Strategy Chart

A strategy chart is a ranked decision guide that tells a video poker player which cards to hold and which cards to discard for a specific game and paytable. It converts a complicated hand into an ordered rule: find the highest matching category on the chart and make that play.

A strategy chart is not a betting progression and it does not predict the next cards. It is a decision tool based on expected value. Its purpose is to choose the hold that produces the highest average return over all possible draws from the remaining deck.

Quick Definition

Strategy chart: A prioritized list of video poker holds, arranged from highest expected value to lowest, for one exact game and paytable.

A chart may include entries such as:

• royal flush;
• straight flush;
• four of a kind;
• four cards to a royal flush;
• full house;
• flush;
• straight;
• three of a kind;
• four cards to a straight flush;
• two pair;
• high pair;
• three cards to a royal flush;
• four cards to a flush;
• low pair;
• unsuited high cards;
• discard all five.

The exact order varies. Never assume one list applies to every machine.

For related definitions, see Video Poker, Paytable, Expected Value, Hold/Draw, and Full Pay.

How video poker strategy charts rank competing holds by expected value

Video poker deals five cards. The player can keep any number and replace the rest once. Several choices may look reasonable, but only one hold has the highest expected value under the exact game rules.

A strategy chart ranks those choices.

Suppose a hand contains:

• 10♥
• J♥
• Q♥
• K♥
• 9♣

The player already has an open-ended straight and also has four cards to a royal flush. The four-card royal is usually the stronger hold because of the rare but valuable royal-flush possibility. The chart tells the player to discard the 9♣ and draw one card.

The correct choice is not based on which outcome is more likely to hit on the next draw. It is based on the average value of every possible replacement card.

Why the Paytable Matters

Video poker return is created by two connected elements:

1. the paytable;
2. the player’s decisions.

Change the paytable, and some strategy priorities may change.

Jacks or Better is commonly described by the full-house and flush payouts. A “9/6” game pays 9 credits for a full house and 6 for a flush at the one-credit level. An “8/5” game pays 8 and 5. The lower paytable reduces return and can change borderline decisions.

Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, and other variants reward different hands. A chart written for 9/6 Jacks or Better should not be used automatically on Double Double Bonus or a short-pay Jacks or Better game.

How a Strategy Chart Is Built

For every possible dealt hand, a computer can evaluate all 32 hold/discard choices. Five cards create 2⁵ possible hold patterns, including holding none or all five.

For each choice, the program:

1. identifies the remaining deck;
2. enumerates every legal draw combination;
3. calculates the final hand for each draw;
4. applies the paytable;
5. averages the return;
6. ranks the choices by expected value.

The best hold is the one with the highest average return, even when another option wins more frequently.

Expected Value Example

A simplified hand offers two choices:

• keep a low pair;
• keep four cards to a flush.

Suppose the calculated returns per $1 wager are:

The flush draw is preferred because $0.872 is greater than $0.824. That does not mean the flush will arrive on this hand. It means the decision earns 4.8 cents more on average per $1 wager across repeated identical situations.

At five credits on a $1 denomination machine, the same expected-value difference is:

$5 × ($0.872 - $0.824) = $0.24 per occurrence

Repeated errors in common hands can materially reduce the player’s actual return.

Ranked Order Is the Core of the Chart

A chart is read from top to bottom.

Example simplified order:

1. Royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind
2. Four cards to a royal flush
3. Full house, flush, straight
4. Three of a kind
5. Four cards to a straight flush
6. Two pair
7. High pair
8. Three cards to a royal flush
9. Four cards to a flush
10. Low pair
11. Four cards to an outside straight
12. Two suited high cards
13. Unsuited high cards
14. Discard all five

This is only an illustration. Real charts include exceptions based on gaps, suits, penalty cards, and the paytable.

The player scans from the top. The first category that matches the hand determines the hold.

Penalty Cards

A penalty card is a discarded card that changes the number or value of possible winning draws. It can make two apparently similar hands require different decisions.

For example, three cards to a straight flush may be stronger or weaker depending on:

• how many gaps exist;
• whether high cards are included;
• whether discarded cards block straight or flush possibilities;
• whether the game rewards specific four-of-a-kind hands;
• whether wild cards are present.

Advanced charts identify these exceptions. Simplified charts may sacrifice a small amount of return to remain easier to use.

Exact Strategy Versus Simplified Strategy

Exact strategy

An exact chart attempts to preserve every mathematically significant exception. It can be long and difficult to memorize.

Simplified strategy

A simplified chart groups similar hands and removes low-impact exceptions. It is easier to learn but may reduce theoretical return slightly.

The practical choice depends on the player. A chart that is theoretically perfect but used incorrectly may perform worse than a simpler chart followed consistently.

Royal-Flush Bonus and Max Coins

Many traditional video poker paytables award a disproportionately large royal flush when five coins are wagered. A common structure pays 250 credits per coin for a royal at one through four coins, but 4,000 credits at five coins.

Example on a $0.25 machine:

The five-coin bonus materially affects return and strategy assumptions. A chart designed for full-coin play may not represent the same return when fewer coins are wagered.

Read Max Coins for the separate betting issue. Strategy still cannot justify wagering more than the bankroll can support.

Wild-Card Games Need Different Charts

Deuces Wild and Joker Poker change hand probabilities because one or more cards can substitute for other ranks or suits.

The chart must identify:

• how many wild cards are held;
• the natural-versus-wild royal distinction;
• special five-of-a-kind payouts;
• straight-flush and four-of-a-kind values;
• game-specific minimum qualifying hands.

