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STICKMAN'S STANCE: BASIC OR ADVANCED VIDEO POKER STRATEGIES: WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU USE?
by Jerry "Stickman"
Jerry "Stickman" is an expert in craps, blackjack, video poker and advantage slot machine play. Frank Scoblete's and Jerry "Stickman's" book "Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo and Pai Gow Poker" presents dozens of video poker games and strategies for maximum returns. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. You can contact Jerry "Stickman" at
stickmanjerry@aol.com.Many regular readers are aware of the paybacks of popular video poker games. For example, full-pay Jacks or Better returns 99.54 percent, full-pay Bonus Poker returns 99.16 percent, full-pay Double Bonus Poker returns 100.17 percent, and full-pay Double-Double Bonus Poker returns 98.98 percent.
These returns are calculated based on what is called "perfect play." Playing "perfectly" means for each hand that is dealt, the mathematically highest paying combination of cards are saved. It takes into account all possible combinations of held cards and all hands possible for each saved combination. Of course, the results of each hand played will vary wildly, but after thousands and thousands of hands, the actual returns will very closely match the mathematical return.
How is the "perfect" strategy determined?
Computer programs churn through all possible hands and come up with the probability of each type of possible hand appearing during each hold combination. The program then multiplies the probability of each hand occurring by the amount that is paid for that winning hand to calculate the contribution of each possible hand. The contributions are summed and compared for each hold combination, and the combination with the highest return is determined to be the "perfect" hold.
This may sound simple in theory, but putting the results of the computer calculations into a playable strategy can get pretty complex. The difference of just one rank in one of the cards can alter the results enough to change the strategy.
The strategy for some games such as Jacks or Better can be fairly straightforward, while others such as Double Double Bonus can be fairly complex. Tip: The more complex the strategy, the better the chance for error. Serious video poker players practice long and hard to master the strategies of their chosen games no matter how complex they may be.
But what about the more casual player, those who do not put in the scores of practice hours that may be needed to master perfect strategy?
Most video poker strategy programs, as well as several strategy cards, have different levels of strategy. Some have as many as four different levels. Does it make sense to use a strategy that has been simplified, and by doing so, relegate some of the possible edge to the casino?
Remember, the stated return for a video poker game is based on perfect play. Every mistake that is made shifts more money toward the casino. Some mistakes may only amount to a fraction of a cent, but most mistakes cost the player much more - from several cents to potentially dollars.
Using a simpler strategy streamlines the learning process while only minimally reducing the return - in many cases only a tenth of a percent or so. The strategy charts can be dramatically different, however.
Consider the two different versions of strategy (basic and advanced) generated by a popular video poker strategy program for 9/6 (9-for-1 paid for a full house, 6-for-1 paid for a flush) also called full-pay Jack or Better.
Listed below is the basic strategy for Jacks or Better.
JACKS OR BETTER
Basic Strategy
800.0000 Pat Royal
50.0000 Pat Straight Flush
25.0000 Pat Four of a Kind
18.4255 4 Royal
9.0000 Pat Full House
