Video Poker table

Hold the pair of 2s and pair of 4s (two pair made). This gives a guaranteed 10 credits payout. Discarding the 9h gives the best chance to improve to a full house (25 credits per credit = 125 total) or four of a kind (25 credits per credit = 125 total) while keeping the made two pair value.

Holding the pair of 9s maximizes expected value. This guarantees at least 5 credits (jacks or better payout) and offers a realistic chance to improve to three of a kind (15 credits), full house (45 credits), or four of a kind (125 credits). Discarding K and A preserves two fresh draw opportunities while keeping the pair intact.

Discard 2c and 3h to pursue a straight or pair of Jacks. The Jack of spades and King of clubs are live high cards; keeping them gives reasonable chances at a paying hand (jacks or better, straight, or draws to better combinations). Discarding the low cards 2c and 3h maximizes expected value by eliminating dead weight and optimizing draw probabilities.

Hold the pair of tens (Tc, Ts). This gives a guaranteed payout of 5 credits (jacks or better) and provides good draw potential for improving to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind with three remaining cards to draw.

Current hand has a pair of 8s (jacks or better, pays 5 credits). Discarding 5d, Ts, 8c keeps Kc and 8d to draw three new cards, giving the best expected value by pursuing stronger hands (three of a kind, full house, or better) while retaining the guaranteed pair as backup.

Hold the Ace and Ten. The Ace is a high card worth keeping for potential pair development; the Ten pairs with any other Ten for jacks or better (5 credits). Discarding 9d, 8s, 4c gives three chances to improve to a straight (T-9-8 connected), a pair of Aces, or a pair of Tens. This maximizes expected value by balancing the guaranteed jacks-or-better pair potential against draw opportunities.

Hand contains 4-9-3-6-8 with no pairs, no straight possibilities, and no flush draw. Discarding all five cards gives the best expected value by drawing five fresh cards from the remaining deck, compared to any holding pattern that keeps low cards with no winning potential.

Hold the Jack and pair of fours. The Jack guarantees a payout if we don't improve, and the pair of fours has potential to become three of a kind or a full house on the draw. Discarding 3, 4d, and 5h gives us three new chances to improve the hand.

Holding the Ace gives the best expected value. It's the only card with sufficient strength to build winning hands (royal flush draw via A-high straight, three of a kind, or pair of aces). Discarding all others maximizes the chance of improving to a paying hand.

No high cards (8, 7, 4, 10, Q with no pairs or coordinated ranks). Discarding all five cards gives the best expected value by maximizing the probability of drawing into a paying hand (pair of jacks or better, straight, flush, etc.) from the full remaining deck.

No pair, no straight draw, no flush draw. The best return is to discard all five cards and draw a completely fresh hand, maximizing the probability of hitting a paying hand from the fresh draw.

Hold the Ace and 3 of spades to draw three cards, seeking a flush (4 spades already) or any improved hand. Discarding 9s, 5h, 7d maximizes expected value by keeping the two spades with the best potential for flush completion or an ace kicker.

Hold Ts and Js for the jack pair, which guarantees 5 credits. Discarding 2c, 6s, Th maximizes the draw potential for a full house, flush, or three of a kind while keeping the sure jacks-or-better payout.

Hold the Ace and pair of deuces. Discarding Tc and 9d gives two chances to improve to three of a kind, full house, or better. The pair of deuces is worth keeping as a baseline; the Ace provides additional draw value for straights or aces-and-better.

Hold the Jack of spades. The dealt hand has no pairs, straights, or flushes. Keeping the single high card (Jack) gives the best expected value by maximizing chances to draw into a paying hand (pair of jacks or better, straight, flush, etc.). Discarding the four low cards and drawing four new cards is the optimal play.

Holding the Ace gives the best expected value. With three unpaired low cards (3, 7, 5) and an Ace, keeping only the Ace maximizes chances for high-value hands like a straight, flush, or a pair of Aces, while discarding the weak low cards.

Dealt a pair of jacks. Holding both jacks gives a guaranteed 5-credit payout (Jacks or Better). Discarding the 7h, 2c, and 6h maximizes the probability of improving to two pair, three of a kind, or four of a kind on the draw. This is the optimal play for a high pair in Jacks or Better.

Hold Ah-Kc-5c for a pair of fives with ace-king kicker. This balances the guaranteed 5 credits for the low pair against drawing three cards to potentially improve to three of a kind (15 credits), full house (45 credits), or a straight/flush (4-30 credits).

Hold the Ace and 6s to pursue a flush draw (3 spades present) or keep the high card Ace. Discarding 8s, 5c, and 3d maximizes EV by giving 47 cards to draw from that could complete a flush or produce a high pair (Ace).

Hold the Ace and 8h. The Ace is always valuable (potential royal, straight, or pair). The 8h gives us a live four-flush and straight draw (5-6-7-8 straight possibility with A). Discarding 6h, 7h (redundant with 7d for pairs but wastes flush outs), and 7d maximizes potential for flush, straight, or high pair.

