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DEUCES WILD VIDEO POKER

In this video poker game there are 52 cards in the deck, with all of the deuces in the deck being wild cards. These cards can be used as any card. So it can be the missing card to complete a straight or the fifth heart in a heart flush. Because of the wild card the minimum rank for a winning hand is 3 of a kind. The dealer will deal you 5 cards to start and will deal you new cards in the amount equal to that of your discard. Your discarded cards are determined by deciding on which cards to keep. Click on the cards that you would like to keep. When you are ready, click on the deal button and you will receive your new cards. Payouts are determined by the rank of your poker hand.

Video Poker is all-too-often confused with Slots. Simply because they are graphically-driven games, video poker requires far more thought and strategy. Some good rules of thumb to improve your odds of success are:

• Resist the temptation to hold on to a Kicker. Holding an unpaired card with a pair adds no value to your hand.
  
• Drawing an outside straight (_5,6,7,8_) is far and away easier than waiting to draw an inside straight (5,6,_,8,9). Allowing yourself to wait for a draw on an outside straight allows you to complete your hand by getting the card you need on either end.
  
• Jacks or Better has an easy-to-understand strategy that makes it the game best suited to players new to Video Poker.
  
• Higher payouts such as 9/6 for Jacks or Better and 9/5 for Deuces Wild offer the best payouts for players.
  
• Before you discard, remember that the probability of a Royal Flush in Jacks or Better Video Poker is approximately 1 in every 40,000 hands. It is easier to achieve this playing Deuces Wild.
  
• Never hold three cards in an attempt to get a straight or flush.

BASICS OF POKER AND POKER HANDS

Most poker games are played with a standard 52-card deck. The cards are ranked according to the value of the number on the card or the value of the face. The ranking, from highest to lowest, goes as such: Ace (A), King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The ace can also be used to complete a low straight; A, 2, 3, 4, 5. As well as numbers and faces there are 4 different types of suits which are used to determine the value of a poker hand. These are spades (S), Clubs (C), Diamonds (D), Hearts (H).

Poker hands are valued based on their five card ranking. These rankings are detailed below (a rank of 1 equals the best):

Rank
Hand Name
Description of hand
Example

1. Royal Flush
   A, K, Q, J, 10 of same suit
   10S, JS, QS, KS, AS
   
   
2. Straight Flush
   Five cards of same suit in sequence
   4D, 5D, 6D, 7D, 8D
   
   
3. 4 of a Kind
   Four cards of the same rank
   7S, 7C, 7D, 7H
   
   
4. Full House
   Three of a kind plus a pair
   3D, 3S, 3C, KS, KH
   
   
5. Flush
   Five cards of the same suit
   3H, 7H, 10H, QH, AH
   
   
6. Straight
   Five cards in sequence
   5C, 6D, 7C, 8H, 9S
   
   
7. 3 of a Kind
   Three cards of the same rank
   JH, JS, JD
   
   
8. 2 Pair
   Two pairs of different rank
   5H, 5S, 9C, 9S
   
   
9. 1 Pair
   Two cards of the same rank
   AS, AD

Tie Hands

If two hands are tied in rank, the following rules apply:

1. If two players both have straight flushes, flushes, or straights, the highest card that is part of the hand determines the winning hand. If the highest card still results in a tie, then the next highest card will determine the winner. And so on...
2. If both players have a full house, then the highest 3 of a kind will determine the winner.
3. If both players have three of a kind, the highest-ranking three of a kind will be determined the winner.
4. The highest-ranking pair in the hand will decide two hands with two pair. If this still results in a tie, then the remaining pairs will be compared and the highest-ranking pair will then determine the winner.
5. If both players have a single pair then the highest-ranking pair will win. If this is also a tie, then the next highest-ranking single card will determine the winner. If this still results in a tie, then the next highest single-ranking card will determine the winner. And so on...
6. Two hands with no pairs, flushes, or straights are compared and the card with the highest-ranking single card will be determined the winner. If this still yields no winner, then the next highest card will be determined the winner. And so on...
   

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