|
Playing video poker requires only a basic understanding of the makeup of various poker hands. The game play itself is simple yet understanding exactly which cards to hold or discard will take practice and knowledge.
- To begin play, determine the number of coins you are going to wager in total, and insert your money. Use the on-screen menu to choose a game. Once you place your video poker bet, push the deal button. After your five cards are dealt you will decide which video poker cards that you would like to keep by pushing the video poker hold button associated with that card.
- After making your selections, double check to make certain that every card you would like to keep has the word hold either above or below it. Once you push the deal button again, every card that you have chosen to discard (not hold) will be replaced with another card from the video poker deck.
- Instead of beating an opponent's hand as in normal poker table play, you can win when you hold any of the five-card combinations listed on that particular video poker machine payout table. If your resulting hand holds a winning video poker combination, you will be credited according to the payout schedule.
Doubling up
- If you have won your hand, the game will offer you an additional opportunity to increase your winnings by participating in a doubling phase.
- The doubling option gives you a chance to increase your winnings. After completing a winning hand, you will be given the chance to double the payout, or to collect your winnings. The double and collect buttons will be highlighted. To collect your winnings, click the collect button. The game will then be finished and you will have a chance to play again. If you want to try to win even more, click the double button.
- When you click the double button, the cards will be removed from the screen and a further five cards will replace them. The dealers' card will be exposed, while the remaining four cards will be left face down. Select one of the face down cards by clicking on it. The four cards will be revealed and the card you selected will be highlighted. If the card you chose has a denomination greater than that of the dealers' card, you will win an amount double that of your original payout. You will then be given the chance to double your payout again or to collect your winnings. If your chosen card is of an equal denomination, it is a tie, and you will have a chance to collect your original winnings or to double up. If the card you chose is of a lesser denomination, you lose and will not receive any payout.
- Once you have collected your winnings, you can begin another hand by clicking on the deal button.
General Video poker tips
- Pay close attention to the all-important "hold" button. Some people hit it too fast or not hard enough and a card meant to be held is discarded. Make sure all the video poker cards you want to hold are held before pushing the draw button.
- Check each video poker machine you play. Some have hold buttons, others discard buttons. Don't push any buttons before you understand what you're doing.
- Always look for video poker machines that pay 9 to 1 for a full house (45 with 5 coins) and 6 to 1 for a flush (30 with 5 coins). However four-of-a-kind bonus video poker machines if paying 7 or 8 to 1 for a full house (35 or 40 with 5 coins) and 5 to 1 for a flush (25 with 5 coins), such as four aces paying 80 to 1 (400 with 5 coins) and four 2s, 3s or 4s paying 40 to 1 (200 with 5 coins), are also acceptable. You need these high video poker payouts to keep you playing, as the real key to hitting a royal is playing a large number of video poker hands.
- Stay clear of video poker machines that only pay 1 to 1 for two pair or don't pay for jacks or better. Although double bonus and double-double bonus video poker machines can be good if you can get some four-of-a-kinds, otherwise with the two pair 1 to 1 payout, these video poker machines will take your money quickly. Also, stay clear of deuces wild video poker machines, as the payout is so low that unless you hit four deuces you won't be playing long.
- Pick a video poker strategy and stick with it. Are you going for a big money Royal Flush, with the biggest payback but odds of 650,000 to 1? Or do you want to play a long time with the best video poker payback? Conservative video poker players would keep a pair, for instance, while others might break a pair if there was a chance for a Royal Flush.
- Never keep a "kicker" -- a high card in addition to a pair. The odds are against this strategy working out for you.
- Cash out your video poker credits frequently. This cannot be stated enough! If you return to play with your original bet, you will not lose more than that amount.
- Seek out Jacks or better machines that pay nine coins for a full house and six coins for a flush.
- Always bet the maximum amount of coins on a progressive video poker machine to get the bonus for royal flushes.
- If you are a beginner, play on the lowest denomination video poker machine until your level of expertise rises.
- Take your time to study every hand. Because you are playing against a machine, no one will intimidate you if your play is too slow.
|