Hold Jd, Ks, 8d, 7d to pursue a flush or straight with the four diamonds and keep the King. Discard 4d as it's the lowest card in a weak holding. This maximizes expected value by targeting high-paying hands like a flush (6 credits) while maintaining the pair of high cards as a fallback.

Hold the three clubs (Tc, Jc, 3c) to pursue a flush draw with two high cards. Discarding 7h and 9d gives two chances to complete a flush while maintaining the Jacks pair as a guaranteed return on draw failure.

Holding the pair of sixes (6c, 6d) gives three-of-a-kind or full-house drawing chances. Discarding Ac, 5h, 2h leaves three cards to draw from the remaining 47-card deck. This pair of sixes is the only paying hand currently available and maximizes expected value compared to holding the ace or drawing five new cards.

Hold the King (premium card, jack or better). The three spades (5s, 9s, 8s) are too low for a likely flush; discarding them along with 4c gives the best expected value of approximately 0.52 credits.

Holding K♦ and J♦ keeps two high cards and maintains the potential for a jack-or-better pair (guaranteed 5 credits) while also drawing toward a flush or straight. Discarding 7♣, 3♦, and 6♣ maximizes the chances of improving to a paying hand.

Hold the Queen high. The dealt hand (6-4-Q-7-6) has a pair of sixes, which does not qualify for payout. Holding only the Queen gives the best expected value by maximizing chances to draw high cards for jacks-or-better or stronger hands, compared to holding the pair of sixes which only pays if it improves to two pair, trips, or a full house.

Hold the King (Kh) only. The hand has no made hand and no flush draw. The King gives a chance at a pair of jacks or better on the draw, which is the best available option with expected value of approximately 0.54 credits per hand.

Holding K-J-7 of hearts gives three to a flush with two high cards (K, J) that are live. Discarding the low cards (5c, 9c) maximizes the chance of hitting the flush (6 outs) while keeping the high-card pair possibilities. This is the strongest draw play for expected value versus holding just the jacks-or-better guaranteed (K or J).

Keep the pair of threes and the Jack. While the pair of threes doesn't pay, the Jack-high kicker and potential draw improve the hand's expected value compared to holding just the pair or other weak combinations.

Holding the pair of aces and jack gives a strong foundation with three high cards. Discarding the 7c and 5c keeps the most promising draws: the pair pays 5 credits if no improvement, but more importantly opens paths to three of a kind (15 cr), full house (45 cr), or four of a kind (125 cr). This maximizes expected value compared to holding just the high cards or breaking the pair.

Hold the three clubs (Jc, Qc) and the ace for multiple draw options: we could hit a royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of clubs), a straight flush, a regular flush, or keep jacks-or-better with the ace. Discarding 7d and 9c removes low cards that don't synergize with our high-card holdings or flush draw.

Hold K-high and Ace for a potential straight or royal flush draw. Discarding 4, T, 3 gives the best expected value by aiming for premium hands while the Ace can complete a wheel (A-2-3-4-5) or high straight.

Hold J-A-Q (jacks or better already guaranteed). Discarding 5c and 2s gives the best chance to improve to a straight, flush, or higher pair while keeping the made hand as insurance.

Holding K♦ and Q♦ gives the best expected value. These two high diamonds offer multiple winning paths: completing a royal flush (if A♦ and another diamond appear), a straight flush, a regular flush, a straight, or high pair payouts. Discarding 7♦, 2♥, and 5♣ minimizes low-card clutter and maximizes the probability of hitting strong diamond combinations or high-card pairs.

Hold the pair of eights for three-of-a-kind potential. Discarding K, 2, 3 gives three chances to improve to trips or better. A pair of eights alone pays nothing, but has reasonable draw equity.

Hold the pair of 8s (8s and 8h). This gives a guaranteed 15 credits for three of a kind or better on the draw. Discarding 3s, 6h, and Ad keeps the best chance for improvement to a full house, four of a kind, or two pair while securing the base payoff for the pair.

Hold the Qd-Jh pair (jacks or better). Discarding Td, 7s, 3h leaves two high cards that can draw to a straight or pair improvement, with the guaranteed payout of 5 credits providing solid expected value in a late-session situation with limited hands remaining.

Hold Ks-Js-4s for a potential flush or pair of jacks. Discarding 9d and 4c maximizes expected value by targeting high-payoff hands (flush at 30 credits, or jacks/kings at 5 credits minimum) rather than keeping the low pair of fours which yields no payout.

Hold 4h-5h-8h to pursue the flush draw (three hearts). Discarding 3c-3h keeps four cards to a flush with one draw card remaining. The pair of threes is below the paytable threshold (jacks or better required), so it's worth sacrificing for the higher-value flush outcome.

Hold the pair of sixes. Although this pair doesn't pay (only jacks or better pay), discarding three cards to try for trips or two pair offers better expected value than holding the jack alone or any other combination. The 6-6 base gives us the best draw equity to improve.