Video Poker table

No pair, no 4-card flush or straight draw, and no paying high cards; discarding all five maximizes expected value by drawing a completely fresh hand.

Holding the lone king gives the best chance to make a paying jacks-or-better pair, while the other cards offer no useful flush or straight draw.

Holding the suited A-Q maximizes expected value by preserving royal flush, flush, straight, and high-pair possibilities, which outweighs holding three high cards or the three-card diamond flush draw.

Holding both pairs (2s and 8s) secures a two-pair payout and gives four outs to a full house, which is the optimal play for this hand.

With no made pair, no four-card flush, and no straight draw, the best play is to keep the two high cards (A and K) to maximize chances at a paying pair or better.

With no pair or strong draw, the optimal Jacks or Better play is to hold the lone high card (Qh) and draw four, maximizing chances for a paying pair or better.

Holding the pair of fives maximizes expected value; it can improve to three of a kind, two pair, a full house, or four of a kind, while the unsuited high cards offer weaker draws.

Holding the pair of 3s is optimal because there are no flush or straight draws, and a low pair has higher expected value than holding a single Jack or other combinations.

Holding the pair of 2s maximizes expected value: it is the only made pair and gives the best chance to improve to three of a kind, two pair, full house, or four of a kind, while no straight or flush draw is competitive.

Holding the pair of tens (low pair) gives the highest expected value; drawing three cards maximizes chances to improve to trips, two pair, or full house, while holding a high card or 2-card royal draw is inferior.

The only made pair is the low pair of 4s, and there is no four-card flush or straight draw worth chasing over holding the pair. Holding the two 4s maximizes the chance of improving to two pair, trips, or a full house.

Holding the unsuited J and Q gives the highest expected value, as it maximizes chances for a high pair, two pair, or better while discarding the low cards that offer no straight or flush potential.

Holding the pair of Queens maximizes expected value; it already pays and has strong improvement chances, outperforming the three-card royal flush draw.

Holding Tc, Jc, Ks, Ah gives four cards to a royal flush (needs Qc) plus a gutshot straight draw and two high cards; this maximizes expected value over the alternative of holding just the ace or the two high clubs.

Holding the low pair of 8s maximizes expected value; drawing three cards gives the best chance to improve to trips, two pair, a full house, or four of a kind, which outperforms holding high cards or straight draws.

Holding the pair of Jacks guarantees at least a jacks-or-better payout and gives the best expected value; the other cards offer no flush or straight draw.

Hold J♠ T♠ as a two-card royal flush draw; it has higher expected value than holding offsuit high cards or three-card straight draws.

Holding the pair of sevens is the best play: it gives the highest improvement chances (trips, two pair, full house, quads) and no flush or straight draw is available.

Holding the pair of 9s maximizes expected value; drawing three cards gives the best chance to improve to two pair, trips, or better, while holding high cards or a 3-card flush is weaker.

Holding the four-card open-ended straight (6-7-8-9) gives the best expected value, needing any 5 or 10 to complete a paying straight; the unsuited queen adds no immediate value.

Holding the low pair of nines maximizes expected value; drawing three cards gives the best chance to improve to trips, two pair, or a full house, while the weak flush and straight draws are not worth pursuing.

Holding the 3-4-5-6 open-ended straight draw gives eight outs to a paying straight, which has higher expected value than holding the lone king or any other partial hand.

With no pair and no four-card flush or straight draw, holding the lone high card (Jc) maximizes expected value; the three-card flush with one high card has lower EV in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Holding the pair of jacks secures a paying jacks-or-better hand and gives the best chance to improve to two pair, trips, or better; the other cards add no meaningful draw value.

Holding the low pair of sixes gives the best expected value; drawing three cards maximizes chances to improve to three of a kind, two pair, or a full house, while the straight and flush possibilities are too weak.

Keep the four diamonds (Kd, Jd, 8d, 4d) for a one-card flush draw; nine remaining diamonds make a flush, and drawing a non-diamond K or J also gives a paying pair, yielding the best expected value.

With no pair, no flush draw, and no straight draw, the best play is to hold the lone Ace and redraw four cards, maximizing the chance at a high pair or better.

Ac and Qc are two suited high cards, forming a 2-card royal flush draw and the strongest hold pattern here; discarding the other three maximizes expected value.

Holding the pair of kings secures a jacks-or-better payout and gives the best chance at improving to two pair, trips, a full house, or four of a kind; no flush or straight draw is strong enough to overtake it.

Hold the pair of tens; it is the highest-EV hold here, as there is no flush draw and the 9-T-Q straight draw is weaker than the low pair.

With no made pair, no four-card flush, and no four-card straight, the best play is to keep the lone high card (queen) and draw four new cards.

Holding the pair of queens is the highest-EV play, as it already pays jacks or better and gives chances to improve to two pair, trips, or a full house. The other cards offer no stronger draw such as a four-card flush or straight.