Video Poker is a beloved game that is able to be played in casinos all over the globe, or alternatively at home on your computer, through a web connection. The regulations are very simple and consist of the player attempting to get the best combination of cards possible in order to come away with money. In this respect it is very similar as a normal game of poker, without the interaction with any other players. Of course, methods employed during a real-life game of poker, like bluffing, will be useless in Video Poker.
The game of Video Poker starts when the bettor puts credits (either tokens, tickets or cash) into the machine and presses the play button. A hand of five cards will be electronically ‘dealt’ on the screen.
The Video Poker game also has hold buttons, and players should now decide which cards to hold and which to discard. For the cards the player wishes to retain, the ‘hold’ buttons need to be pressed so that they illuminate. The player can choose to keep any amount of cards they want, whether it is all or none.
After the bettor has selected which cards he would like to retain, they should press ‘draw’, at which point any fresh cards are handed out if desired. The game is now finished, with the Electronic Poker machine analyzing the cards to see if it matches any of the winning hands listed in the pay out schedule.
Typically, the minimum winning hand on a Video Poker machine is a pair of jacks with the award money increasing for each and every better hand. A common list of winning hands begins with jacks or better, and moves on to 2 pairs, three of a kinds, straights, flushes, full houses, four of a kinds, straight flushes and last but not least royal flushes. It goes without saying that the pay out schedule can change from machine to machine, so that skillful enthusiasts are agile enough to pick the most profitable ones each time.
As soon as the first round has completed, the player can either decide to stay on in an attempt to maximize their earnings, or press the ‘collect’ button to cash out any money that they may have won. Further, some styles of the game allow the gambler a chance to increase their profits, in which instance a further round is played. There are also differences among individual games, with some virtual decks having wild cards and other varying aspects to enhance playability.