6.0000 Pat Flush
4.3080 Three of a Kind
4.0000 Pat Straight
3.4282 4 STFL, Open
2.5957 Two Pair
2.2307 4 STFL, Inside
1.5405 High Pair JJ-AA
1.3867 3 Royal
1.2646 4 Flush
0.8723 TJQK
0.8237 Low Pair 22-TT
0.7979 9TJQ
0.7447 89TJ
0.7280 QJ9s
0.7216 JT9s
0.6809 4 ST, Open, 2345-789T
0.6348 QJ8s
0.6300 3 STFL, Open, 345s-89Ts
0.6253 KQ9s, KJ9s
0.6189 QT9s, JT8s, J98s
0.6000 QJs
0.5938 AKQJ
0.5821 KQs, KJs
0.5774 AKs, AQs, AJs
0.5319 4 ST, Inside, 3 Hi Cards
0.5318 3 STFL, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi
0.5260 3 STFL, 1 Gap, 0 Hi, +234s
0.5153 KQJ
0.5038 QJ
0.5008 JTs
0.4901 KQ, KJ
0.4804 QTs
0.4783 AK, AQ, AJ
0.4749 KTs
0.4742 Jack
0.4704 Queen
0.4671 King
0.4602 Ace
0.4376 3 STFL, 2 Gaps, 0 Hi
0.3598 Redraw
The advanced strategy for Jacks or Better follows:
JACKS OR BETTER
Advanced Strategy
800.0000 Pat Royal
50.0000 Pat Straight Flush
25.0000 Pat Four of a Kind
18.4255 4 Royal
9.0000 Pat Full House
6.0000 Pat Flush
4.3080 Three of a Kind
4.0000 Pat Straight
3.4809 4 STFL, Open
2.5957 Two Pair
2.2766 4 STFL, Inside
1.5405 High Pair JJ-AA
1.5328 KQJs, 0 Pen
1.5291 QJTs, 0 Pen
1.5116 QJTs, 1 St.Pen only
1.5032 KQJs, 1 St.Pen only
1.4829 KQJs, 1 Fl.Pen only
1.4792 QJTs, 1 Fl.Pen only
1.4496 QJTs, Any 2 Pen
1.4385 KQJs, Any 2 Pen
1.4366 AKQs, AKJs, AQJs, 0 Pen
1.4329 KQTs, KJTs, 0 Pen
1.4191 AKQs,AKJs,AQJs, 1 St.Pen only
1.4154 KQTs, KJTs, 1 St.Pen only
1.3867 AKQs,AKJs,AQJs, 1 Fl.Pen only
1.3830 KQTs, KJTs, 1 Fl.Pen only
1.3691 AKQs, AKJs, AQJs, Any 2 Pen
1.3654 KQTs, KJTs, Any 2 Pen
1.3367 AKTs, AQTs, AJTs, 0 Pen
1.3080 AKTs,AQTs,AJTs, 1 St.Pen only
1.2868 AKTs,AQTs,AJTs, 1 Fl.Pen only
1.2766 4 Flush, 2 Hi Cards
1.2692 AKTs, AQTs, AJTs, Any 2 Pen
1.2127 4 Flush, 1 Hi Card
1.1489 4 Flush, 0 Hi Cards
0.8723 4 ST, Open, 3 Hi Cards (KQJT)
0.8237 Low Pair 22-TT
0.7979 4 ST, Open, 2 Hi Cards (QJT9)
0.7447 4 ST, Open, 1 Hi Card (JT98)
0.7280 QJ9s
0.7216 JT9s
0.6809 4 ST, Open, 0 Hi Cards
0.6348 QJ8s
0.6300 3 STFL, Open, 0 Hi Cards
0.6253 KQ9s, KJ9s
0.6245 QJs, 0 Pen
0.6189 QT9s, JT8s, J98s
0.6079 QJs, Any 1 Pen only
0.6063 KQs, KJs, 0 Pen
0.6000 QJs, Any 2 Pen
0.5938 AKQJ
0.5902 QJs, Any 3 Pen
0.5896 KQs, KJs, 1 Fl.Pen only
0.5888 KQs, KJs, 1,2 St.Pen only
0.5880 AKs, AQs, AJs, 0 Pen
0.5847 KQs, KJs, 1 St.Pen & 1 Fl.Pen
0.5794 AKs, AQs, AJs, 1 St.Pen only
0.5721 KQs, KJs, Any 3 Pen
0.5714 AKs, AQs, AJs, 1 or 2 Pen
0.5578 AKs, AQs, AJs, Any 3 Pen
0.5375 3 STFL, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi, 0 St.Pen
0.5319 4 ST, Inside, 3 Hi Cards
0.5301 3 STFL, 1 Gap, 0 Hi Cards
0.5227 3 STFL, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi, 1 St.Pen
0.5153 JTs, 0 Pen
0.5153 KQJ
0.5038 QJ
0.4987 JTs, 1 Fl.Pen only
0.4940 KQ, KJ, 0 St.Pen
0.4929 JTs, 1,2 St.Pen only
0.4901 KQ, KJ, 1+ St.Pen
0.4873 QTs, 0 Fl.Pen
0.4841 JTs, 1 St.Pen & 1 Fl.Pen
0.4790 JTs, Any 3 Pen
0.4783 AK, AQ, AJ
0.4769 Jack, 0 Fl.Pen
0.4715 KTs, 0 Fl.Pen
0.4698 QTs, 1 Fl.Pen
0.4680 Queen
0.4663 King, 0 Fl.Pen
0.4650 Jack, 1+ Fl.Pen
0.4635 Ace, 0 Fl.Pen
0.4622 KTs, 1 Fl.Pen
0.4619 King, 1+ Fl.Pen
0.4579 Ace, 1+ Fl.Pen
0.4376 3 STFL, 2 Gaps, 0 Hi Cards
0.3598 Redraw
As you can see there is a significant difference between the "length" of the two strategies. The basic strategy version for Jacks or Better has 45 separate lines. The advanced version weighs in at almost twice that amount (at 87 lines) of strategy. To be fair, it is possible to combine some of the lines in each of the charts so the total number of lines could be noticeably decreased without the return being compromised. However, the percentage difference will still be about the same. The video poker player will have to learn almost twice as many lines in order to master the advanced strategy.
Let's look at Double Bonus Poker...
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