Video Poker table

Two suited high cards (Kc Ac) rank above the inside straight draw A-3-4-5 and the three-card flush in optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy. They also keep the royal flush draw alive.

A lone jack is worth roughly 0.46 per credit. That beats the inside straight draw 7-9-10-J at about 0.40, and no other hold comes close.

There is no pair, no flush draw and no usable straight draw, so the best play is to keep the lone high card, the king, and draw four. That beats keeping the weak 3-4-5 straight pieces.

Four to a flush (As 8s 3s 6s) is the best hold here, worth about 1.19 per credit with 9 outs to a 6x flush plus ace pairs, and it beats holding the lone ace.

There is no pair, flush draw or straight draw. Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy holds two unsuited high cards, so I keep the jack and ace.

There is no pair or draw, so holding the suited ace-king of clubs (a two-card royal flush draw) has the highest expected value. Discarding the other three cards.

Two unsuited high cards (AQ) have a higher expected value than the 1-high-card inside straight draw A-2-4-5 or a lone high card.

There is no pair, draw or suited high-card combo here, so I keep the lone queen. A single high card has a higher expected return than discarding all five cards.

With no pair, flush draw or straight draw, holding the unsuited King and Jack is the standard best play for 9/6 Jacks or Better. None of the discards (2, 3, 7) block a King-Jack straight.

With no pair, flush draw, or open-ended straight draw, holding the two unsuited high cards Q and J is the best play. It beats keeping a single high card or discarding everything.

There is no pair, no four-card flush or straight draw, and no two high cards. Holding the lone jack and drawing four has the highest expected value.

A high pair (two aces) is the best hold here, with an expected value of about 1.54 per credit. There is no four-card flush, straight or royal draw that beats it.

A low pair (EV about 0.82 per credit) beats any four-card straight draw here; 5-6-7 with a ten is only a gutshot. Hold the pair of fives.

With no pair, no four-card draw and no three-card flush to the royal, optimal 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy keeps the two unsuited high cards. So I hold the Ace and King and discard the rest.

A low pair of nines is worth more than any other hold here. The other options are a four-card inside straight draw (2-3-5) or a 3-5 suited pair of low cards, and both are weaker than keeping the pair.

Four to a flush (4h 6h Jh 2h) has an EV of about 1.22 per credit. That beats every alternative, including holding Jh alone or AJ offsuit, so I hold the four hearts and discard the Ad.

Two pair (4s and 3s) is held over every alternative, including a 3-card flush or straight draw. Drawing one card keeps the two-pair payout and leaves 4 outs to a full house.

In 9/6 Jacks or Better, two suited high cards (QJ of diamonds) have a slightly higher EV (about 0.60) than the AKQJ inside straight draw (about 0.596). That is because the suited pair keeps royal and flush chances alive.

Without a pair or a strong draw, unsuited AK should rank above a lone ace, suited KT, or a three-card flush with one high card under 9/6 strategy, though the lone ace is close. So I keep the king and ace.

Four to a flush (Kh 6h 3h Qh) is worth more than suited KQ or any other hold, so I discard only the 4c. Unpaired kings and queens on the draw can still pay jacks or better.

9-T-J-Q is an open-ended straight draw with two high cards. Its expected value is higher than holding the high cards alone, such as Q-J or A-Q-J.

There is no made hand, and the ace is the only high card. Holding the lone ace should beat the A-2-4-5 inside straight draw and the weak A-8-2 three-card flush in expected value, though I estimated rather than computed these.

Standard 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy ranks a suited K-T (two to a royal) above a lone king or a three-card flush with one high card. So I hold Kh and Th.

Four to a diamond flush (A, Q, 3, 2) has the highest expected value, about 1.28 per credit. That beats any high-card hold or keeping AQ.

There is no pair, no four-card draw and no three-card straight-flush draw. Two unsuited high cards (K-Q) is the strongest hold in standard 9/6 strategy, ahead of a three-card flush draw with one high card.

A low pair of eights (EV about 0.82) beats any inside straight draw with T-8-7, so I hold the pair of 8s and draw three cards.

There is no pair, no draw to a flush or straight, and no suited high cards. With two unsuited high cards, holding KJ beats holding either card alone or discarding all five.

There is no four-card straight or flush draw here, so a low pair of 4s is the strongest hold. It beats keeping the lone ace or the A-4-5 low-straight cards.

Holding the low pair of sevens has a higher expected value than drawing to the inside straight 4-6-7-8, which needs a 5. The other three cards are discarded.

A low pair (2-2) is worth more than any three-card flush or straight-flush draw here. The other cards hold no high cards or better draws, so keep the deuces and draw three.

A high pair of kings is the optimal hold here, since there is no better draw like four to a flush or a royal. Keeping the KK and drawing three gives the highest expected value.

There is no pair or strong draw here. Keeping the lone queen has a higher expected value than the three-card club flush draw with no high cards, or than throwing all five cards.

This hand has no pair, no four-card draw and no suited high-card combination. Basic 9/6 Jacks or Better strategy says to keep the lone jack and draw four new cards.

A low pair (2s, 2h) beats holding a lone ace or a low straight draw in 9/6 Jacks or Better. Keep the pair and draw three cards.

Two unsuited high cards (KQ) have a higher expected value than the weak three-card spade flush with no high cards, so this is the optimal 9/6 strategy hold.

There are no high cards, pairs, four-card draws or useful three-card straight-flush draws. In 9/6 Jacks or Better, redrawing all five cards is likely the best play here, though I estimated rather than calculated the close alternatives (keeping the suited 9-T or the 8-9-T).

Two pair (jacks and deuces) is already a paying hand. Holding both pairs and drawing one card for a full house is optimal, with an expected value of about 2.6 per credit.

Four to a flush (Th 7h Qh 3h) has an EV of about 1.2 per credit, which beats any high-card or partial royal hold. So I discard the Ks and draw for the flush, with the Qh still able to pair.

A high pair of kings (Kd, Ks) beats any three-card royal draw here; Ad-Kd is only a two-card royal. Hold the kings and draw three, the optimal play.

Holding the lone jack has a higher expected value than the three low spades (2s 5s Ts) or any other hold. No suited jack-ten is available here.