Rule #1; Seek out for the best paytables
Dear Mark,
Where I play Jacks-or-better video poker, some machines have different
paytables, the difference being what you are paid for a full house. One
machine returns nine coins, another eight. How much am I giving up
playing a machine that gives eight coins back for a full house versus
one that gives nine? Sammy H.
For the standard game of Jacks-or-better, strategy No. 1 is to pick the
game with the best payout table. Typically, the higher the payout for a
full house (and a flush, you neglected them in your question) the
greater the return. For example, on a Jacks-or-better machine, 9 for a
full house, 6 for a flush has a 99.5 percent return; 8 for a full
house, 5 for a flush has a 97.4 percent return; 7 for a full house, 5
for a flush has a 96.3 percent return; and 6 for a full house, 5 for a
flush has a 95.2 percent return.
The above returns, Sammy, are based on machines NOT connected to
progressive jackpots. On an 8/5 progressive quarter machine, when the
jackpot for a royal flush is more than $2,200, or $8,800 for dollar
play, an 8/5 video poker machine can have a better return than a 9/6
machine.
Dear Mark,
A couple quick questions, if I may, regarding how to play a few
different hands at Jacks-or-better video poker. Which is better to draw
from; an open-end 4-card straight versus no high cards, one high card,
two high cards or three high cards? A low pair opposed to two high
cards? Two cards to a royal flush against a high pair (a winning hand),
and three cards to a royal versus a high pair? Jerry M.
Below, Jerry, are the correct strategies to your rapid-fire questions.
An open-ended 4-card straight is more powerful than one, two, three, or
even four non-sequential high cards. A low pair is a superior hand over
two high cards. As to your last question, you keep a high pair over two
cards to a royal, even a three-card royal. However, the expected value
(win potential) of three cards to a royal and a high pair is so
insignificant, even I abstain from perfect basic strategy and jump on
the chance, as remote as it might be, of hitting the elusive royal
flush.
By the way, Jerry, the definition of expected value is the average
value of all the wins attainable (after the discards are replaced), if
the optimum cards are retained and each unique possible draw occurs.
Dear Mark,
While playing a hand in poker, is it acceptable to talk about, actually
mislead the other players at the table about the hand you are playing?
Isn’t that considered “table talk,” a no-no in poker? Joel M.
When your jabbering about a hand you are personally involved in, with
the intent of misleading or manipulating other players, in gamblese,
it’s not called “table talk,” but instead, it’s called “coffeehousing.” Is it kosher? Well, Joel, it sort of depends on whom you ask. Half the
players I play with would say misleading chatter is fair play.
Personally, I consider coffeehousing at best, downright rude.
Like coffeehousing, table talk is a discussion at the table regarding
the hand currently underway by players no longer involved in the pot,
especially any talk that might affect play. The most common example of
table talk is announcing what cards a player has just folded. For
example, if the flop shows trips (J-J-J
), and a player who had already folded sees the flop and screams out
"blankity blank," they have done a disservice to anyone at the table
who thought they might like to bluff having caught quads
(four-of-a-kind). Better yet, uncalled-for squeals might even bring out
a six-shooter from some pissed-off player.
Gambling quote of the week: "When the chips are flowing faster than
the Missouri River during a hurricane, it's easy to feel as if you're
omnipotent at the tables." –gaming author Barry Meadow
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