A hand that is discarded in Jacks or Better may be valuable in Deuces Wild. Using the wrong chart is a direct strategy error.

Bonus-Poker Variants

Bonus variants pay extra for selected four-of-a-kind hands. Double Double Bonus may distinguish:

• four aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker;
• four 2s, 3s, or 4s with an ace through 4 kicker;
• other four of a kind.

These bonus categories can make kickers strategically important. A Jacks or Better player who automatically discards every kicker may reduce return on a bonus game.

The machine name is not enough. Check the full paytable before selecting a chart.

Worked US-Dollar Cost of Strategy Errors

A player wagers $1.25 per hand on a quarter machine and plays 500 hands.

Total action = $1.25 × 500 = $625

Suppose the paytable’s return with optimal strategy is 99.54%, while the player’s actual errors reduce performance to 98.60%.

Expected loss at optimal play:

$625 × (1 - 0.9954) = $2.88

Expected loss at 98.60% play:

$625 × (1 - 0.9860) = $8.75

Difference caused by strategy quality:

$8.75 - $2.88 = $5.87

One session can finish anywhere because variance is high, but repeated decision errors increase average cost.

Return Numbers Assume a Strategy Standard

Published video poker returns usually assume a stated level of play, often optimal strategy. A 99% return does not mean every player receives 99 cents back from each dollar in a short session.

Actual return depends on:

• the exact paytable;
• coin level and royal bonus;
• correct chart;
• decision accuracy;
• speed and number of hands;
• variance and rare premium hands.

A strong paytable played poorly can perform worse than a weaker paytable played accurately.

How to Use a Strategy Chart at the Machine

1. Identify the exact game name.
2. Record the complete paytable, not only the full-house and flush lines.
3. Confirm denomination and coin level.
4. Use a chart written for that paytable.
5. Read the dealt hand before touching Hold buttons.
6. Scan the chart from the top.
7. Stop at the first matching category.
8. Hold only the listed cards.
9. Verify the hold indicators.
10. Draw once and accept the result without changing the rule because of a recent loss.

Speed should come after accuracy. Rushing creates costly hold errors.

Training Method

A practical learning routine is:

• start with one game, such as 9/6 Jacks or Better;
• learn the top priority hands first;
• practice common pair, flush-draw, and straight-draw conflicts;
• add suited-high-card and penalty-card exceptions later;
• use free training software that reports mistakes;
• record the categories that cause repeated errors;
• retest until the decision is automatic.

Do not switch among several video poker variants while learning. Similar-looking charts can interfere with one another.

Evaluating Video Poker Strategy Charts Without Hiding Optimal Play

The casino does not need to hide optimal strategy. The game remains profitable because:

• not every paytable offers a near-100% return;
• many players make mistakes;
• hands are played rapidly;
• the royal flush carries substantial variance;
• players may wager fewer than the qualifying coin level;
• actual decisions differ from the mathematical assumption.

Management evaluates video poker by theoretical hold, actual hold, denomination, paytable, coin-in, hand volume, and premium-hand exposure. A low-edge game can still produce revenue through high volume.

Machine configuration and displayed paytables must match approved game software. Disputes usually concern whether a card was actually held, whether the Draw button was pressed, or whether the visible paytable supported the claimed award. Event logs and screen-state evidence can assist the review.

Public strategy resources such as Wizard of Odds Jacks or Better strategy demonstrate how holds are ranked by expected value. Players should still match the chart to the exact paytable on the machine.

Common Mistakes

• Using one strategy chart for every video poker game.
• Looking only at the game name and ignoring the paytable.
• Choosing the hold that wins most often instead of the highest expected value.
• Keeping a small made hand when a stronger draw has greater value.
• Ignoring penalty-card exceptions.
• Playing too quickly to verify Hold buttons.
• Assuming a recent royal flush changes the next hand.
• Using a full-coin strategy while betting a coin level with a different royal payout.
• Memorizing an advanced chart incorrectly.
• Treating strategy as protection from short-term variance.

Strategy charts prevent inferior choices; they cannot control the draw

A strategy chart cannot make the next draw cooperate. It only prevents the player from voluntarily choosing a lower-value decision.

FAQ

Is a strategy chart a betting system?

No. It ranks hold-and-draw decisions. It does not prescribe bet progressions or predict future cards.

Can I use the same chart for all Jacks or Better games?

Not safely. Different full-house, flush, straight, and premium-hand payouts can change priorities. Match the chart to the exact paytable.

Why can the best play lose immediately?

Expected value describes the average across all possible draws. One draw can still produce a losing hand.

What is a penalty card?

It is a discarded card that blocks or reduces certain winning possibilities and can change a close strategy decision.

Is perfect strategy easy to memorize?

Basic charts can be learned, but exact strategies may include many exceptions. A simplified accurate chart is often more practical for casual players.

Does optimal strategy remove the house edge?

Usually not. It achieves the paytable’s best available return. Whether that return is below, equal to, or above 100% depends on the game, paytable, promotions, and assumptions.

Why does max-coin play matter?

Some machines award a large royal-flush bonus only at the maximum coin level. That changes total return, though it also increases dollars at risk per hand.

Bottom Line

A strategy chart is a paytable-specific ranking of video poker decisions. It tells the player which cards to hold because that choice has the highest expected value, not because it guarantees a win. Match the chart to the exact machine, prioritize accuracy over speed, and remember that correct strategy controls decision quality—not short-term luck.