Some Jacks Or Better Conflict Hands

In Jacks or Better online video poker you will often face the following situation. By discarding certain cards you can possibly end up with a higher ranking winning combination that is less likely to occur. And by discarding certain other cards you may get a lower ranking winning combination that is more likely to occur. This creates a conflict. Should you go for the less likely higher paying situation or the more likely lower paying option? There is no standard answer. You need to apply the mathematics of probability and payout for the prevalent numbers in each case. It is simpler to memorize the correct option in the more commonly occurring conflict hands. This article provides some examples.

Assume that you are dealt the following cards: 3C, 3H, 4H, 5H and 6H. By discarding the 3C you can hope to get a straight flush, a straight or a flush. Alternatively by discarding the 4H, 5H and 6H the player can hope to get three of a kind, four of a kind, two pairs or a full house. The optimum video poker strategy is to discard the 3C and hold the other four cards. A variation of this is if you hold four cards to a straight, instead of a straight flush, for example: 3C, 3H, 4D, 5S and 6D. Here the optimum strategy is to hold the low pair and discard the other three cards, because the option of a flush is ruled out.

Some commonly dealt conflict hands have a conflict between three cards to a straight flush and other possible hand rankings. One conflict is between three to a straight flush and four to an outside straight. An example of such a hand is 3S, 8H, 9H, 10H and JD. You should hold all the four cards to the outside straight rather than hold only the 8H, 9H and 10H. However if the choice is between four cards to an inside straight and three cards to a straight flush then the optimum strategy is to hold the three cards to a straight flush. An example of a conflict hand of this type is 3S, 8H, 9H, 10H and QD. In the example of the outside straight any 7 or any Q can complete the straight. In the case of the inside straight only any J can complete the straight. The reduction in the number of acceptable cards is the reason for the change in the strategy.