Video Poker Games

Video Poker RulesVideo Poker Games

Video Poker is a casino game that emerges during the 1970’s and made up of fifty-two cards deck. It is a game that has gained popularity among the players because there is no restriction to the kind of player that can play the game and being easily accessible.

About Video Poker

A casino game that does not take the level of skills of players into consideration for them to enjoy and available to all caliber of players is video poker. Unlike slot games, intelligent players with experience will have more probability of being a winner when playing this game. The machine used in playing video poker resembles that of video slot which bears the comparison. However, the similarities between video poker and video slot is very small.

During the 1970’s a game emerge known as video poker which was regarded as another new option for the old poker game. The game has turned out to be seen in many offline casinos over the past ten years and regarded as an important game. It was well known among players due to the fact that it is not difficult to play. It only involve inserting the currency and staking on the machine rather than sitting and facing other players while playing. Although, the same excitement found in the game is reflective on this game too together with higher chance of emerging as the winner. You can still find video poker machines at offline casinos nowadays although players prefer playing the different versions of video poker.

Game Rules

Casinos have different types of video poker games in which each game has its own payout and guideline. There are video poker games that give bonuses to the players whereas others provide the players with jokers. You will be at awe for the difference in each video poker games even if you are familiar with the olden poker and have played it. More the reason why it is paramount for any player that want to play any video poker to familiarize themselves with all what the game entails. Although there are people that does not have prior knowledge of the game that are winning. However, having prior knowledge and the strategy to use will provide more chance of becoming a winner.

Aim

In order to emerge as the winner of the video poker, a player will need to get some particular type of cards. Identifying these cards will not be much of a problem for a player that have played poker before since they all used the same cards. Video poker is a card game that involves being dealt with five cards. Once a player have staked and about to play, he will need to click the deal button. And will be given five cards by the poker machine either offline or online depending on the type of video poker. Then the player can decide to use those cards to get those ones needed in order to emerge as a winner. This will be done the by exchanging the cards for better ones.

When a winning set of cards has been formed, the computer will notify the player. Then the player will receive a payout whose amount will on the combination the cards formed. Players need to understand the kind of card that will give them the highest payouts. Then understanding the likelihood of the appearance of the cards. In all the cards, the one that will give the highest is known as a royal flush. However, it has the lowest probability when it comes to the number of appearances. Cards like the hand of four Queens are among the cards that a lot. Although a lot of players are having the wrong idea about the royal flush. It is possible to land the card but not easily predictable. This is because the cards are given at random by the random number generator therefore, you cannot predict the card you will be dealt with. Some people do rely on using juju however, this is not what makes people win.

Winning Hands

In terms of the winning hand, there are great similarities between video poker and the other forms of poker. There are also differences too which will vary based on the version of the video poker the player decided to go for. The ranking of the winning hands in ascending order are Jacks or Better, Two pair, three of a kind, Straight, Flush, Full house, four of a kind, Straight Flush and Royal Flush. To have the royal flush winning combination, the four cards on the player’s hand must be:

  1. A Ten
  2. An Ace of the same suit
  3. An Queen
  4. A King

After the royal flush, another hand with great winning is the Straight flush. By having a set of 5 consecutive cards of the similar suit is the key needed to activate the feature. Then whenever the player possesses 4 cards that have the same worth the Four of a kind winning hand will be activated. If it is 3 cards of the same worth and a pair, it will trigger the full house winning combination. Another winning combination is the flush which is obtainable by having 5 cards of the similar suit that does not need to be consecutive. The last being the one obtained whenever a player has five consecutive cards of the same values.

The least winning hand that can be obtained when playing table poker is three of a kind a two pair which are very simple without needing more explanation. However, that of video poker is different from table poker. The least winning hand in video poker that can be obtained by a pair of jacks is known as the Better or Jacks. It is from this winning hand that the simplest version of baccarat obtained its name from.

