Video Poker Strategy Quiz: Low Pair or Open Straights or Straight Flush?

29 April 2023

By Jerry Stickman

This article contains a video poker strategy quiz. The game is full-pay (9/6 – 9-for-1 full house, 6-for-1 flush) jacks or better.

The quiz assumes the maximum five credits are played. The maximum bet produces the highest long-term return because the royal flush pays 800-for-1 (4,000-for-5) rather than 250-for-1 when less than the maximum is bet.

Look at the dealt hand below and decide which card or cards you would hold. Then read on to see if you are right.

Note: The statistics shown are from “Video Poker for Winners.”

These quizzes will be posted periodically and will feature hands that have holds that produce very close results.

Here is today’s dealt hand: 7c 6h 7h 8h 9c.
• 7 of clubs – (7c)
• 6 of hearts – (6h)
• 7 of hearts – (7h)
• 8 of hearts – (8h)
• 9 of clubs – (9c)

Four obvious possible holds are:
1. 6h, 7h, 8h – (Three-card open straight flush)
2. 6h, 7h, 8h, 9c – (Four-card straight)
3. 7c, 6h, 8h, 9c – (Four-card straight)
4. 7c, 7h – (Low pair)

Choice 1 (6h, 7h, 8h) – a three-card open straight flush can produce three straight flushes, 42 flushes, 37 straights, seven three-of-a-kinds, 21 hands with two pairs, and 24 high pairs.

Choices 2 and 3 (6h, 7h, 8h, 9c / 7c, 6h, 8h, 9c) – four cards of an open straight can produce eight straights – nothing else.

Choice 4 (7c, 7h) – the low pair can produce 45 four-of-a-kinds, 165 full houses, 1,854 three-of-a-kinds, 2,592 hands with two pairs.

Returns

Hold 1 (6h, 7h, 8h) – returns 2.9463 credits on average for 5 credits bet.

Holds 2 and 3 (6h, 7h, 8h, 9c / 7c, 6h, 8h, 9c) – both of these holds return 3.4043 credits on average for 5 credits bet.

Hold 4 (7c, 7h) – returns 4.1184 credits on average for 5 credits bet.

The winner?

Hold 4 (7c, 7h) is the proper hold – by a healthy margin. The possible four-of-a-kinds, full houses and three-of-a-kinds make this hold the winner.

Did you play this hand correctly?

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. 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