Let's have a little straight talk about straights - specifically, one-card draws that attempt to complete straights in video poker.
Not all straight draws are created equal. Some draws are on the inside. Some are outside, or open-ended. That makes a difference in video poker strategy as we chase the 4-for-1 payoffs straights bring on most video poker games that don't have wild cards.
Most video poker games have a fixed pay table, meaning the pays for each winning hand never change. For example, a high pair always pays 1-for-1, a 4-of-a-kind always pays 25-for-1 or some other fixed number, and a royal flush always pays 800-for-1 with 5 credits played.
Getting the most out of video poker requires learning to recognize the best possible draw on every hand.
Your video poker strategy decisions make a real difference in your wins and losses. And one of the most important decisions you'll make involves something we can call "The High Card Conundrum."
The very popular Jacks or Better video poker game has been around for a long time. The reason is the high return and relatively low variance of the game. The original “full-pay” game returns 99.54 percent with proper play. That means the someone playing the proper playing strategy will lose, on average, only 46 cents for every $100 played through this game.
The double up feature has been around for decades. In fact, it was much more prevalent years ago than it is currently. The following true story could be the reason why.