Hands in Video Poker

The ranking is done from the least to the highest it include:

  1. Two of a kind
  2. Three of a kind
  3. Straight
  4. Full house
  5. Four of a kind
  6. Straight flush
  7. Royal flush

Betting Layout

The pay tables are very important too for the players to be aware of when playing poker too apart from understanding the concept of the winning hands. The ranking of winning hands and each hand payouts can be represented on a paytable as a chart. Game variation, worth of the wager, and the level of being good and rare are all the parameters that a payout is made up of. There can be variation in the paytables also due to the software provider or the person in charge of the casino.

You will receive a payout based on the amount of money was used to bet. Receiving the least payout that goes along with the winning hand is due to staking the lowest amount of money. The highest amount that can be used to bet in video poker is five coins. A player that stake five coins will definitely obtain the biggest payout that is if the player wins that particular round. The least winning hands being jacks or better is where the payouts used to start from. Like in a situation where the player wagers one coin and win. He will then be credited with one coin and if he wagers five coins he will be given five coins as the winnings.

Before placing your bet ensure that you know the kind of winning hand you are betting on. In a game consisting of both full house and flush with odds of full house being nine to one and that of flush being six to one. This implies that the amount you bet will be times the winning hand you are betting on to decide your payout. Betting on full house with one coin will give the player a payouts of nine coins. If the bet is on flush, then the payout will be six coins.

House Advantage and Return to Player (RTP)

House edge is referred to the edge that every casinos always have over their players. The house edge will always be in favor of the casinos, not the players. Players when pinned against the casino most of the time do not emerge as the winner just because of the advantage the house has over them. It is not cheating rather it is the stated regulation attached to gambling. It is left for the player to check out for the house advantage and decide whether he can compete against it. One of the games that have the least house advantage is video poker. Players have more advantages of emerging as the winner compares to other types of games.

Before a player can select the version of the video poker he wants to play, there are two key things that should be the determinant – the Return to Player (RTP) and the Paytables. You can get to know the house advantage of a casino by knowing the Return to Player (RTP) or payback percentage. Using a scenario whereby a player stake one hundred coins to play a game that has an RTP of 95 percent. Having an RTP of 95 percent does not mean the player will emerge as the winner 95 percent out of the stake. The player can suffer a loss 30 times and emerge as the winner 25 times or vice versa. The meaning of the keyword is that after betting for a hundred times without relating to the number of losses or win, the player will have 95 percent of his money back.

The Return to Player is not the same for a different versions of video poker. A version of video poker might give the players a payback percentage of 99.54 percent whereas another version of the same game can give a payback percentage of 100.08%. Although seeing 100.08 percent may look ambiguous and unrealistic at first but it is possible.

Video poker games most of the time always have a house advantage with 5 percent to 0.50 percent or lesser than that. However, among the different versions of video poker 0.46 percent can be house advantage whereas the payback percentage will be 99.54%.

Different Version of Video Poker

The rates at which players were being paid their winnings when they play Video Poker Games made it to be well known in the gaming world. The games are sometimes called nine by six version because of the full house payout being nine to one and that of flush being six to one. Although, those ones mentioned above are the popular ones there are other games that their house advantage is higher which will affect the payouts. Such a case is the reduction of nine to one to have eight, seven or six to one. Another one is the reduction of six to one to have five to one.

Some other versions of video poker have some added attributes and one of those attributes is wild cards. The availability of wild cards improves the chance of the player winning since the wild card can be used to replace any other card. Another attribute is a bonus for a specific thing. Bonus will be in the form of increased payout and for example, for a particular 4 of a kind hand, 4 aces and a 5. Other attributes include the multi-play version (in this case the player can play many hands at a go), jackpot version (in this case landing a particular hand will give you massive winnings).

