Video Poker table

With no high cards, pairs, or strong draws, discarding all five cards gives the best expected value. Holding a weak suited 7-10 or an inside straight fragment would do worse.

There is no pair, no draw of three cards to a flush, and no four-card straight draw. Under standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, holding the lone king (a single high card) beats discarding all five.

Two suited high cards (Qd Ad) outrank three unsuited high cards and a three-card flush draw in 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, so I keep the A-Q of diamonds.

The hand is already two pair (deuces and eights), so I keep all four paired cards and discard the 9s. That gives a guaranteed 2x return plus roughly a 1-in-12 chance of filling a full house, the optimal play under 9/6.

There is no made hand, flush draw or useful straight draw here, so the strongest play is to keep the two unsuited high cards, Ac and Jd. Full-pay Jacks or Better strategy ranks this hold above keeping either high card alone.

With no pair, no four-card draw and no strong three-card flush or straight-flush draw, the best play is to keep the lone high card, the Qh, and draw four. The three low diamonds are weaker than a single high card.

Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, unsuited AJ outranks suited AT and three to a flush, so I keep the ace and jack. There is no paying pair or stronger draw in this hand.

Suited AK (two suited high cards) is the standard optimal hold here: there is no pair, no four-card draw, and no three-card royal draw.

There is no pair, no four-card draw and no strong suited draw, so keeping the lone queen is the best play. A single high card beats drawing five new cards or chasing the weak gapped 5-7-9.

There is no pair, four-card draw or straight-flush draw here. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks a lone high card above a three-card flush with one high card or three to a straight, so I keep only the ace.

There is no pair, flush draw or four-card straight draw, and the only high card is the king. Holding the lone king beats any other hold here under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (expected value about 0.82 per credit) beats both two unsuited high cards (KQ) and a three-card flush draw. So I keep the pair of fives.

A low pair (3h 3c) beats a lone high card like the jack. Its expected value is about 0.82 per credit versus roughly 0.47 for holding the jack alone, so I keep the threes and draw three.

A low pair (EV about 0.82) beats a three-card flush draw with no high cards, so I hold the pair of 2s and draw three.

A low pair (tens) is worth about 0.82 and beats holding KT suited or a lone king, so the correct play is to keep the pair of tens and draw three.

Holding the suited Ah Kh is the strongest option in 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy. It keeps the royal flush draw along with high-pair and flush chances, and it beats holding three to a flush with the 3h.

A low pair of 4s (EV about 0.82) beats any other hold. The 4-5-6-7 open-ended straight draw is out since it would mean breaking the pair (two 4s), and an inside straight draw is weaker still.

With no pair, flush draw or strong straight draw, the standard 9/6 Jacks or Better play is to keep the unsuited QJ. The two high cards give the best chance at a paying pair or better.

A high pair (QQ, EV about 1.54 per credit) outranks three to a royal (Ah Kh Th) in optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy. So I hold both queens and draw three.

The optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy holds a four-card inside straight with three high cards (A-K-J-T, drawing for a queen). This ranks above suited J-T or holding just the high cards.

A low pair (88) is worth more than the 4-card open-ended straight draw (8-T-J missing 9 is actually inside) or holding the single jack. Keep the pair of eights.

A high pair of jacks is the best hold here, since there is no four to a flush, straight or royal draw. Keeping only the two jacks and drawing three gives an EV of about 1.54 per credit.

Under 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy, suited J-T, a two-card royal draw that also has straight and flush potential, outranks unsuited K-J or holding J alone. So I hold Js Ts and draw three.

A low pair (sevens) beats any other option here; the 5-7-9 inside-straight draws are far weaker. Hold the two sevens and draw three.

The low pair of nines (EV about 0.82) beats two suited high cards to a royal (AhKh, about 0.6), since this is only two to a royal, not three.

6-7-8-9 is an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs (EV about 0.68 per credit). That beats holding the lone queen, so I discard the Qs.

A low pair of nines (EV about 0.82) beats any three-card flush or straight draw here, so I hold the 9s and draw three.

Holding the open-ended straight draw 3-4-5-6 gives 8 outs and an EV of about 0.68 per credit. That beats holding the lone king or keeping the king with the straight cards.

There is no pair, no draw to a straight or flush, and no hand with two high cards. Holding the lone jack and drawing four is the standard best play here.

A pair of jacks is a paying hand, and with no stronger draw available the optimal play is to hold the pair and draw three. That play has an expected value of about 1.54 per credit.

There is no four-card straight or flush draw here. The pair of sixes is the strongest hold available, so I keep it and draw three cards.

Four to a diamond flush (Kd 8d Jd 4d) has the highest expected value here. The flush outs plus pairing the K or J (about 1.28 per credit) beat holding the unsuited A-K-J high cards.

There is no pair, flush draw or straight draw here, so the lone ace is the only card worth keeping. Holding a single high card beats redrawing all five under 9/6 strategy.

With no pair, a two-card royal draw is the strongest hold available, so keep the suited Ac Qc. Standard 9/6 strategy ranks suited AQ above holding unsuited high cards or drawing five new cards.

A pair of kings is a paying high pair, and holding it alone beats every alternative here. There is no four-card flush or straight to consider, so discard the other three cards.

A low pair of tens (EV about 0.82) beats any alternative here, since the only straight draw is an inside 9-T-Q and there is no flush draw. Hold the pair and draw three.

The only real asset is the lone queen. Holding it alone beats drawing five new cards, and there are no worthwhile flush or straight draws to keep.

There's no pair, no high card, no four-card straight or flush draw and no three-card straight flush draw. In 9/6 Jacks or Better, discarding all five beats holding the 8-7-6 straight fragment on expected value.

A pair of queens is a high pair, and holding it alone beats the three-card club draw or keeping the king kicker. Its expected value is about 1.54 per credit.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, a low pair (EV about 0.82 per credit) beats a suited AQ two-card royal draw, so I keep the pair of fives.