Video Poker Strategy: The Basic Hold Chart
Last reviewed: June 2026
Video poker is the only casino game where the paytable is public, cards come from a standard deck, and skill matters — optimal play on 9/6 Jacks or Better returns 99.54%, giving a house edge of just 0.46%.
What makes video poker different
Slot machines are black boxes: you don’t know the paytable odds. Video poker is the opposite.
- Public paytable: every machine shows exactly what you earn for each hand.
- Standard deck: 52 cards, five dealt face-up. Your decisions change the outcome.
- Skill payoff: correct decisions can swing the house edge from 2–5% (bad play) to 0.46% (optimal play).
The baseline: 9/6 Jacks or Better
This article covers the most common game: 9/6 Jacks or Better (9 credits for a Full House, 6 for a Flush). Optimal strategy returns 99.54%, meaning a house edge of just 0.46% — among the lowest in any casino game.
The hold hierarchy
When dealt 5 cards, decide what to keep (hold) using this priority order. Once you decide, discard the unheld cards and draw replacements.
| Priority | What to hold |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pat hand: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind |
| 2 | 4-card Royal Flush draw |
| 3 | Two pair |
| 4 | 4-card Straight Flush draw |
| 5 | High pair (Jacks or better) |
| 6 | 3-card Royal Flush draw |
| 7 | 4-card Flush draw |
| 8 | Low pair (2s through 10s) |
| 9 | 4-card Straight draw (open-ended) |
| 10 | 3-card Straight Flush draw |
| 11 | Two high cards (J/Q/K/A) same suit |
| 12 | Two high cards (J/Q/K/A) different suit |
| 13 | Single high card (J, Q, K, or Ace) |
| 14 | Draw all 5 new cards |
Common mistakes
Mistake 1: Keeping a low kicker with a high pair. Dealt K-K-4-7-9? Keep the pair; discard all else. The high pair is already solid; the 4 won’t help.
Mistake 2: Breaking a flush draw to chase a Royal. Dealt J-Q-K-A-5 (all hearts)? You have four hearts to a flush. Don’t discard to pursue the Royal Flush — the flush probability is much higher.
Mistake 3: Holding a low pair over a 4-card Straight Flush draw. Dealt 2-2-3-4-5 (mixed suits)? Actually, hold the low pair — it’s priority #8 over a #9 4-card Straight. (This is counterintuitive but mathematically proven.)
Paytable matters critically
A 9/6 machine (9 for Full House, 6 for Flush) returns 99.54%.
An 8/5 machine (8 for Full House, 5 for Flush) returns only 97.3% — a 2.2% difference in house edge.
The first thing to check: the paytable number. A 9/6 Jacks or Better is a game worth playing. An 8/5 is worth avoiding.
Why the hierarchy works
The hierarchy is derived from probability. A 4-card Royal Flush draw (16 cards to make the Royal out of 47 remaining) has a higher expected value than a 4-card Flush draw (9 cards, roughly). So Royal draws rank higher.
Similarly, a low pair (25% to improve to Three of a Kind) ranks higher than a 4-card open Straight (fewer ways to complete).
Strategy depth
This article covers the beginner hold hierarchy. Advanced players also consider:
- Kicker effects: sometimes keeping a single high card is better than redrawing all 5.
- Partial hands: edge cases like three-card straights or flush draws that sit between the main categories.
For the vast majority of decisions, the priority chart above is optimal.
Sources & Further Reading
- Wizard of Odds — Video Poker Strategy Calculator — full strategy charts by machine
- Bob Dancer & William Moran — Video Poker: Optimum Play — comprehensive strategy guide
Educational explanation only. No real-money gambling happens on LearnTheOdds.
Responsible gambling: Play for entertainment, not income — the math favors the house over time. Set limits, never chase losses, and if it stops being fun, take a break. 21+. Need help? Call 1-800-MY-RESET (1800myreset.org).