Draw Poker

Draw Poker well known nowadays as Jack or Better as been in existence as far back as the 1970s. It is the first version of the video poker game before any other variations. It is just like the renowned poker being played with five cards in any casino. In a deck there are fifty-two cards and the player will be given five cards for each round. This game has the least winning hand whereas the highest winning hand is the Royal flush.

Draw poker nine to one and six to one has a payout percentage of 96.54 percent with a maximum payout of four thousand coins in as much as the stake is maximum stake too. The maximum stake is five coins. Forty-five coins is the payout for full house and thirty coins is that of Flush.

Tens or Better: Tens or Better is another version of Draw Poker which is the well known one among other versions of the game. The only difference in the game is the least winning being a pair of tens instead of a pair of jacks in draw poker. Then it is not nine to one or six to one but six to one or five to one which implies that the flush payout will 5x and that of Full house will be 6x.

Aces and Eights: This is another version of the video poker game which is not far from draw poker in terms of the similarities. It is not hard to understand and the collection of a 4 of a kind of either aces or eights will increase the winnings of the player. It is also a fifty cards deck game and involves giving the player five cards for each round. The difference lies in the amount of money paid for maximum coins, unlike the draw poker. When player stake with a maximum of five coins the payout will four hundred coins for 4 aces or 4 eights. In some cases, the normal game 4 of a kind will give players less coin than the 4 seven.

Deuces Wild: This is a well-known version of video poker game due to the fact that it is not hard to play and understand plus giving players a return to the player more than 100 percent. What makes this version different is the presence of two wild cards. Such that in a case where the player has a pair of 7s and a 2 automatically 3 of 7s will be formed. Therefore, the player can replace the twos with any other cards in order to form a combination that will make him emerge as the winner. In this version, a pair of Jack is not part of the winning hand because of the large odds the game has and the paytable starting with a 3 of a kind.

Deuces Royal Flush can occur in a situation whereby the wild card is used in attaining a royal flush. A royal flush is known as the number one when it comes to winning hand and the Deuces Royal Flush is the second. Since they both have royal flush we add natural to the name of the first winning hand to become Natural Royal Flush.

Method of Playing Video Poker Game

As stated earlier each round of video poker game the player will be given five cards to play after staking. Then based on the strategy the player is using he can decide to exchange some cards for another and do not bother exchanging some. Once the player can be able to make the right decision, keeping the right cards and exchanging others for the right ones then he will definitely win. The player can decide not to exchange the card by pressing the icon having Deal or Draw on it. Players should not that the method you used to play a certain version of video poker that made you win may not work for another version of the poker game. Therefore, it is necessary for the player to know the version they want to play before playing. At the end of the game to go home with winnings is the priority.

Staking

Depending on the currency the player is using to stake but using United States Dollar as the base currency. In any offline casino, the staking range is always between 0.25 dollars to 1.25 dollars. If the player is playing at an online casino the amount to be stake is 0.01 dollars. If you are a newbie, it will be better not to rush to stake the maximum coins because they version you have played before is different for another version you want to try out. Therefore, it is advisable that the player should first familiarize themselves with the pattern of the game by stake the minimum amount. After they have gotten accustomed to the game, they can then start staking the maximum amount. Also, do not stake more than you can withstand to lose because this is a gamble, you can either win or lose. Hypothetically, no matter the number of loss players are also expected to win by guessing even a beginner. Realistically, it is very possible for you to lose all your money on the game without winning. Therefore, whenever you want to gamble separate the money you know you can forfeit from the one you cannot. This is very important for you to left with something at the end of the game peradventure you lose.

Players that are not new to the video poker game always stake the maximum amount because it is more beneficial than the last one. The more you stake the more the layout if you are able to win. You can see the difference when staking four coins and five coins on the Royal Flush. For four coins the payout is one thousand coins whereas for five coins the payout is four thousand coins. See the big difference between the two of you eventually win. Therefore, if you stake low the payout you will receive will below.

