Jacks or Better - keep only Jack or Better?

[tigertab]

In Jacks or Better, if you are dealt nothing else, should you keep a J/Q/K/A to try to pair it up?  If so, then would you keep, say, a Jh and Kd if you had nothing else?  Thanks

[New2vp]

General rules for Jacks or Better (if you have no plays like paired cards, 4-card straights that can make 2 different straights, 4-card flushes, or 3-card straight flushes) when you have unsuited high cards (J/Q/K/A):If you have one high card, hold it.If you have two high cards, hold both of them.If you have three high cards, hold KQJ; if one of the high cards is an ace, discard it and hold the other two.If you have four high cards, hold AKQJ.

[tigertab]

Thank you - you've helped me a few times.  I have been playing video poker for YEARS, and most of it is common sense, but, for instance I would not have thought not to keep an Ace if you have 3 unsuited high cards

[jm002546]

How do you know the common sense plays you are making are correct?

[Frank Kneeland]

We used both strategy cards, and Dan Paymar style teaching rules in the large VP team I ran. For this point our rule was:2 is always better than 1But 3 is not always better than 2, if the 3rd card is an Ace4 is better than 3Hope this helps.~Frank Kneeland, Author of The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives--A History and How-To of Video Poker Slot Teams in Las Vegas.  www.progressivevp.com

[tigertab]

Because it's obvious that's how

[tigertab]

Thanks New2VP and Frank

[tigertab]

jm002546:  Sorry for the snippy reply - was in a pissy mood and your reply hit me the wrong way.

[jm002546]

  I meant it seriously.  Holding 4 sevens is pretty obvious, but how about two. Here is a free non-gambling site where you can play with "warn".  Try it out and promise to let us know how many obvious plays are wrong.  Good luck.