Your video poker quiz

20 February 2016

By Henry Tamburin

Remember the pop quiz back in high school? Try this True or False pop quiz for video poker.

1. You should always play the maximum number of coins when you play video poker.

2. If your initial five-card hand has a four of diamonds and you discard it, it’s possible for you to get a four of diamonds on the draw.

3. Casinos can change the odds of winning, just like they do on the slot machines.

4. If you see 25 Jacks or Better machines in a casino, you can assume they all have the same payback.

5. It’s impossible to get over a 100% return when you play video poker.

The following questions are specific to the popular game of Jacks or Better, where you get your money back for a pair of Js, Qs, Ks and aces; you get a 2-for-1 payoff for two pair; and all four-of-a-kind hands pay the same amount (usually 25-for-1).

6. If you are dealt four to the royal in a Jacks or Better game, you have a 1 in 47 shot at hitting the royal flush.

7. You should never discard a winning hand.

8. The only nonpaying hand that has more value than a high pair is a four-card royal flush.

Answers

1. True. The reason is because the royal flush payout per coin played is much higher when you play max coins than it is if you play less-than-max coins. Your overall return if you played less than max coins in, say, a Jacks or Better game, would drop by about 1.3%. If you can’t afford to play max coins, then you should drop to a lower denomination machine.

2. False. A standard 52-card deck is used to play video poker, and every card must have an equal chance of being dealt. If you discarded a four of diamonds, you should never be dealt another four of a diamonds (because there is only one four of a diamonds in a deck of cards). You could draw another four, but it would be of a different suit.

3. False. The casinos can’t change the odds of getting a particular winning hand in video poker. However, they can change the payoff amount for winning hands, and this is what they do to create their edge over players.

4. False. You will often find different payout schedules for the same video poker game in a casino. That’s why it’s important that you scout the machines to check the pay schedules before you play.

5. False. Most video poker games return slightly less than 100% with skillful play (e.g., 99.5%). However, you can boost your return to over 100% by taking advantage of cash back and bounce back that the casinos will give you for using their player’s card.

6. True. You were dealt five cards in the initial hand, leaving 47 undealt cards (52 less 5). Only one card in the remaining 47 undealt cards is the card that you need for a royal flush. Therefore, you have a 1 in 47 shot of getting the royal flush.

7. False. There are some hands where you should discard a winning hand. For example, if you hold a four-card straight or a four-card flush, and in the same hand you have a four-card royal flush, the play that has the higher expected value (EV) is to hold the four-card royal flush and draw one card (i.e., you should not hold the winning straight or flush in this case).

8. False. Besides the four-card royal flush, any four-card straight flush has a higher EV than a high pair and should be held over a high pair.


Henry Tamburin is the editor of the Blackjack Insider e-Newsletter (www.bjinsider.com)and host of smartgaming.com.