Learning the basic strategy for Jacks or Better (JoB) is the best way to start playing video poker. You can use it with other games, but it does lower your expected value (EV). Which games does it work for, and which lowers the EV too much? Look at the possibilities.
Full Pay JoB is Hard to Find
The days of finding plenty of full-pay 9/6 video poker offering the best bang for your buck are over. Yes, full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better pay tables (which when played perfectly returns 99.54% of your wagers over time) are available, but players need to hunt for them. Low-roller $.25 players are mostly stuck with 8/5 as the highest EV JoB pay table.
Also, when you find 9/6, earning status points, rewards points, or both may not be available on such full-pay machines.
Some Clarifications
First, let us find some common ground with the video poker terminology.
- JoB – Jacks or Better
- “9/6” means 9-for-1 paid for a full house and 6-for-1 for a flush
- “return” refers to the payback percentage in the long-term – the average of thousands of hands, not a single session.
- “EV” or Expected Value is the measure of what a player can expect to win or lose on each bet. This expectation is based on placing bets on the same odds repeatedly.
- “Perfect Strategy”: In video poker, you make choices for the best payout. Mathematics and probability decide the correct cards to hold or throw away for your best possible return. (EV)
- Optimum strategy is not necessarily obvious and sometimes counterintuitive. Many high volatility games need their own specific strategy.
- “Short pay” refers to pay tables that the casino gives a higher house edge. Good for the casino, but bad for players.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Over the Years
Before the year 2000, casinos provided all the best payables. There was 9/6 JoB, 10/6 DDB (Double Double Bonus), 9/6 DW (Deuces Wild), and more full-pay games.
These days, the video poker player must navigate a forest full of short-pay video poker games. 8/5 JoB video poker is now many casinos’ most prevalent JoB VP pay table. Presently, you are more likely to come across “short pay” versions of JoB, such as 8/5, 7/5, and even 6/5.
So, Can 9/6 JoB Strategy Work on Other Games?
- Using JoB on 8/5 Bonus Poker – The expected value of an 8/5 Bonus Poker game is 99.17% when you use the correct strategy. But, if you used the JoB strategy instead, the EV would be 99.16%, a decrease in EV of only 0.01%. So, using a 9/6 best strategy is acceptable.
- 7/5 or 6/5 – Yes but check deeper for changes concerning Full house. Better yet, don’t play these games at all.
Some Games Need Their Own Strategy
- Using JOB on 9/6 Bonus Deluxe – The EV for this game with the correct playing strategy is 99.64%. However, the EV drops by 0.03% to 99.61% using the JoB strategy instead. Using a 9/6 perfect strategy is acceptable for casual players or players who play this variation infrequently. The significant difference is that JoB pays 2:1 on two pair. Serious players should check for tweaks because of that difference.
- Using JoB on 10/7 Double Bonus – The strategy for 10/7 Double Bonus is more complex than JoB. Using the 9/6 JoB strategy is acceptable for players who only play it occasionally. Anyone planning to play this game more often needs to dedicate time because it is not easy to play optimally to achieve an EV over 100%. (Caution – the variance for the 10/7 Double Bonus is much more significant than JoB; so, players need a bigger bankroll and be prepared for wider swings.)
- Using JoB on Double Double Bonus – The EV for 10/6 Double Double Bonus Poker (DDB) is 100.07%. But good luck finding it. You can find 9/6 DDB Poker with an EV of 98.98%. The typical pay table for DDB in most casinos these days at the quarter level is 9/5 DDB, and on multi-hand games, 8/5 and 7/5 are the norm.
Here is where I draw the line. I do not recommend using the JoB playing strategy on any Double Double Bonus variations. You must learn the best strategy specific to this game.
JoB Strategy for Deuces Wild
Seriously? This question is only to see if you have been paying attention. Deuces and JoB games are vastly different from each other and need their own specific strategy.
Pay Table Shorts
No, this does not refer to specialty clothing or underwear. It is about casinos changing video poker pay tables. Does one number lowered in the pay table matter?
Yes! It does not take much to increase the usually low-house-edge video poker offers.
Every time one number is reduced by one for either the flush or straight payouts from the full-pay version, the EV is lowered by about 1.1 percent. The EV of 9/6 JoB is 99.54%. The EV of 6/5 JoB, lowered 4 times, is barely over 95%.
Paybackt percentage shows your long-term expectation, meaning the average of your outcomes over thousands of hands, not a single session.
It doesn’t take much to alter the ordinarily low house edge of video poker. Most players don’t play well enough to match the highest EV over tons of hands played. And remember, this is with “expert” play from lots of practice, and no strategy errors to get the best return on your play.
Takeaway
The more the player knows, the better he can make video poker games, pay tables, and strategy choices. If you aim to play longer, a simple perfect strategy for 9/6 Jacks or better is an ideal start, but only in certain situations.
If you are still learning the proper strategy for Video Poker, check out our article on how to sharpen your skills.
