Video Poker Quiz

by Gayle Mitchell

It’s Quiz Time for Video Poker Players.
Whether a novice or veteran Video Player player, this quiz will challenge your VP skills.
The Q&A that follows includes strategies, paytables, paybacks and VP lingo.
Here’s to your VP education…

1) What is the difference between ‘Full pay’ and ‘Short pay’ Video Poker?
A ‘Short pay’ VP pays higher coin for better hands, e.g. (4-of-a-kind).
B ‘Full Pay’ VP offers the best payback overall, while ‘Short pay’ VP reduces the payback for certain hands.
C There is no difference as the overall payback will be the same if you play optimum strategy.

B. ‘Short pay’ VP reduces the payout for certain hands, e.g. straight, full house usually by 5 coins thereby reducing the overall payback for that version. Therefore, a 9/6 Jacks or Better game with 99.5% overall payback is reduced to 95% for a 6/5 version.

2) Which two Poker hands designate a specific Jacks or Better VP version? e.g., 9/6.
A Full House and Flush.
B Straight and Flush.
C Straight and Full House.

A. The 9/6 Video Poker version, such as Jacks or Better refers to the payback
for a Full House (9) and Flush (6) when playing one coin.

3) Which Deuces Wild version pays the most for 4 Deuces?
A Loose Deuces.
B Deuces Wild.
C Bonus Deuces Wild.

A. Loose Deuces pays 2500 coins for 4 Deuces while B pays 1000 and C pays 2000 IF the fifth card is an Ace. While some poker hands are reduced for Loose Deuces, the big strike for four Deuces increases the overall payback for this game to a delightful 100.97%.

4) Jokers Wild ‘full-pay’ 7/5 version has a 100.64% overall return IF the quad pays?
A If the quad pays 75 for max coin play.
B If the quad pays 80 for max coin play.
C If the quad pays 100 for max coin play.

C. While there are several 7/5 Jokers Wild versions available, not all pay 100 for a Quad (4-of-a-kind). A good reason to scan the entire paytable before determining if a specific VP is indeed ‘full-pay’.

5) A Double Bonus full-pay VP pays this amount for a full house with max coin?
A Pays 60.
B Pays 50.
C. Pays 45.

B. A 10/7 Double Bonus pays a generous 50 coins for a full house. You should adjust your strategy accordingly holding two pairs—even when one pair is Aces.

6) For Bonus VP, what are the payouts for 2 pair and 4 Aces with max coin in play?
A 5 for two pair and 400 for 4 Aces.
B 10 for two pair and 400 for 4 Aces.
C 5 for two pair and 800 for 4 Aces.

B. Bonus VP treats you with a better payout for 2 pair than 1 pair and more for 4 Aces than Jacks or Better plus 200 for quad 2’s, 3’s and 4’s. Secondly, if you find an 8/5 version, you are in the ‘full-pay’ zone.

7) How often does a Royal Flush come around with a Jacks or Better version?
A Approximately every 35,000 hands.
B Approximately every 40,000 hands.
C Approximately every 45,000 hands.

B. Unless you have sat through more than 50 hours of playing the same machine, you don’t know how many hands have been played before you. But, let’s be optimistic and expect that it’s 39,999—yes?

8) If I learn and play optimum strategy for Jacks or Better, can I use that same strategy for other VP games?
A Yes. You use the same strategies for Bonus, Double Bonus and any other Jacks or Better game.
B Yes. Except for games that pay a Bonus for Four Aces.
C. No. Different VP versions require different playing strategies.

C. Smart VP players learn optimum strategy for all versions. There are different strategies for Wild Card games vs. Jacks or Better. The same is true for Bonus vs. Double Bonus games.

9) What is a ‘dirty Royal’?
A 4 Parts of a Royal dealt.
B Royal straight with one card off-suit: AC, KC, QD, JC, 10C,
C Wild Royal that includes one or more wild cards as in Deuces Wild.

C. While it pays 125 coins, it ain’t the ‘clean payday’ expected.

10) What is an ‘Easy Royal’?
A Four parts dealt and one card will ‘do the trick’.
B Royal after you Hold card(s) and hit the Deal button.
C Royal Flush dealt to you.

C. Dealt to you is the ‘easy’ way, but let’s not be picky for ‘All of the Above’ is also a good answer. Good luck with your Royal Quest.

Gayle Mitchell