The problem with learning to play video poker with Deuces Wild is that the choices don’t give you the strategy overview that learning with Jacks or Better does. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a strategy. But the prevalence of wild cards means that the strategy shifts because you aren’t working with natural poker hands but rather wild card hands. So, you always hold a 2.
But in Deuces Wild, you’ll feel like you discard your entire hand more often than you do in Jacks or Better. This is because there is not payout for a high pair, a pair or even two pair. Which means unlike Jacks or Better, you would hold a single high card, there really is no advantage to that here. You’re often better off discarding everything because that gives you a better chance of drawing more wild cards.
Always hold the 2. If you play a game that automatically holds the best hand, check to be sure that it holds a single 2 or make sure you hold that yourself. I’ve lost a hand while playing because I didn’t notice that the 2 hadn’t been automatically marked to be held.
The payout hands start at three of a kind and run up to a natural Royal Flush. A natural royal flush is one that you hit without a wild card. You’ll want to bet the maximum coins in this as in any video poker game so that you can get the maximum payout for a Royal Flush. A Royal Flush with one or more wild cards still pays, but considerably less. Also, there is a potential 5 of a Kind payout here which would be four of a kind and a wild 2.
Despite the feeling that I’m tossing too many hands because there is no payout for a high pair, the overall odds for this game can run strongly in the player’s favor. It just takes a little time to remember to strategize around those wild cards.
