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Regular readers of Flip The Switch know that slots are traditionally not a skill-based game – it’s all about timing! The same can’t be said for some of the other games in the casino, particularly Blackjack and Video Poker.
Both of these games are based off standard decks of cards, which means that mathematically based on the odds of things happening, there is a “best” play to make. Both games have players making decisions, and doing so “by the book” can maximize the payout a player can expect in the long term.
There’s resources and tutorials that can walk you through the best decision to make under various scenarios, but once you’ve studied, you need to put that into practice. It can be risky to do so on a live table, at least when you’re getting more comfortable with the proper way to play various hands, especially putting actual money on the line to further improve your skills.
Fortunately, there are third-party tools that can assist. Our favorite is offered by VideoPoker.com, which is made by the same company that has created many of the Video Poker variations you see on casino floors today.
Their Pro Training option will let you choose the game, along with the pay table information that matches your casino, and then score your handling of various hands. It will let you know where you’re making mistakes, and what the correct move is in a given scenario.
For new players, this can help shake out mistakes in understanding the strategy. And for veteran players, it can help fine tune things – we’re human, and over time we can forget or misremember how various hands should be handled.
Playing to proper strategy can maximize your payout potential on a given game, and can often be worth well more than the cost of training software. Plus, you can get to know new variations of video poker before hitting the casino to try them.
If you’re looking to get more comfortable playing Video Poker, the Video Poker.com Pro Training is a great way to get started, and to practice!
