Quiz: Two High Cards or Suited Queen 10

8 February 2025

By Jerry Stickman

Today’s article is a quiz on proper video poker strategy. The game is full-pay (9/6) jacks or better. The bet is the maximum five credits so that the royal flush pays 800-for-1 rather than 250-for-1.

See if you can play the hand properly.

Today’s hand contains:

10 of clubs (Tc), Queen of clubs (Qc), king of spades (Ks), 4 of diamonds (4d), 2 of spades (2s)

This hand (Tc, Qc, Ks, 4d, 2s) contains two cards of a royal flush (Tc, Qc), three high cards (Tc, Qc, Ks), and not much else. The suited king/deuce is not worth much and the lone 4 of diamonds is worthless. That limits the choices for the best hold to a 50/50 shot.

Which cards would you hold?

Here are the returns for the top holds for the hand (Tc, Qc, Ks, 4d, 2s):

• The two cards of a royal flush (Tc, Qc) – return 2.4126 credits for five credits played on average.
• The two unsuited high cards (Qc, Ks) – return 2.4308 credits on average.
• The king (Ks) – returns 2.2790 credits on average.
• The queen (Qc) – returns 2.2772 credits on average.
• Finally, the 10, queen, king (Tc, Qc, Ks) – returns 2.0768 credit on average.

None of the holds are very profitable. The very best return is less than half of the initial bet. But in video poker, you can only play the hand you are dealt and this hand is not a very good one. The proper hold makes the most of this mediocre hand.

For this hand, the two cards of a royal flush are not strong enough to outweigh the two unsuited high cards. The suited 10 was simply not strong enough to tip the scale. The two returns were very close (only 0.0182 credits apart), but close does not count in video poker strategy. As the saying goes, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Holding the queen of clubs and king of spades is the proper hold.

How did you do?

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