Video Poker

Video poker uses the same 52 card deck (or 53 cards with the joker) as table poker, and most video poker games deal the cards pretty much like the (almost extinct) table game of five-card draw. Also, the hand ranks and the card combinations that make up those hands are generally the same, but the similarity ends there.

So just how is video poker different? Consider the following:

• • In video poker, the house is banking the game, yet the machine is not trying to beat your hand. The mechanical game is more like solitaire.
    Attempting to bluff or to “read” your opponent is pointless because no other players are involved.
  • In live poker, the distinction between a straight flush and a royal flush is slim. Except for rare cases in Hold’em, either flush is almost certain to win the entire pot every time, but a royal flush in video poker pays at least 16 times as much as a straight flush.
  • In live poker, aces up (two pair) is a much stronger hand than 7s up; in video poker, all two pair hands pay the same.
  • In live poker, any four-of-a-kind always beats a lower four-a-kind. In some video poker games, four 2s, 3s or 4s pays more than four 5s through four kings. Of course, special cases are exceptions, such as four 2s in a Deuces Wild video poker game.
  • You can’t get a bad beat in video poker. Your flush can’t lose to that full house on another player’s machine. It will always win according to the payoff schedule.
  • Some plays that may be correct in table poker become costly mistakes in video poker.

Tips for Becoming a Better Video Poker Player

Here are some general pieces of advice that you should take to heart when playing video poker:

Play intelligently: Learn to recognize and play only the better games, and learn an accurate strategy for each game you play. To do otherwise is just donating your money to the casino.

Look for competitive casinos: Nevada regulations set the minimum payback for slot machines at 75 percent, but statewide statistics show average paybacks in the 90 percent to 98 percent range.

Most casinos understand that players come back to lose more when their money lasts longer. Most casinos advertise that their machines are “loose,” but that’s just hype. (In most cases, dropping one “0” from “loose” makes a more realistic statement.) You can compare the payoff schedules of video poker games yourself. Do it!

Consider maximum payback: No upper limits exist on game paybacks in Nevada, but many newer gaming jurisdictions set a maximum payback at less than 100 percent. The reason usually given is to prevent “skimming” (extraction of casino winnings by feeding them to a crony), but in any case, it’s to assure that the state will get its tax revenue. Save your money for a trip to Las Vegas.

Go where the good games are: It doesn’t do much good to learn the strategy if you can’t find any good games. Several Web sites are available to keep you up to date on good video poker all over the country.

Find out when the good games are available: Because machines are limited, you may have trouble getting on the most attractive games in the evening or on weekends. Try weekdays and early morning hours.

Join the slot clubs: In many cases, the comps and/or cash rebate from the slot club make a situation attractive. Besides the benefits shown in the club literature, most casinos send out special offers in the mail, often worth more than the slot club itself. Join the club and play at least one roll of quarters in every casino you visit.

Six Mistakes to Avoid in Video Poker

Playing an unknown or short-pay game: Most players pay little attention to the payoff schedule. We often see someone playing a short-pay game while a full-pay machine sits idle nearby. Avoid any game that does not match the payoff schedule shown with a published strategy.

Holding too many cards: The most common playing error is holding a useless card (a kicker). In live draw poker, you can occasionally hold a kicker. For example, holding an ace along with a pair gives the possibility of making aces up, which is a pretty good hand in draw poker, and it has the deceptive value of making some opponents think you have trips.

In video poker, two pair pays the same regardless of the ranks, and deception is futile. Holding that kicker merely reduces your chances of making three-of-a-kind or four-of-a-kind. Just remember that every card held means one less chance of catching a desirable card. Some people just refuse to draw five new cards, yet a significant part of your payback comes from those five-card redraws.

Playing with money you can’t afford to lose: This is a symptom of compulsive behavior, and the dangers apply to all forms of gambling. If losing that next bet means that you won’t be able to pay the rent, then you are doomed to lose. All intelligent gamblers take risk of ruin into account. Each bet should be only a very small percentage of your gaming bankroll. If you don’t have some discretionary funds that are not needed for necessities, then you shouldn’t be gambling at all.

Playing hunches: Many players think that they see patterns in the cards, but human nature may coax us in the direction of seeing the order in chaos, much as we see faces in the clouds. The machines are random, and hunches cost you money by leading you to deviate from the correct strategy.

Following “tips” instead of a real strategy: Many general gambling books and other publications offer brief guidelines written by someone who may be an expert at other forms of gambling, but not video poker. Most of these sources contain some serious errors and misconceptions. Use a real strategy from an acknowledged authority on the subject.

Not optimizing your play: Your expected gain obviously will be reduced by using too simplified a strategy (or foregoing a strategy altogether). What many serious players don’t understand is that it may also be reduced by attempting to use a strategy that is too highly detailed.

If a strategy is too complex for you to memorize, it slows your play and leads to unintentional deviations. Optimum play means using an accurate strategy that is simplified just enough for fast action without deviations but without significant loss of expected payback. The best goal is to maximize your expected hourly win rate without overplaying your bankroll.