New to Video Poker, Question about a hold

[Jimmy_Bets]

I was testing my skills, and I held a K(Diamond), A(heart), and it said I should have held a K(Diamond) and J(Spade). Why?

[New2vp]

In order to know for certain, someone must know the name of the game that you are playing and the entire pay schedule to answer your question definitively.

However, I imagine that the most common reason for the answer that your software gave is because you can make more straights holding KJ of different suits than AJ of different suits. With KJ, you can make both AKQJT (where T stands for 10) and KQJT9. With AK, you can make only the first straight.

There are some games with very large payoffs for 4 Ace combinations that would ask that you keep only the A after being dealt hands like AKJ73 of mixed suits with 3 different suits for AKJ, so you will have to match your strategy to the specific game and pay schedule.

Best of luck.

[Jimmy_Bets]

I understand, thank you so much. I was playing Jacks or Better 9/5. Does that change anything? What you said makes sense. Thank you and good luck.