Playing the Best Version

There are many versions of video poker most especially when it is online. This can seem too much for players to memorize the payout, payout percentage, and paytable of each game. That is why before any player starts to play any version of Video Poker they should ensure to check the pay tables for information regarding the game they want to play. The Return to Player (RTP) should be check also in order to know the house edge.

The video poker game with the highest payout percentage should be what players should prioritize in order to increase their chance of winning. As of now, the well known best version of video poker is those ones with nine to one winning hand or six to one winning hand. They include the draw poker, deuces wild, and other games that give players more chance of winning. Whenever you are checking the paytable of any game, always ensure to look at all the winning hands, not just the flush and full house. Check for all necessary information you need before playing at any casino. Steer clear of featured games and rather go for games that have smaller wager limits. Avoid games that the house advantage is too high. Then as a newbie it is advisable not to try out many versions yet due to the fact that each version has it own pattern of play.

Playing Pattern

Although emerging as a winner just by guessing is possible but in order to be on the safer side you need to have a pattern of playing. There is pattern of playing detailed in strategy list which contain ways that players can use to ensure they emerge as winner. This is advisable for newbies to refer to and used to set a pattern that they will utilize. Players should note not to think the same pattern that work for one version of video poker will work for another. Each version of video poker game has its own pattern of playing. Although, the since the base game is the draw poker. The strategy of draw poker can then be manipulated to serve other versions since it serve like the foundation for all other versions. With these players can make decision when it comes to any complicated situation.

In a situation whereby the player is given a royal flush then holding of all cards must be done and also avoiding the feature. It is better not to go for the royal flush once your cards have formed straight flush. With the straight flush it is sure you are going to win something instead of risking it for royal flush. Also peradventure a 4 of a kind is formed by your card you should hold it and also five cards. Using the illustration below as an example;

Suppose the player received three aces and two sevens. The player should not be eager to stake the maximum coin because of the possibility of having one hundred twenty-five coins. The 4 of aces can supposedly become 3 of aces which will make the fifteen coins to be the payout.

Perhaps when the game started you are given a flush. It is advisable to hold on to it and receive the winnings that comes with it. But, in case you receive a royal flush after exchanging a card then replacement must take place. This implies that a player should hold every high cards and substitute the 5 in case when a player have a 5, a 10, a Jack, a King and a Queen of similar suit. The same thing is applicable if it is a straight except you are able to get Royal Flush. There are situations that are better for you to collect win instead of forfeiting for a potential big win which you might later lose also.

There is no difficulty in the pattern of play explained above although some situations where a lot of options will be available for player based on the amount of the cards they received. Whenever you are dealt a jacks or better there different things that can be done in such situation. The best thing to do at times is to hold on to the big pair. However, it is attainable to get a straight flush or a royal flush then the next card should be kept although the jack or better can be lost. It is better to hold on to the 3 to a royal whenever you obtained a royal by changing 2 cards. Also when four cards to a flush, four cards to an open-ended or a low pair are what you have. A completion possible at both ends in a case that there are four cards to obtain the straight is referred to as an open-ended. In a scenario whereby a middle card can complete a straight is known as inside draw. Release it if there is any on you except they are of high cards. If so hold on to 3 or 4 of the hands.

High cards are referred to as the cards from Jacks to Ace although in some circumstances a ten is referred to as high card. Whenever, a player is given this card there are lot of things that he can do. Note that the ace cannot form a winning combination in a situation where they both occur. It is reasonable to dump the ace whenever you have a jack and queen. This implies that both the queen and jack should be what you will hold on to and give out the ace. Do not just keep 3 random cards do obtained a flush or a straight. But, in case if the 3 cards are likely to be used to obtain a straight flush then do not discard them no matter their value.

All the above patterns discussed are not just the available pattern of playing video poker games. There are many pattern for each version of the game that is made for certain kind of players. There are some patterns that are complicated and not easy to learn. Therefore as newbie, stick with the easy pattern and keep practising using the technique till you have understand it fully.