Video Poker is a beloved game that can be played in casinos across the world, or alternatively at home on your PC, using a web connection. The regulations are very simple and involve the player trying to achieve the greatest assemblage of cards possible in order to come away with cash. In this respect it’s very similar as a classic game of poker, apart from the involvement with other players. Of course, techniques used in a real-life game of poker, like tricking, will be irrelevant here.
The game of Video Poker begins when the bettor inserts credits (whether it is tokens, tickets or money) into the video poker machine and presses the play button. A hand of five cards will then be "distributed" on the screen.
The Video Poker machine also has hold buttons, and enthusiasts should now choose which cards to hold and which to throw away. For the cards the gambler wishes to keep, the ‘hold’ buttons should be pressed so that they illuminate. The player can decide to keep any number of cards they want, from all to none.
After the gambler has chosen which cards he or she wishes to retain, they should press ‘draw’, at which point any new cards are handed out if desired. The round is now finished, with the Video Poker machine scanning the cards to see if it is the same as any of the winning hands listed in the payment schedule.
Generally, the lowest winning hand on an Electronic Poker machine is a pair of jacks with the prize money growing for each and every better hand. A list of common winning hands starts with jacks or better, moving on to two pairs, 3 of a kinds, straights, flushes, full houses, 4 of a kinds, straight flushes and last but not least royal flushes. It should be known that the pay out schedule can range from game to game, so that discerning gamblers are agile enough to select the most profitable machine each and every time.
After the first round has played out, the player can either decide to stay on in an attempt to increase their earnings, or they can press the ‘collect’ button to retrieve any cash that has been won. Further, some versions of the game give the player a chance to double their profits, in which case a further round is played. There are also differences among specific games, with some decks of cards including wild cards and other varying elements to increase playability.