Video Poker table

With no flush or straight draw available, holding the low pair of sevens gives the best expected value by maximizing chances to improve to two pair, trips, or a full house.

Holding the pair of fives is the optimal play; drawing three cards gives the best expected value to improve to three of a kind, two pair, a full house, or four of a kind, while the available flush and straight draws are too weak.

Holding three 2s gives the highest expected value, as it already pays three of a kind and can improve to a full house or four of a kind.

Holding the pair of aces is the strongest simple draw: it already pays as jacks or better and has good chances to improve to two pair, trips, a full house, or four of a kind. The other three cards are unsuited and disconnected, so discarding them is optimal.

Chat is off. With no pair, flush, or straight draw available, the optimal Jacks or Better play is to hold the three high cards A-K-Q and discard the offsuit 9 and 2.

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

With a low pair (2s) and only one high card (J), the optimal Jacks or Better play is to hold the pair, preserving chances to improve to three of a kind, two pair, a full house, or four of a kind.

With no pair, no flush draw, and no straight draw, the only high card is the ace. Holding the ace alone maximizes expected value by giving the most draws to pair it or improve to a paying hand.

With no pair, no four-card flush, and no four-card straight, the only paying high card is the queen. Holding the lone queen maximizes the chance at a jacks-or-better pair while discarding the unconnected low cards.

No pair, no high cards, and no four-card flush or straight draw; discarding all five maximizes expected value in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Holding the three aces maximizes expected value by giving the best chance at four of a kind or a full house while keeping the guaranteed three-of-a-kind payout; adding a kicker reduces the chance of drawing the fourth ace.

Holding the pair of aces is the highest-EV play; it already pays as jacks or better and drawing three cards gives chances to improve to two pair, trips, a full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the two high cards Js and Qc maximizes the chance at a jacks-or-better pair while keeping a possible straight draw; the other cards are low and disconnected.

Holding both pairs (Queens and Nines) gives a guaranteed two-pair payout of 10 credits, with a chance to improve to a full house; this is the highest-EV hold for this dealt hand.

Only the Ace is a high card; holding it maximizes expected value by giving chances at pairs of Aces, two pair, trips, and other paying hands, while the other cards offer no immediate paying potential.

Holding both pairs guarantees at least a two-pair payout (10 credits) and offers a chance to improve to a full house, giving the highest expected value for this hand.

This is already two pair (3s and 5s). Holding both pairs guarantees a 2-credit payout and gives four outs to a full house, which is the highest-EV hold in 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Holding the four hearts (9h, Kh, 3h, 8h) gives a one-card flush draw with 9 outs, worth about 5.74 credits in expectation, which beats holding high cards or any other pattern.

Holding both pairs (Jacks and Queens) maximizes expected value: drawing one card can make a full house, and otherwise the hand already pays two pair.