| |
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Since the payout for the royal flush is much higher than for
other hands, the most frequent strategy is to attempt to complete
any potential royal flush. Sometimes you might even consider breaking
up hands that are strong in their own right to go for the big payout.
You need to carefully weight your options!
If you choose to try for a royal flush whenever possible (as opposed
to the more conservative strategy of keeping any winning hand)
here are some commonly seen strategies for doing so:
Common strategies for Jacks or Better:
| If
you have: |
Then
... |
| 4 cards to a royal flush |
Keep the 4 cards, discard the fifth. Even if this means breaking
up a complete straight or flush. |
| 3 cards of a royal flush |
If the hand contains a straight flush, four of a kind,
full house or 3 of a kind, keep the winning combination.
Otherwise, hold the 3 cards to the royal flush and draw 2
new ones.
|
| 2 cards to a royal flush |
Keep any winning hands. Keep any pairs, even if they are
too low to payout. Hold 4 cards to a flush or straight. |
| 2 cards to a royal flush |
Keep these in preference to single high cards or 3 cards
to a flush or straight. |
| 4 cards to a straight flush |
Keep any complete flush or straight, else go for the straight
flush. |
| 3 cards to a straight flush |
Keep any winning combination or a low pair. Otherwise discard
the other 2 cards and draw 2 new ones. |
| 2 cards to a straight flush |
Keep any winning combination or a low pair. Otherwise discard
the other 3 cards and draw 3 new ones. |
| 4 cards to a flush |
If you have a high pair, keep it. Else, discard the 5th card
and draw a new one. |
| 3 cards to a flush |
Keep any 3 of a kind, 2 pairs or any pair. Otherwise hold
these 3 cards and draw 2 new ones. |
| 2 cards to a flush |
Keep any pair or winning combination, otherwise hold just
these 2 cards and draw 3 new ones. |
| 3 or a kind |
Keep it, draw 2 new cards in hopes of a full house or 4 of
a kind. |
| 2 pairs |
Keep them, unless you have 3 cards to a royal or straight
flush. |
| high pair |
Keep it unless you have 4 to a royal or straight flush.
|
| low pair |
Keep them if you have nothing better. Discard if you have
more than 3 to a royal or straight flush. |
| high cards |
Retain them in hopes of forming a high pair |
| Otherwise | Consider discarding the entire hand and drawing 5 new cards. |
The rules list from best to worst the possible starting hands for
the game of your choice. To use the tables simply step down the list
of rules and when a rule coincides with your current hand then this
shows which cards you should hold for the maximum
return.
Jacks
or Better (Full Pay - 9/6) |
| 1 |
Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, Royal Flush |
| 2 |
4 to a Royal |
| 3 |
Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House |
| 4 |
4 to a Straight Flush - open |
| 5 |
Two Pair |
| 6 |
High Pair |
| 7 |
3 to a Royal Flush |
| 8 |
4 to a Flush |
| 9 |
TJQK |
| 10 |
Low Pair |
| 11 |
89TJ,9TJQ |
| 12 |
9TJs, 9JQs |
| 13 |
4 to a Straight - open |
| 14 |
8JQs |
| 15 |
3 to a Straight Flush - open |
| 16 |
9TQs, 8TJs, 89Js, 9QKs, 9JKs |
| 17 |
QJs |
| 18 |
JQKA |
| 19 |
KQs, KJs, AKs, AQs, AJs |
| 20 |
4 to a Straight - inside, 3 high cards |
| 21 |
3 to a Straight Flush - inside, 2 gaps, 1 high card |
| 22 |
3 to a Straight Flush - inside, 1 gap, 0 high cards |
| 23 |
JQK |
| 24 |
QJ |
| 25 |
JTs |
| 26 |
KQ, KJ |
| 27 |
QTs |
| 28 |
AK, AQ, AJ |
| 29 |
KTs |
| 30 |
High Card |
| 31 |
3 to a Straight Flush - inside, 2 gaps, 0 high cards |
| 32 |
Redraw |
|
