Video Poker Strategy Chart – 9/6 Jacks or Better Hold Guide

Q: What is a video poker strategy chart?

A ranked list of holds that helps you choose which cards to keep when a dealt hand has several possible plays.

The 9/6 hold chart

Priority	Hold	Typical action	Notes
1	Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind	Hold all five cards.	Already premium made hands — never break them for a draw.
2	4 to a Royal Flush	Hold the four suited royal cards.	One of the strongest draws in the game; break a made flush or straight for it.
3	Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind	Hold the made paying hand.	Outranks ordinary draws in a practical chart.
4	4 to a Straight Flush	Hold the four suited connected cards.	Multiple improvement paths: straight flush, flush, or straight.
5	Two Pair	Hold both pairs, draw one.	The main upgrade target is a full house.
6	High Pair	Hold the pair of jacks or better.	Already a paying hand with several improvement paths.
7	3 to a Royal Flush	Hold the three suited royal cards.	Royal potential can outrank weaker structures.
8	4 to a Flush	Hold the four suited cards.	This priority assumes the 9/6 flush payout.
9	Low Pair	Hold the pair of 2s through 10s.	Stronger than it looks — can become trips, a full house, or quads.
10	4 to an Outside Straight	Hold the open-ended draw.	Better than inside straights — more cards complete it.
11	2 Suited High Cards	Hold the two suited high cards.	Keeps high-pair, flush, straight, and royal potential alive.
12	3 to a Straight Flush	Hold the three suited connected cards.	Quality varies; exact calculators handle close cases better.
13	2 Unsuited High Cards	Hold the two high cards.	Stronger than one high card, weaker than suited high cards.
14	1 High Card	Hold one jack, queen, king, or ace.	Pick the best single high card when nothing stronger applies.
15	No playable structure	Draw five new cards.	Discard all five when no pair, high card, or useful draw is present.

How the Chart Works

A strategy chart is a priority list. It does not ask whether a hand feels lucky; it ranks the expected value of each hold type. When a dealt hand offers several plays, the list tells you which one usually returns more over the long run.

It only works when the game and paytable match the assumptions. A 9/6 chart is not automatically right for 8/5 Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, or any custom table. The closer a decision is, the more the exact paytable matters. For the fuller hold-order explanation behind this chart, see the Jacks or Better strategy guide.

Chart logic = keep the highest-ranked hold that applies

Made hand versus draw

Many mistakes happen when a player breaks a solid made hand for a flashier draw. A draw can be correct, especially with royal potential, but only if its expected value outranks the made hand.

High pair versus low pair

A high pair already pays; a low pair does not pay immediately but can improve into valuable results. Both are key positions because pairs are frequent and easy to misplay.

Flush-draw sensitivity

Four to a flush depends partly on the flush payout. A 9/6 table values flushes more than a 9/5 or 8/5 table, so weaker schedules can flip close decisions involving suited cards.

Penalty-card cases

Exact optimal play includes spots where a discarded card quietly raises or lowers a draw's value. A readable chart should flag this rather than pretend every close hand is simple.

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Common Chart Mistakes

Using one chart for every variant

The biggest practical error. Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, and Double Bonus do not share a strategy. Wild cards, bonus quads, and altered payouts change the expected value of many holds.

Ignoring the paytable

A 9/6 chart assumes Full House pays 9 and Flush pays 6. On an 8/5, 9/5, or other schedule some close decisions move; the weaker the table, the more careful you should be about applying a full-pay chart.

Chasing the biggest possible hand

Royal draws matter, but not every exciting draw beats a made hand or a pair. Strategy rests on average return, not maximum payout — the right hold has the highest expected value across all draws.

Confusing simple play with exact optimal

A simple chart is easier to use and captures the important decisions; exact optimal play adds detailed exceptions. The strongest setup is a readable chart that sends close hands to an EV calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a video poker strategy chart?

A ranked list of holds. It helps you choose which cards to keep when a dealt hand has several possible plays.

Is this chart for all games?

No. It is built for 9/6 Jacks or Better. Other variants and paytables need their own strategy logic.

Should I always hold a high pair?

A high pair is very strong in Jacks or Better because it already pays and has several improvement paths. A few rare premium draws outrank it, so check the exact hand when unsure.

Why does four to a royal rank so high?

It keeps access to the largest payout while still allowing flushes, straights, and pairs. It is one of the strongest draw structures on a 9/6 table.

When should I use the calculator instead?

Use it when two holds are close, when penalty cards may matter, or when the paytable is not standard 9/6.

Chart for Speed, Calculator for Close Hands

A chart makes common decisions faster, but it is not a substitute for exact EV in borderline hands. Use the chart for standard plays and the calculator when two holds are close or the paytable differs from 9/6.