Video Poker table

This hand contains 3d, 7c, 2h, Tc, 5s with no pairs, no flush draws, and no straight possibilities. Discarding all five cards gives the best expected value by allowing five fresh cards from the deck, compared to keeping any single low card which has negligible winning potential.

King of diamonds is the only paying card in this hand (jacks or better). Holding just the King gives the best expected value by preserving the guaranteed 5-credit payout while maximizing draw opportunities for a premium hand.

Hold Q♦ A♦ J♣ (three high cards: two honors plus an ace). This maximizes chances for a paying hand (pair of jacks or better, or a straight/flush draw). Discarding 2♥ and 7♦ removes the weakest cards and gives the best expected value.

Hold the pair of 8s. While we also have a pair of 2s, the 8s offer better kicker potential and are more likely to improve to three of a kind, full house, or two pair on the draw. Discarding 2c, 9s, 2s gives us three chances to improve this mid-pair to a paying hand.

Hold Ac and Jd for jacks or better (guaranteed 5 credits) while drawing three cards, which gives multiple paths to higher hands like straights (4 draws to 2-5-6), flushes (Ac is high card for flush), or pairs. Discarding 4d, 6h, 5c maximizes expected value by targeting both penalty cards and low cards with poor synergy.

Three diamonds (4d, 6d, 9d) with two gaps is a reasonable draw toward a flush. Discarding Tc and Qh gives 3 cards to work with for 47 remaining; while we could keep Qh for a potential pair of queens, the flush draw has better EV upside with two replacement cards coming.

Hold Jack and Ace. The Jack qualifies for a payout (jacks or better = 5 credits), and keeping the Ace gives a small chance at a second pair, three of a kind, or a straight if favorable cards are drawn. Discarding the 9, 3, and 10 maximizes potential improvements while securing the guaranteed payoff.

Dealt 3♣ 8♣ K♦ A♦ 7♥. The ace is a high-card only (no pair, no straight draw). Holding just the A♦ gives the best expected value by keeping one high card while maximizing draw opportunities for jacks-or-better or better hands.

No high card pair or premium cards. All cards are low (5, 7, 9, 2, Q) with no promising draws. Discarding all five gives the best expected value by allowing five fresh cards from the deck.

Hold the Ace for a potential high pair (Jacks or Better pays 5 credits). The other four cards (6h, 9h, 4c, 5c) offer no immediate pairing or strong draw; discarding them gives the best chance of hitting a paying hand on the draw.

Dealt 9c-Kc-Th-3d-8h with no made hand. The King is the only card worth keeping as a high card; holding just the King gives the best chance to draw into a pair of jacks or better, a straight, or a flush, maximizing expected value.

Hold Qc, Kd, 5h (three to a flush with two high cards). Discarding 4d and 5d gives the best expected value by pursuing the flush while keeping two paint cards that could contribute to jacks-or-better.

Hold the Jack and pair of 3s to pursue three of a kind or full house. Discarding the low cards (2h, 3h, 7d) gives the best expected value at this stage.

Hold the pair of deuces. While it's below-premium (jacks or better), the pair has solid equity for improvement to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind. Discarding three high cards (7h, 5d, Th) maximizes expected value by retaining the made hand while drawing fresh cards.

Hold the pair of tens (Ts, Tc). This is a guaranteed payout of 5 credits. Discarding 9h, 4d, and Ks gives three fresh cards to draw, maximizing the chance to improve to three of a kind, full house, or better. A pair of tens is strong enough to keep; breaking it risks getting nothing.

Hold Ah-Kh for a potential royal flush or high pair. Discarding 4c, 3h, 7c gives the best expected value, as we have two high cards to a royal and can improve significantly on the draw.

Hold the pair of fours (4h, 4s) for a guaranteed payout of 5 credits. Discarding all other cards gives the best expected value by maximizing the chance to improve to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind on the draw.

Holding J♣ and Q♥ gives two high cards (jacks or better) as a guaranteed payout of 5 credits. Discarding 2♣, 8♥, and 4♠ maximizes the probability of drawing either a jack, queen, king, or ace to complete a pair (paying at least 5 credits) or improve to a stronger hand like three of a kind, straight, or flush. This is the optimal play with unpaired high cards.

Holding Q-Q with A-K provides a pair of jacks or better (5 credits guaranteed) plus strong draws to a straight with A-K-Q-T (four cards to a royal if K-Q-J-T, or straights like A-K-Q-J-T). Discarding the T maximizes expected value by keeping premium kickers and the best pair foundation.

Hold J♣, K♠, A♥. The Jack (Jacks or Better) is a guaranteed winner worth 5 credits. The King and Ace are high cards that can help make straights, flushes, or pairs. Discarding the T♣ and 2♦ gives the best chance to improve to a stronger hand while retaining the high cards and guaranteed payout.

