suited J-10 vs. unsuited J-Q

[BobDancer]

What game are you talking about? Include pay schedule. It matters.An unsuited JQ is ALWAYS more valuable than an unsuited JK (in games where you get your money back for a pair of jacks or better) --- because you can get more straights from JQ than you can from JK. Just the fact that you are not differentiating between these combinations tells me you are a beginner player attempting to learn basic strategy. (That's not a bad place to be. We all started there.) Trying to learn the nuances before you have the basic strategy mastered doesn't work for most people.JT suited allows you to get a flush and two pretty rare high-value hands (straight flush and royal flush). JT suited also allows you to get more straights than QJ.Offsetting this, QJ consists of two high cards (which give you your money back when paired) instead of one such card. That's the only benefit of QJ over a suited JT --- although it is not a minor benefit.In some games you hold QJT, even if the JT or QT is suited.As Bill Ryan noted, sometimes the 4th and 5th card in the hand affect this decision --- sometimes not. It depends on the game.If you wish to understand the game at the level of whether the 4th and 5th cards matter, the Dancer/Daily Winner's Guide series is required reading. Basically nowhere else do you get a systematic discussion of every possible thing that can affect the play of any hand.

[twinklesthedog]

Jacks or better. As I understand it, that is the lowest volatility game. I should have started with the game in my initial question.

[pokerpokerpoker]

The nice thing about Video Poker for Winners is that you can select the "strategy" mode - which disregards penalty cards.

Once you get the basic strategy down cold, you can switch to "advanced" (I forget the exact name) and learn the penalty card situations.

Trying to learn the advanced strategy from the start will drive you crazy. In some cases the difference in value of a decision between the "strategy card" play and the "advanced" play is only a fraction of a cent. Is it worth knowing all the penalty situations? Maybe, maybe not. That is up to you.

[Waiting4RF]

Yes, select play against the Strategy. You can print out the strategy and use it to learn/lookup the proper holds. Then take the strategy with you to the casino for your problem hands. You will see the difference between taking penalty cards into account may only be a .01% difference in total Expected Return. You have to decide if that is worth the time to learn all the penalty card situations.

[BobDancer]

Jacks or better. As I understand it, that is the lowest volatility game. I should have started with the game in my initial question.Do you mean 9-6 Jacks or Better? If so, do you have a place to play the game? It's not available everywhere for all denominations, and just because it has the lowest volatility isn't useful if you don't have a place to play it.In that game, if you have  Q "JT" --- where the quote marks mean the  jack and ten are suited --- the proper play is QJ. "JT" is NEVER correct.If you have K "JT", whether you hold KJ or "JT" depends on whether there is a flush penalty to the "JT", namely a card of the same suit in the range of 2-6. (If the card were greater than 6, it would be part of a 3-card royal flush or a 3-card straight flush with the "JT".)If you have A "JT", you ALWAYS hold "JT" and never hold AJ.These rules are also good for the 8-6 JoB game. They are NOT good for any version of JoB that only pays 5-for-1 for the flush.

[Vman96]

These rules are also good for the 8-6 JoB game. They are NOT good for any version of JoB that only pays 5-for-1 for the flush.

Yep, upping straight, flush, and straight flush payouts in a game tends to change strategy significantly and often makes them more difficult. 5 for 1 Flush games, alebit often lower paying, do tend to have simpler strategies.

[advantage playe]

game played and pay table makes for correct play.eg.p pay job 99.5439 kq suited is held if nothing else is in the hand.but in double bonus kq suited with a suited 3 then all three cards are held d bonus is v tough to play perfect!!

[twinklesthedog]

Responding to questions and suggestions. 1. I ordered the book that Bob recommended. 2. I plan to play at Caesars Las Vegas which my recollection is that they have 8-5 machines.

However, If there is a Caesars property with 9-6 machines I could probably travel there. But if isn't obvious that I am new to this game and focused on learning as much as I am capable.

[pokerpokerpoker]

The Cromwell (a Caesars property) has a small bank of machines with quarter 9/6 JOB. It is roughly across the street from Caesars Palace. They are $50/point though.

[billryan]

   VP is a marathon ,not a sprint.
Take your time and build a solid foundation before you play for serious money.
Just as you wouldn't run a marathon with your shoes untied, don't play much VP until you have 100% accuracy, especially on Jacks or Better.