draw and no three-card straight flush. By standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, an unsuited King-Jack beats a three-card flush draw or a single high card, so I keep Jh and Ks.

A low pair (8-8) is worth more than holding a single high card like the queen or keeping 8-T-Q. Hold the pair and draw three.

A pair of aces is a high pair and, with no four-card flush, straight flush or royal draw available, holding it is optimal (EV about 1.54 per credit).

With no pair, draw, or suited high cards, the standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks unsuited AQ above holding a single high card. So I keep the ace and queen and draw three.

With three unsuited high cards including an ace, the optimal 9/6 play is to drop the ace and keep K-Q. That pair of cards has better straight potential than any hold that includes the ace.

There are no pairs, no high cards, and no four-card straight or flush draws. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy says to discard all five cards, since that beats holding weak partial draws like 7-8-9.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (2-2, EV about 0.82 per credit) beats holding a lone jack (about 0.47). So I keep the deuces and draw three cards.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, two suited high cards (Qc Jc) have a higher expected value than the inside straight draw A-Q-J-T or keeping three unsuited high cards.

There is no pair, no four-card flush and no workable straight draw here. Holding the lone ace beats drawing five new cards or keeping the weak low straight cards.

With no pair, no four-card draw and no suited high cards, standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy holds the two unsuited high cards, Ac and Jh. That gives the best expected return here.

There is no pair, flush draw or real straight draw, and the only high card is the Qh. Standard 9/6 strategy holds the lone queen, since Q9 suited and the gapped straight cards both return less.

Hold 2h 4h 5h, a three-card straight flush draw with one gap. Optimal 9/6 strategy ranks this above the ace-low inside straight draw (A-2-4-5) or keeping the lone ace.

There are no high cards, pairs, four-card draws or useful suited draws here, so standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy is to discard all five.

With no pair or strong draw, standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks a suited K-10 (two to a royal) above holding the king alone or a three-card flush draw. So I keep 10h and Kh and discard the rest.

There is no made hand, flush draw or straight draw worth keeping. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks holding two unsuited high cards (A-K) above a three-card flush with one high card or keeping a single high card.

There is no pair, draw, or suited high-card combination here. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy holds two unsuited high cards (A-J) over a single high card or a full redraw.

Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, three to a royal flush (Ad Qd Td) ranks above a low pair of tens. It has a higher expected value, roughly 1.2+ versus about 0.82 per credit.

Three aces is the dealt hand, and keeping them while drawing two cards gives the highest expected value. That draw keeps a guaranteed trips payout and adds chances at a full house or four of a kind.

There is no pair, no four-card draw, and no three cards to a straight flush. Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, keeping the two unsuited high cards (A, K) beats keeping the three-card spade flush draw (A-9-5) or the ace alone.

A pair of aces is a paying high pair, and holding just the pair (EV about 1.54) beats keeping the king kicker or any other option. Discard the 4, K and 8.

There is no pair or strong draw here. Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, keeping the two unsuited high cards K and Q is worth slightly more than keeping the suited K-10.

A low pair (6-6) is worth more in expectation than a three-card flush draw with only one high card, so I keep the sixes and draw three.

There is no pair or strong draw here. Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, holding the lone king is expected to beat keeping the three diamonds with only one high card.

The best play is to hold the unsuited Q-J, two high cards that can make a paying pair or a straight. That beats holding a single high card or three low-value spades toward a flush.

A low pair (4-4) has a higher expected value than holding the lone jack or the J-T straight cards. So I keep the pair and draw three.

Two pair (queens and nines) is already a paying hand. Holding both pairs and drawing one card is the optimal play, with an EV of about 2.6 per credit.

A low pair (sevens) has a higher expected value than three to a flush or two high cards, so I keep the pair of sevens and draw three.

The hand has no pair, no four-card draw and no strong three-card straight-flush draw. The lone ace is the best high-card hold and has a higher expected value than the weak three-card spade flush draw.

Two pair (9s and 5s) is already a paying hand, so hold both pairs and draw one card. That keeps the guaranteed 2x and gives about a 4/47 chance at a full house, which beats any other hold.

Under optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, two suited high cards (Kh Jh) rank above both the 3-card straight flush 9h-Jh-Kh and the 4-card inside straight A-K-J-T. So I keep only the king and jack of hearts.

Two pair (3s and 5s) is already a paying hand; keep both pairs and draw one card for a chance at a full house. This is the optimal hold.

A four-card heart flush draw (9h Kh 3h 8h) has an EV of about 1.2 per credit, which beats holding high cards like Js/Kh. So I hold the four hearts and discard the Js.

Two pair (jacks and queens) is the optimal hold: it keeps a guaranteed 2x payout with a 4/47 chance of a full house, for an EV of about 2.60 per credit. That is higher than breaking it up for any straight draw.