Video Poker table

Holding the lone Jack maximizes expected value by keeping a high card for a potential pair of Jacks or better, while discarding the other cards avoids reducing draw opportunities.

With no made pair, no four-card flush, and no four-card straight, the best play is to hold the lone high card (king) and redraw for a chance at a paying pair or better.

Holding the four spades gives the best draw: any of the 9 remaining spades completes a flush, and an ace also pays as a jacks-or-better pair, for an expected value of about 6.06 credits.

Holding the two high cards (A and J) maximizes the expected return because two unsuited high cards have a higher EV than holding a single high card or any low suited pair in Jacks or Better.

Holding the ace and queen provides the best chance at a high pair or the broadway straight, while no flush or straight-flush draw is available. This matches the optimal Jacks or Better strategy for two unsuited high cards.

With no pair, no four-card flush, and no straight draw available, the optimal play is to hold the lone high card queen and redraw four cards to maximize the chance at a paying pair or better.

With no pair or flush/straight draw, the best play is to keep the two unsuited high cards Q and J, maximizing chances for a paying pair or better.

With no made pair, no flush draw, and no straight draw, the only paying potential is the lone Jack. Holding the Jack of spades is the standard optimal play in Jacks or Better.

Holding the pair of aces is the strongest Jacks or Better play here, giving an immediate paying pair with chances to improve to two pair, trips, a full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the pair of 5s is optimal; drawing three cards maximizes the chance to improve to three of a kind, two pair, or a full house.

With no made hand or draw, holding the two unsuited high cards (Ace and King) maximizes expected value by giving the best chances for a high pair, two pair, or the AKQJT straight.

Holding four hearts gives a 9/47 chance at a flush (30 credits) and 3/47 chance at a paying pair of Jacks (5 credits), for an expected value of about 6.06 credits, which is higher than any alternative.

Holding both pairs (4s and 3s) secures a two-pair payout and gives four outs to a full house, which is the highest expected value play compared to drawing to a single pair.

Holding the four high cards (A,K,Q,J) maximizes expected value: 4 outs to a straight and 12 outs to a paying pair.

Keep the four-card heart flush draw; drawing one card gives nine flush outs plus six high-pair outs, which is the highest-EV hold here.

Holding Q-J-10-9 gives an open-ended 4-card straight with 8 straight outs plus 6 outs to a paying pair (J or Q), maximizing expected value.

Hold the low pair of eights; it has the best expected return here and dominates single high-card or incomplete straight/flush draws in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

With no pair, flush draw, or straight draw, the best play is to keep the two unsuited high cards (J and K) to maximize chances of pairing a paying high pair.

The only made paying pair is the low pair of 4s; holding it maximizes expected value versus chasing an ace or a weak straight/flush draw.

Holding the pair of sevens is the optimal play; it has higher expected value than chasing the one-gap straight draw or any other partial hand.

The best available holding is the low pair of 2s; drawing three cards gives the highest expected value compared with holding any single high card or partial flush/straight draw.

Holding the pair of kings gives the best expected value; discarding the other three cards maximizes the chance to improve to two pair, trips, or better while keeping a guaranteed paying pair.

Holding the two suited clubs (Tc, Qd is offsuit) - actually best is to hold the two high cards Tc and Qd for a shot at a pair of jacks-or-better or better, discarding the rest. This maximizes expected value among the 32 patterns for this weak hand.

With no pair, flush draw, or straight draw, the only paying potential is the lone Jack; holding it maximizes the chance at a jacks-or-better pair while discarding the rest.

Holding the pair of 2s maximizes expected value, offering chances to improve to two pair, three of a kind, or a full house, and is superior to holding the lone ace in Jacks or Better.

Holding both pairs (jacks and twos) locks in two pair and gives four outs to a full house, yielding a higher exact expected payout than holding only the high pair or standing pat.

Holding the four hearts gives a 9/47 chance at a flush (30 credits) plus a 3/47 chance at a paying queen pair (5 credits), for an expected value of about 6.06 credits, which is the highest among the available holds.

Holding the pair of Kings gives the highest expected value; the suited Ace-King royal draw is weaker than a high pair in Jacks or Better.

Hold the three spades (2s, 5s, Ts) to maximize the chance of completing a flush, which has a much higher expected value than holding the lone jack or other non-paying cards.