Video Poker table

Keeping the three nines guarantees a paying hand and gives draws to a full house or four of a kind.

The lone ace offers a better expected return than the weak three-card flush draw or any straight draw.

The four-card straight draws are gutshots. Keeping the ace alone offers better expected value through high-pair and other winning draws.

Keep the jack for a chance at a paying high pair or better. The other cards do not form a strong enough draw to justify keeping them.

Keep the three sixes and draw two cards for a chance at four of a kind or a full house.

Keep the pair of kings. It already pays and offers better drawing value than the three diamonds.

The queen is the only high card. Keeping it alone offers better drawing value than keeping it with the suited nine.

Keep the pair of nines and draw three cards to improve to two pair, three of a kind, or better.

Keep the king, queen, and jack. They offer chances to make a high pair or a straight.

The three hearts offer chances at a flush or straight flush, making them preferable to the available inside-straight draw.

Keeping 5-6-7-8 gives eight cards that complete a straight. That draw is worth more than keeping the jack alone.

Keep the pair of nines and draw three cards for a chance to improve to a paying hand.

Holding the four hearts gives nine chances to complete a flush, making it stronger than keeping the low pair of sixes.

Keep the pair of sixes and draw three cards for a chance to improve to three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Hold the suited king and jack for a chance at a royal flush, with other paying draws still possible.

Keep the pair of sixes and draw three cards for a chance at three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Holding the jack has a higher expected payout than drawing to the three-card straight flush or the inside straight.

Keep the two high cards, queen and king, for chances at a paying pair or better.

Hold the pair of sevens and draw three cards. The other cards offer no stronger straight or flush draw.

Keeping the four hearts gives a strong chance to complete a flush on the draw.

Keep the four hearts and draw one card. This gives nine chances to complete a flush, with a pair of kings or queens as another paying outcome.

Hold the suited 10 and jack for a royal-flush draw; this is stronger than keeping the jack alone.

Keep the unsuited jack and queen. Two high cards offer better drawing value than either card alone.

Keep the queen and draw four. Its chances of making a paying pair or better outweigh the inside-straight draw.

Hold the pair of aces. Its expected payout exceeds the draws available from the suited cards.

Keep the jack and ace as two high cards. Drawing three gives more ways to make a paying hand than drawing one card to the inside straight.

Keep the pair of threes and draw three cards for a chance to improve to two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Keep the ace, ten, and jack of hearts for a three-card royal flush draw. That has more value than keeping the king for a four-card inside straight.

Holding the three jacks guarantees three-of-a-kind and gives a chance to improve to a full house or four of a kind.

Keep the king as a high-card pair draw. The three clubs and the scattered straight possibilities offer less expected value.

Keep the king as the only high card; the other cards do not offer a stronger draw.

Keep the king for a chance to make a paying high pair or better. The other cards do not form a promising draw.

Keep the pair of sevens and draw three cards for a chance at three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Keep the three spades for a chance at a flush; the other cards do not form a strong draw.

Keep the two pair of sevens and sixes and draw one card for a chance at a full house.

Keep the suited king and queen for a royal-flush draw, with other flush and high-pair possibilities.

The four-card inside straight has only four completing cards. Keeping the jack alone offers better expected value through high-pair and stronger-hand draws.

Keep the paying pair of jacks and draw three cards for a chance to improve to two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Keep the paying pair of kings and draw three cards for a chance to improve to two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.

Keep the suited jack and king for a chance at a royal flush, with other paying hands still possible.