Video Poker

Video Poker is for the Android Wear platform and will be installed automatically on your watch when paired. You can start Video Poker by waking up your watch and saying 'OK Google, start Video Poker'. Long press on the board to bring up an options menu where you can change the card design.

Rules

Video poker is played like five card draw poker, but there are no opponents to bet against. Instead of competing against other players, your goal is simply to get the best five card poker hand possible. Payouts are based on the strength of your hand.

Even though you are not required to outplay any opponents, video poker still involves a little strategy. Your main goal is determining which cards should be held or discarded to give you the best chance of the highest payout. The amount you bet is also a factor as payout rates vary based on the number of credits you bet.

Players start by betting up to a maximum of five credits. Once the bet is placed tap the Deal button and you are dealt five random cards. You decide which ones to keep by tapping on the cards you want to hold. Then tap the Draw button and you will get replacement cards for the cards you didn't hold. The five cards after the new cards are dealt is your final hand. The amount you win depends on the strength of your five card poker hand and the number of credits you bet. Here is the payout table:

Strategy

Strategy in video poker focuses on which cards to keep and which to discard. Video poker strategy can seem a bit complicated at first, but once you learn the basic principles it is relatively straightforward.

The discarding strategy involves looking at your initial five card hand to see if you have been dealt any of the following. You should progress through this list from top to bottom. If you progress through all 15 and do not have any, discard all five cards. Keep the following:

  1. Always keep Royal Flush, Straight Flush, or Four of a Kind

  2. 4 cards toward making a Royal Flush

  3. Full House, Flush, Straight, or Three of a Kind

  4. 4 cards toward making a Straight Flush

  5. Any Two Pair

  6. Any Pair, Jacks or higher

  7. 3 cards toward making a Royal Flush

  8. 4 cards toward making a Flush

  9. Any Pair, 10's or lower

  10. 4 cards toward making an open ended Straight

  11. 2 suited cards, Jack or higher

  12. 3 cards toward making a Straight Flush

  13. 2 cards Jack or higher, unsuited (keep the lowest 2 if you have more than 2)

  14. Suited 10/J, 10/Q, or 10/K

  15. Any single Jack or higher card

Draw five new cards if you are not dealt any of the above.

Following the list above will give you the best chance of winning in Jacks or Better video poker. The list is based on mathematically calculated probabilities and will result in an expected return of 99.46%.