Video Poker table

Low pair (2s) beats holding the ace kicker; drawing three to the pair has the best expected value.

Pair of 8s is the strongest hold; discarding a made low pair for a 4-flush/inside-straight draw is negative EV.

Holding K and J (two high cards) gives the best expected value; the 6-8-9 with two hearts is too weak to chase.

Holding the three high cards (K, J, Q) gives the best expected value: chances at high pair, two pair, trips, or a straight/royal draw, better than holding fewer cards.

Two suited high cards (As-Js) have the best expected value here, beating the unsuited J-T or A-J-T straight draws.

No high cards, no pair, no three to a flush or open straight draw; discarding all five maximizes expected value.

Three high cards (Q, K, A) give strong chances at a high pair, straight, or flush draws; discarding the 8h and 2d is optimal.

Holding the pair of jacks is clearly best; the 8-9 suited is far too weak to chase.

Holding 4-5-6-8 gives a double inside straight draw with 8 outs (any 3 or 7) for a 4-credit straight, beating the 4-out inside draw 5-6-8-9 or weak low-card holds.

Two suited high cards (Th-Qh) give the best expected value: chances at a high pair, flush, straight, or royal draw beat holding the lone ace.

Holding the pair of jacks; a made high pair has solid guaranteed value and better EV than chasing the two-card royal draw.

Low pair of sixes is the clear hold; drawing three to improve to trips/quads/full house beats any weak draw.

Holding the pair of fives; a low pair beats drawing to the A/K or a weak flush try in Jacks or Better.

Holding A-T-T keeps a three-card royal/straight/flush draw, which has higher EV than holding the lone ace or the ten pair-less options.

Hold the suited ace and jack of hearts: two high cards with a flush draw is the best EV option over holding only the jack.

Low pair of 8s is the standard hold; drawing three to the pair beats chasing the weak diamond flush or inside straight draws.

Three suited clubs (Q-7-8) with no high-card alternatives; a 3-card flush draw has higher EV than holding only the queen or drawing five.

Low pair of 8s has higher expected value than holding the lone jack of spades; drawing three to the pair maximizes trips/quads/full-house chances.

Holding the pair of tens has higher EV than the suited JT or KJ options; a low pair beats three-to-a-flush/straight draws here.

No high cards or pairs; holding the 9-T connector gives a small straight-draw chance and slightly beats holding a lone ten or discarding all.

Holding the pair of 8s has higher EV than the four-to-diamond flush draw; a made pair draws to two pair/trips/quads with better expected value.

Low pair (2s) has higher EV than holding the lone king; drawing to the pair can make trips, full house, or quads.

Holding the four-card flush draw (Js,8s,Ts suited) has EV ~1.28 per credit, well above the open-ended straight draw (9c) at ~0.68.

Three high cards (A, K, T) is the standard optimal hold; the 7-8 adds little and discarding them keeps all high-card pair and royal chances.

Four to a flush in hearts (7-J-5-Q) has far higher EV than holding the lone queen; drawing one card gives ~9:1 shot at a flush plus straight/flush-royal chances.

Four to a flush in clubs beats holding A-J high; the flush draw has far higher expected value than two overcards.

Low pair of sixes has the highest expected value here, beating the 6-7-8 open-ended draw and the lone jack; drawing three to the pair gives two-pair/trips/quads chances.

Ace and jack are the only high cards; holding two unsuited high cards is the standard optimal play over holding the jack alone.

Three of a kind 8s: hold the trips and draw two for quads/full house chances.

6-7-8 is a three-card open-ended straight draw (five or nine completes it) with pair/two-pair backup, beating holding the lone ace or tossing everything.

Two pairs of different ranks; holding the high pair (tens) has higher expected value than the low pair of sixes, since tens can pair up for jacks-or-better and better draw prospects.

Pair of tens is a paying pair; holding it gives the best expected value versus chasing a flush draw with only three hearts.

Holding the pair of tens gives the best expected value (chance of trips, two pair, full house) versus chasing a straight with 9-7.

A made low pair has higher expected value than the suited K-A or other partial draws; drawing three to the pair keeps two-pair/trips/quads chances.

Keeping the pair of queens; drawing three to improve to trips, full house, or quads is the highest-EV hold.

Low pair of sixes is the best hold; drawing three to improve to trips/quads/full house beats chasing the ace or a flush.

Holding Qh-Jh-Js keeps the high pair plus a three-card royal/flush draw, which beats holding just the jacks.

Low pair (5s) has higher expected value than the two high cards; drawing to trips/two pair/full house/quads beats holding Qc+Kc.

Four to a flush (with royal and straight-flush possibilities) has higher expected value than holding the low pair of sevens.

Only a single king; holding just the high card maximizes expected value, with a small chance of a high pair or better.