Video Poker table

A low pair of sixes (EV about 0.82) outranks the 3-card straight flush draw 3-4-6 of diamonds and a lone king in optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy. So I hold the two sixes.

With no pair, draw or suited high-card combo, the standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy keeps two unsuited high cards. So I hold the queen and the ace.

A low pair (fives) has a higher expected value than the 4-card inside straight (2-3-5-6), which needs a 4. So hold the pair and draw three.

With three unsuited high cards A-K-Q and no pair, the standard optimal hold is the unsuited K-Q and discarding the ace. K-Q can still make a straight, and the ace would block those straights.

Three of a kind (fives) is already paid, and holding just the trips while drawing two is the optimal play, with chances to improve to quads or a full house.

A low pair (tens) is the best holding here and beats the three-card flush or straight draws. Keep the two tens and draw three cards.

A low pair (EV about 0.82) beats holding a single high card like the King alone, so keep the pair of 2s and draw three.

Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, two suited high cards (Kd Ad) outrank a three-card flush draw with two high cards. Keeping them preserves the royal draw and high-pair chances.

A high pair of kings is worth holding over any three-card draw, and no four-card flush or royal draw exists. Keeping the pair of kings and drawing three is optimal.

A low pair (EV about 0.82) beats a three-card flush or holding the lone queen, so I keep the pair of 2s and draw three.

A high pair of queens is the best holding here, so I keep both queens and draw three cards, which has an expected value of about 1.54 per credit.

A low pair (the nines) has an EV of about 0.82 per credit, more than the three-card flush with 9d, 5d, 2d or any straight draw here. So I hold 9d and 9c and discard the rest.

The 4-6-7 of clubs is a three-card straight flush draw with one gap. Optimal 9/6 strategy ranks that above holding the lone ace or drawing to the inside straight 3-4-6-7.

There is no paying hand or strong draw, so I'm holding the unsuited Q-J. By standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy this ranks just above suited Q-T and the four-card inside straight 8-T-J-Q, though the three are close.

Four to a flush (6s Qs 4s 5s) is the highest-EV hold here, worth about 1.22 per credit. That beats any alternative, such as keeping the Ace-Queen high cards.

Two pair (jacks and sevens) is the optimal hold: discard the 5d and draw one card for a chance at a full house, with a guaranteed two-pair payout otherwise.

A low pair (tens) has a higher expected value (about 0.82) than holding the lone ace or anything else in this hand. So I keep both tens and draw three cards.

With no pair, flush draw, or straight draw worth playing, standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy holds the two unsuited high cards. So I keep the A and K and discard the rest.

The hand has no pair, no flush or straight draw, and no suited high cards. Keeping the lone jack and drawing four is the highest-EV hold here.

Unsuited AQ (about 0.47 EV) beats the ace-low inside straight A-2-3-5 (about 0.40 EV), so hold the two high cards.

The inside straight draw (4-5-7-8, needing a 6) has only 4 outs and returns about 0.34 per credit. Holding the lone ace returns more, roughly 0.47 per credit, mainly from pairing it.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (EV about 0.82) beats holding two unsuited high cards like AQ (EV about 0.48), so I keep the pair of 2s.

Three kings is already a paying hand, and holding all three and drawing two is the optimal play (EV about 4.30 per credit), well above any flush draw.

There is no made hand, no strong draw and no three-card royal. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks two unsuited high cards (A-Q) above the suited A-T or a three-card flush, so I hold the queen and ace.

Holding 4-5-6-7 keeps an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs. Its EV (about 0.68 per credit) beats any other hold here, since there are no high cards and no strong flush draw.

Holding the open-ended straight draw 8-9-T-J: eight cards complete it, and catching a jack still pays, for an expected return of about 0.75 per credit. That beats the three-card straight-flush draw 6-8-9 in hearts.

With no pair, no flush draw and no straight draw, holding the two unsuited high cards (K and Q) is the standard optimal play in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

There is no made hand, four-card draw or suited high-card combo here. Keeping the lone king is the standard best play; it beats drawing five new cards or chasing a three-card straight.

Three aces is already a paying three of a kind, and holding just the trips while drawing two gives the highest expected value. It keeps a shot at four of a kind or a full house.

A three-card open straight flush draw (8-9-T of clubs) has higher expected value than holding the lone king, so I keep the three clubs.

The best play is to hold the lone ace. Its expected value is about 0.45 per credit, compared with about 0.34 for the 4-6-7-8 inside straight with no high cards. It also beats holding three to the heart flush.

There is no made hand or strong draw here. Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, keeping two unsuited high cards (AK) beats three to a flush with one high card, so I hold the ace and king.

A high pair (QQ) has a higher expected value, about 1.54, than the 2-card royal draw JsQs, so the correct play is to hold the queens and draw three.

A high pair of jacks has an expected value of about 1.54 per credit. That beats the four-card diamond flush draw at about 1.2, so I keep both jacks and draw three.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (EV about 0.82 per credit) is worth more than unsuited KQ (about 0.6), so I hold the pair of 2s.

Holding 7-8-9-T leaves an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs, worth about 0.68 per credit. That beats keeping the lone king.

There is no pair or draw stronger than the suited K-T royal-flush draw. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks suited 10-K above holding the king alone.

There is no made hand and no strong draw, so the jack is the only useful card. Holding the lone high card and drawing four is the standard optimal play here.

A high pair (kings) is the optimal hold here. Keeping only the two kings beats keeping the extra queen kicker.

Holding the four clubs gives a flush draw, which has the highest expected value of the options. No paying pair or stronger draw is available.