Video Poker table

Holding the pair of 7s gives the best expected value; it can improve to two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind, while the other cards offer only weak straight or high-card potential.

Holding the pair of Jacks gives the best expected value: it already pays as jacks-or-better and has strong improvement chances to two pair, trips, full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the pair of 9s maximizes expected value (~0.88 per credit) versus drawing to the 3-card straight flush or other incomplete draws.

Holding the pair of Jacks guarantees at least a paying jacks-or-better hand and gives the best chance to improve to two pair, trips, or better.

Holding the three 7s keeps a paying three-of-a-kind and gives the best chance to draw the last 7 for four of a kind or a pair for a full house, maximizing expected value.

Holding J-Q-T-9 gives an open-ended straight draw (8 outs) plus 6 outs to a paying pair, with higher expected value than holding the three spades alone.

Holding the pair of eights gives the best expected value: it can improve to three of a kind, two pair, or a full house, while the unsuited K-J-6 offer no paying combination.

Holding the pair of sixes maximizes expected value; the only other plausible draw, the 2-3-5-6 inside straight, has lower EV.

With no made hand and only one high card (Q), holding the Q and drawing four is optimal; a 3-card flush with no high cards or a Q9 suited draw has lower expected value.

Holding the low pair of 5s maximizes expected value; it is superior to holding the 3-card straight (3-4-5) or any other combination in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

With no high cards or flush/straight draw, the pair of twos is the only paying-potential hold and has the highest expected value among the 32 patterns.

Holding the pair of aces gives the highest expected value; the 3-card flush draw is much weaker and not worth breaking the made hand.

Holding the low pair of 3s maximizes expected value; it has a higher EV than the 3-card straight flush or any other hold in this Jacks or Better hand.

Holding the low pair of 2s maximizes expected value (about 4.12 credits) compared to drawing to three spades or high cards, as low pairs have higher EV in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Holding the pair of queens is the optimal play, yielding the highest expected value (about 1.54 per credit) versus alternative draws such as three hearts or four-card holds.

Holding the low pair of sixes maximizes expected value; it offers chances at two pair, trips, full house, and quads, while a lone king has lower EV.

Holding the suited Jc-Tc gives the best expected value, preserving chances for a royal flush, straight flush, and other strong draws, which outweighs holding a single high card.

Holding the pair of jacks secures a paying jacks-or-better hand and gives the best expected value; there is no stronger draw such as four to a flush or straight available.

Holding the pair of kings secures a paying jacks-or-better hand and gives the best chance to improve to two pair, trips, or a full house.

Holding the two unsuited high cards (J and K) gives the best expected return for this no-pair hand; the three diamonds are not a strong enough flush draw to justify discarding a high card.

Holding the pair of 6s maximizes expected value; a low pair is stronger than a lone high card in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Holding the 9-J-Q-K four-card inside straight maximizes expected value, as it has a higher EV than holding three high cards or two suited high cards.

Holding the pair of 9s is optimal because there are no flush or straight draws available; discarding all kickers maximizes chances to improve to two pair, trips, or better.

Holding the lone Jack is optimal in Jacks or Better when there is no pair, straight, or flush draw. It maximizes expected value by preserving the only high card while drawing four replacements.

Holding 2-3-4-5 gives an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs (A or 6) and the highest expected value; the unsuited king is discarded.

Holding the pair of eights is optimal; it maximizes expected value by giving the best chances to improve to two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind, while discarding the low kickers increases draw potential.

Holding the pair of kings guarantees at least a jacks-or-better payout and gives the best chance to improve to two pair, trips, a full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the pair of sevens maximizes expected value by giving the best chance to improve to three of a kind, two pair, full house, or four of a kind. The three-card diamond flush draw has lower EV.

With no pairs, no 4-card flush, and no 4-card straight, the optimal Jacks or Better play is to hold the lone high card (K) to maximize the chance of a paying pair or better.

Holding the four hearts (T♥, A♥, 5♥, 6♥) gives a 4-card flush draw; drawing any of the 9 remaining hearts pays 30 credits, and drawing an Ace also pays 5 credits for a pair of Aces. This yields the highest expected value compared to holding the low pair or other combinations.