Holding the Jd (Jack of diamonds) guarantees a payout of 5 credits for jacks or better. The other four cards (8c, Th, 8d, 4s) contain only a pair of 8s below the threshold, making this the highest-value keep. Discarding the four non-Jack cards gives the best chance to draw a second high card or complete a premium hand like a straight or flush.

Hold the pair of jacks (Jh and Jd) for a guaranteed payout of 5 credits (jacks or better). This maximizes expected value by securing a certain win while keeping the possibility of improving to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind on the draw.

Js-Ts is a four-card royal flush draw to the spades suit with two high cards. This is the strongest holding available, offering high expected value through the possibility of completing a royal (800 credits) or straight flush (50), while maintaining the jacks-or-better payout if we hit another spade or eventually pair jacks or tens.

Pair of 7s is the only paying hand currently. Hold the 7d and discard the remaining four cards (7s, 5h, 2s, 9d) to draw toward a full house, trips, or another pair. Expected value of holding a single pair in 7s is higher than any four-card draw option.

Hold K-A-9 (keeping the high pair of 9s and drawing 3 cards to try for a full house or trips; discarding 9c and 8d gives the best expected value given the strong kicker cards remaining).

Hold the Queen (strong high card). Discarding 7-8-9-6 gives three chances to improve to a high pair, straight, or better hand. The Queen alone is worth one credit if paired with another Q/K/A, and this maximizes expected value over other patterns.

Holding the pair of nines gives a guaranteed 5-credit payout. While the 9d and 9c alone leaves three cards to draw, the best expected value comes from keeping the made pair rather than chasing unlikely draws (four-to-flush or splitting the nines). A pair of nines is in the lower-middle strength range, so maximizing the floor with a sure payout is the optimal play here.

Holding only the King (jacks or better) gives the best expected value. The remaining cards (5, 3, 6, 4) offer no high cards, pairs, or straight/flush draws that would improve the hand significantly. Discarding four cards to draw four new ones maximizes the chance of hitting a paying hand.

Keep the Jack (Jc) for a guaranteed payout of 5 credits. Holding just the Jack gives the best expected value by maintaining a certain payout while having four draw opportunities for straights, flushes, or better pairs. Discarding all other cards (9d, 6c, 4c, 2s) maximizes upside potential.

Hold the pair of jacks (Jc, Jh) for a guaranteed payout of 5 credits. Discarding the low cards (9c, 2d, 3h) maximizes the chance to improve to two pair, three of a kind, or a full house on the draw.

Holding only the Ace gives the best expected value. The hand currently has no made hand (pair of sixes doesn't qualify). The Ace is the most valuable card for drawing—it can contribute to a royal flush (if we hit Broadway cards), a high straight, three of a kind, or remain as a kicker. Discarding all other cards and redrawing four cards maximizes our chances of hitting a paying hand.

Hold Jd and 4d to pursue the four-flush (three diamonds already: Kd, 8d, Jd). A flush pays 30 credits, and with two cards to draw, the probability of completing it is around 35%, offering solid expected value. Discarding Ah, Kd, and 8d gives the best chance at a premium hand.

Holding only the Ace (high card) gives the best expected value. This weak hand has no pairs, straights, or flushes possible, so the ace is the only card worth keeping for a chance at jacks or better or other high-card draws.

Hold Ac and Qc for a high-card pair of aces with potential to draw to a flush or improve. Discarding 5d, 2s, and 9s gives the best expected value in this situation.

Hold the pair of kings (Kd, Kc) for a guaranteed jacks-or-better payout (5 credits) and draw three cards hoping to improve to three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind. Discarding the low cards (8h, Tc, 4h) maximizes the probability of drawing to a strong hand given the remaining deck.

Holding T-Q-T gives a pair of tens, but we need jacks or better to win. Better to hold T-Q and draw three cards, hoping to hit another Q, a K, A, or complete a straight (9-10-Q needs K-J). Holding just the pair of tens is the floor here with only 5 credits return; the two-card draws offer higher EV upside.

Queen high with no pairs, straights, or flushes possible. Holding the Queen (a jacks-or-better card) gives the best expected value by maintaining the chance to draw another high card or pair it on the draw. Discarding all others maximizes the probability of hitting a paying hand.

No paying hand possible. Cards 3-2-8-7-6 contain no pairs, no flush draw, and no straight draw (gaps prevent any straight). Discarding all five gives the best expected value by allowing five fresh cards from the deck.

Hold the pair of queens and king (QhKdQc) for a guaranteed payout of at least 5 credits on jacks or better. Discarding the 9c and 3c gives two chances to hit a third queen, king, or ace for three-of-a-kind or better, or to improve to a flush. This hold pattern maximizes expected value over random draws from the remaining deck.

Holding the pair of fives and ace gives the best expected value. The pair of fives is guaranteed 0 credits on draw, but keeping A-5-5 provides upside for a full house (if we draw another 5 or a pair), three of a kind, or a straight draw with the ace. Discarding both non-pair cards maximizes EV versus other patterns.