Video Poker table

No paying hand, no high cards, no flush or straight draws: draw five new cards for maximum expected return.

Holding the King only; no other high cards or draws.

Holding both pairs (2s and 8s) guarantees a two-pair payout of 10 credits; discarding one pair to draw for a full house or four of a kind has a lower expected value.

Holding only the Ace because an unsuited Ace with another high card has lower expected value than holding the Ace alone.

Holding only the Queen maximizes expected return because it is the only high card, and retaining Ten or three to a flush yields lower EV.

Holding the two high cards (Jack and Ace) gives the highest expected return, better than a three-card flush or a broken straight draw.

Holding the two unsuited high cards (King and Ace) gives the best expected return, as they can form high pairs or better.

Holding the single high card (Queen) maximizes expected return, as there are no other paying combinations.

Holding only the Ace gives an expected value of 0.464 per credit, which is higher than the 0.447 from holding the three-card flush (A-9-6).

Holding the low pair (threes) offers higher expected value than holding the single high card or any other combination.

Hold the low pair of twos and draw three cards, which gives the best expected value by trying for trips, two pair, or a full house.

Holding the pair of tens is the optimal play; it guarantees a winning hand and has higher expected value than holding the lone king.

Holding the two suited high cards (Ace and King of hearts) maximizes expected value, offering chances for a high pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, or royal flush.

Holding the pair of fours gives a chance to improve to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind, while discarding the other three non-paying cards.

Holding the high pair of queens guarantees a winning hand and has a higher expected value than drawing to the three-card royal flush.

Holding the three high cards (Ah, Ks, Jc) maximizes expected value over drawing to Jc-Tc suited or fewer high cards. This gives a 35% chance at a high pair or better, including straight and three-of-a-kind possibilities.

Holding the pair of eights gives the highest expected value, with chances to improve to two pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the pair of Jacks guarantees at least a jacks-or-better payout and provides opportunities to improve to two pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind.

Holding Js and Ts gives a two-card royal flush draw with higher expected value than holding the two offsuit high cards Js and Kh.

Holding the low pair of sevens maximizes expected value by giving chances to draw into three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Hold the pair of nines to draw three cards for a chance at three of a kind or better; a low pair has higher expected value than holding a single high card.

Holding the open-ended straight draw (6-7-8-9) gives a higher expected return than holding the single Queen.

Holding the low pair of nines gives the best expected return by giving chances to draw to three of a kind, two pair, full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the four to an outside straight (3-4-5-6) has higher expected value than holding the lone King.

Holding the lone Jack gives the best expected return, as it is the only high card and no other draws are profitable.

Holding the pair of Jacks guarantees a winning hand (Jacks or Better) and has high expected value with chances to improve to two pair or better.

Hold four to a flush (Kd, 8d, Jd, 4d) as it has higher expected value than keeping the off-suit Ace.

Holding only the ace maximizes expected value since it's the sole high card, giving a chance at jacks or better or other winning combinations.

Holding suited Ace and Queen, two high cards with flush and straight potential, maximizes expected return according to optimal strategy.

Holding the pair of kings guarantees at least a jacks-or-better payout and allows drawing three cards to improve to two pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind; discarding the unmatched cards maximizes expected value.

No high cards, no pair, no four-flush or four-straight; expected return of holding three to a straight is lower than drawing five new cards.

Holding the pair of queens is the optimal play, as it already pays and offers the best expected value for drawing to three of a kind, a full house, or better.