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Step 1
The best return you can expect playing by the book, is just about 99%. So in the long run the house will always win. But if you can catch some good cards and edge ahead then stop and walk away.
Make sure you are familiar with the hand rankings, the basis of video poker is on standard 5 card draw poker. You are given 5 cards and can replace any number of them in one go. So from none to all 5. The goal is to draw to a winning hands, as the name suggest, a pay out is anything with a pair of Jacks or better. -
Step 2
You will need to play at a machine that pays the best payout rates, take a look at the pay charts and look for a machine that pays 9 - 1 for a full house and 6 - 1 for a flush. If you look around the casino you will find the different machines and payout charts.
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Step 3
An important thing to remember, unlike poker you play against other people, against the machine a ‘kicker’ has no concept. So if you hold A,A,K,3,7. You only keep the A,A. The King is no good as the kicker does not count. You have as much chance catching a 3 ot 7 to make 2 pair as a king, and by not keeping the K you have 3 cards to try and catch another Ace for 3 of a kind.
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Step 4
If you play and are given any of the following hands off the bat then you do not need to draw any cards, you should stay. Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush or a Straight.
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Step 5
If you have 4 cards that make up a Royal Flush, then discard the 1 card and draw 1 hoping to hit the Royal. If you have a 4 cards straight flush then do the same. This is where the logic may supersede the previous ruling. If you have a starting hand of a straight, but 4 of them are a straight flush, then you should discard the one of the other suit and try for the straight flush.
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Step 6
You should also draw 1 card for any of these combinations. 4 card flush, 4 card straight and two pairs. You should draw 2 cards for 3 of a Kind, 3 card royal flush, 3 card straight flush. Draw 3 cards for any pairs, a 2 card royal flush, 2 picture cards. Finally draw 4 cards of 1 picture card and draw all 5 for no picture cards.
