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Introduction to
video poker
The game of
video poker exerts
a near-mystical
pull on America's
gamblers. It's the
nation's legendary
frontier game,
including all the
best elements of a
slot machine.
That's powerful
stuff. Video poker
is also popular
because it seems
inherently fair.
There's no hidden
house edge or any
secretly tight
machines. Each
draw is from a
freshly shuffled
deck. Every Player
has a chance and a
choice. Video
poker is one of
the few casino
contests that can
actually have a
positive financial
expectation. Play
the right machine
long enough, in
the right way, and
video poker is
guaranteed to
payback more than
it takes in.
If you know
poker, then you
know the basics of
video poker. You
want the highest
hand. Beyond that,
and the concept of
the draw, you
should forget
everything you
know about the
table game when
playing the video
version. You can't
raise, call or
bluff the
computer. The
computer deals you
five cards. You
can keep all of
them, some, or
none. The computer
then deals
replacement cards
as necessary. The
new combination is
your hand. Winners
are paid according
to a pay table
posted on the
machine.
The most basic
game is Jacks or
Better; hands with
at least two Jacks
or a higher
combination win.
Other video poker
versions include;
Deuces Wild (where
2s count as any
value the player
requires), Joker
Poker (inserts a
joker into the
deck as a wild
card), Double
Joker Poker
(inserts two
jokers) and Poker
Frenzy (deals each
card from a
different deck
making it possible
for you to have
five cards of the
same rank and
suit) - there are
many more game
variations. In
some cases, a
minimum win
requires kings or
better, three of a
kind, or two
pairs. Whatever
the game, the play
remains the same
for (nearly) every
machine. Receive
five cards, draw,
the result is your
hand. |
