POKER TAO

Now that you've read some easy tips for playing video poker here are some great strategies for playing video poker. Remember there are many different variations of the game available at land-based casinos and online. But each game features different rules and display a different paytable. Jacks or Better is a great variation of video poker for new players to learn on. It's also a recommended for experienced players as well since it offers attractive odds. Remember, before you play on any machine read the paytable first.

Here's a an overall video poker strategy that may seem obvious at first but not enough people take advantage of it: play free video poker! There are plenty of websites and free software for playing video poker games. It's a great way to learn, practice your skills and analyze play by play in order to make the best decisions. And because it's free you aren't risking anything. Some video poker software even allows you to review the game history in order to see what you did right or wrong after the fact. This option is just not possible when playing video poker at a real casino.

Now for some practical video poker strategies: Don't hang onto a kicker with any pair because this will reduce your return by 5 percent. Also, do not draw out 4 cards if you can draw our 3 cards in order to make a royal flush. If you have a 5-card winning hand you should always keep it unless you are 1 draw card from a royal flush. Do not break a flush even if you are 1 card away from a straight flush. Otherwise you should break a flush if you are a 1-card draw from a royal flush. Also, don't break a straight in hopes of drawing a straight flush; the odds are stacked against you. Do not draw five new cards if you are holding a jack or better and it is not recommended that you hang onto a 10 for a 4-card draw when playing video poker.