Video Poker: How is it different from regular poker?
Gambling establishments offer various entertainment formats to attract the attention of thrill-seekers. However, all this does not change the essence when playing against a casino — you will never be in the black for a long distance.
We are talking about one of the most popular entertainment — video poker. From the article you will learn what kind of game it is, how it differs from sports poker, where to play and whether it is possible to earn money there.
What is video poker?
The video poker game follows the rules of one of the oldest varieties of the card game — five-card poker with an exchange. Depending on the selected slot machine, you will have from one to three exchanges to collect a combination for the maximum payout.
Unlike sports poker, where jokers are not used, here they are and replace any value needed to make a combination.
Video Poker Rules
Different slot machines that offer a video poker game may have different payouts for collecting certain combinations. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with them before depositing money. The course of the distribution looks like this:
- Bet. You choose what amount of money you are willing to invest in a particular draw.
- Change. A random number generator gives you five cards.
- Exchange. You choose which of the distributed cards to keep and which to exchange. This is usually done using the “Hold” buttons or the cursor, which can be pressed on any of the five cards.
- Payment. If after the exchange you managed to collect a paid combination, you won. Otherwise, the machine will offer to start a new round.
After winning, an additional round is possible to increase profits. By clicking on the “Double” button, you agree to take a risk. Five cards will appear on the screen, the leftmost of which will be open. Your task is to open a higher value from the four remaining ones. If this can be done, the winnings in the main game are doubled. If not, you lose money and you can start a new game. And sometimes you just need to guess the color of the suit of the closed card – it will be black or white.
The peculiarity of Video Poker is that most machines keep only a small proportion of bets based on the results of games. That is why this type of game is considered the best choice, both among amateurs and among pros. It follows from this that the correct strategy, as a rule, will be enough for the player to gain the upper hand over the algorithms of the machine.
Read also about Craps.
The principle of operation of Video Poker is based on the “Five-Card Draw” system, which means the distribution of 5 cards from the deck in random order. The player has the right to both leave all five cards, and refuse some of them, perhaps even all of them. The player is also asked to replace unsuitable cards with random ones from the deck.
Below are the universal poker combinations that a player can operate with:
- Royal Flush (Royal Flush) – Consists of five cards of the same suit in sequential order of merit from ace to 10;
- Straight Flush – This combination consists of five cards of the same suit in sequential order of merit;
- Four-of-a-Kind (Square) – Four cards of the same suit;
- Full House (Full House) – Consists of combinations of “Three-of-a-Kind” and “Pair”
- Flush – Five cards of the same suit;
- Straight – A set consisting of five cards of different suits, but in a sequential order of merit;
- Three-of-a-Kind (Set/Triplet/Trips / Troika) – Three cards of the same value;
- Two Pairs – A combination consisting of two pairs of cards of the same value;
- Pair – Includes only one pair (9 9 5 4 3).
Poker Machine
A Video Poker game means the interaction of a player and a slot machine (computer) by transmitting information through the screen. The latter should show the table of winnings, the number of available funds (credits) of the player. In addition, information about the cards that have been processed and about the winnings that have been paid, if any, is displayed on the screen.
As a rule, poker machines do not stand alone, but are grouped in different variations (blocks, squares, in the form of a carousel). Groups of poker machines are formed by the nominal value of bets, as well as by similar variations of the game.
Modern Video Poker machines are equipped with a touchscreen, which allows you to interact with a poker machine with simple taps on the screen. But, nevertheless, these machines have an element of a push-button interface. Players use buttons, as a rule, to select the number of coins they wish to bet on each game. And also to select the cards that the player wants to keep. In addition, you will most often find a button designed to send commands to the machine regarding the distribution and collection of cards.
Most Video Poker machines have a slot where a player can insert a club or discount card. The latter is used by the casino to calculate the number of benefits and bonuses that it is entitled to provide to loyal and premium players.
Standard poker machines are equipped with coin slots and bill receivers, which are located on the front panel of the machine, usually to the right of the screen. The number of credits will appear on the monitor when the player deposits coins or bills into the machine.
To date, there are a large number of varieties of Video Poker in which you can try your luck. As well as several types of Video Poker machines, including variations that take into account the player’s location.
