Holding Two Pairs

24 February 2024

By Jerry Stickman

Video poker comes in all sorts of variants, denominations within a variant, and pay tables within a variant and denomination. This is a good thing as it provides a wide selection of video poker games. There is a game for nearly every type of video poker player.

It is also a bad thing – at least for video poker players who want to make the most of their video poker play.

Why is this?

For every different variant and every different pay table within that variant a different playing strategy might be required to get the maximum return from play.

For example, if you are dealt two pairs and a fifth “junk” card, do you hold the two pairs?

I think almost all casual players and some serious players would answer in the affirmative. Let’s take a look at a few of the popular Jacks or Better based games, shall we?

All the return numbers are in credits (on average) based on five credits played.

JACKS OR BETTER
9/6 (full-pay 99.54% return) or 9/5 (98.45% return)
Two pairs return 2.5957
High pair returns 1.5405
- Holding two pairs is proper

8/6 (98.39% return) or 8/5 (97.29% return)
Two pairs return 2.5106
High pair returns 1.5301
- Holding two pairs is proper

BONUS POKER
8/5 (99.16% return)
Two pairs return 2.5106
Pair of aces returns 1.6828
Pair of high cards (jack thru king) returns 1.5301
- Holding two pairs is proper

DOUBLE BONUS POKER
• Note Double Bonus Poker pays only 1-for-1 for two pairs
10/7 (100.17% return)
Two pairs return 1.7660
Pair of aces returns 1.7635
Pair of high cards (jack thru king) returns 1.4582
- Holding two pairs is proper

9/7 (99.10% return)
Two pairs return 1.6809
Pair of aces returns 1.7531
Pair of high cards (jack thru king) returns 1.4478
- Holding a pair of aces is proper – a pay table paying one credit less for a full house reduces the return from two pairs.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE BONUS POKER
• Note Double-Double Bonus Poker pays only 1-for-1 for two pairs
10/7 (100.06% return)
Pair of aces returns 1.8967
Two pairs return 1.7660
Pair of high cards (jack thru king) returns 1.4582
- Holding a pair of aces is proper

9/6 (98.98% return)
Pair of aces returns 1.8863
Two pairs return 1.6809
Pair of high cards (jack thru king) returns 1.4478
- Holding a pair of aces is proper

Other jacks or better based games with even higher pays for four aces and four aces with a kicker (such as Triple Bonus Poker) make holding the pair of aces the proper hold by a larger margin.

This article focused on just one aspect of strategy change. There are numerous others. If you are serious about playing video poker and want to make the most from your play, make sure you are playing the correct strategy for the game, and pay table you are playing.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com