_770.jpg "Jacks or Better video poker rules")
Jacks or Better is a classic game of this genre, the cornerstone for all video poker fans, and the most common type of this game.
It has been popular among both novice customers of casinos and professionals who make a living playing video poker since there are very lucrative variations of Jacks or Better, which allow gamers even to get a mathematical advantage over the establishment.
All key rules of the game and various nuances worth paying attention to are discussed.
General Description of Jacks or Better
Basic rules for video poker are standard for all its versions.
The goal is to collect a poker combination in five cards.
It is allowed to exchange any number of cards for free one time.
If the combination is formed, you will surely get your payout calculated according to the established multipliers. They are usually displayed in a particular paytable with the number of coins.
A standard 52-card deck is used directly in Jacks or Better. If the game has a lot of hands, which is allowed in models of many manufacturers, several decks may be used. Jokers are not available.
Winnings in this video poker variation include poker hands from a pair of jacks to a royal flush. Payouts for them in case of bets in the amount of one coin are the following:
- A pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces - 1
- Two pairs - 2
- Three of a kind - 3
- Straight - 4
- Flush - 5 or 6
- Full house - 8 or 9
- Four of a kind - 25
- Straight flush - 50
- Royal flush - 250
If you play betting five coins, payouts for a royal flush are usually overestimated and comprise 4,000 coins. That is why we recommend that you should always stake five coins.
Jacks or Better Gameplay
The client should first indicate the bet size in coins and select the coin value. Users can choose the bet size in the particular window on the control panel or click on one of the five columns in the paytable. The chip value is traditionally chosen by Plus and Minus located next to the image of a coin.
Then the player receives five cards. He indicates which should be held, and the others are exchanged for new ones. This step is optional since you can keep all five initially dealt cards.
If the customer's cards have a combination provided by the rules, the payout is credited.
Then the customer can take the money or try to increase the amount in the game on even chances. It is designed in the classic form for video poker. One upcard and several hole cards appear on the extra screen, from which the customer needs to choose. If the selected card has a higher rank than the dealer's card, the payout is doubled. If it is lower in rank, the user loses money. It is usually possible to make several such manipulations, but it is not allowed to make mistakes.
If the game allows making bets on several lines, the starting five cards are dealt on one line. The player selects the cards he needs, and then they are duplicated in all hands. However, new cards are dealt with each line from the separate decks. Payouts are credited separately.
The round is over.
Jacks or Better Versions in Canada
There are two basic versions of Jacks or Better: 8/5 and 9/6. These numbers imply the payouts for a full house and a flush. Therefore, if the bet is one chip, they provide eight and five coins, respectively. This is for 8/5 Jacks or Better. The above-mentioned combinations bring nine and six coins for the variation called 9/6. As you can see, the second model is much more profitable (assuming that the other multipliers for calculating the payouts are standard). There are also mixed games: 8/6, 9/5, and others.
Many manufacturers of games for casinos offer Jacks or Better with progressive jackpots. It is usually necessary to collect a royal flush by betting five coins to win the jackpot.
Other differences between the various versions of Jack or Better are insignificant. They may be concerned about the games' availability for doubling, the opportunity to wager on a few hands, etc.
Such original models as Jacks or Better - Match Times Pay or Jacks or Better Pyramid are discussed in the separate articles on Casinoz.
Conclusions
Jacks or Better is an excellent version for familiarizing video poker because most game versions are based on its rules. Moreover, the most experienced players from Canada prefer 9/6 Jacks or Better due to its very low house edge, less than 0.5%.
On Casinoz, users may find the article with recommendations on selecting the best titles and tips on the basic strategy. They will help you to master playing more skillfully and efficiently.
