Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy
Deuces Wild is the same as other versions of Video Poker. You get dealt 5 cards, hold as many or as few as you want, the cards you discard are replaced by other cards from the pack and winnings are then paid.
QUESTION: I like to play Deuces Wild video poker, but I’m not sure of the basic strategy. Can you help me out?
Deuces Wild Video Poker Basic Strategy - YouTube Playing deuces wild poker using a trainer that shows the best possible hold. I think there may be a glitch or two in the software but seems still. The best video poker strategy to use is something poker players discover for themselves after long years of winning (or losing) at the table. There isn’t a one-size to fit them all strategy. It all depends on what you’re playing. You might need a Deuces Wild strategy or a Jacks or Better strategy. But you’ll need one. Poker is not all.
GURU: Of course! Playing Deuces Wild can be a lot of fun because of the four wild cards circulating throughout the deck. When the deuces turn up, straight flushes, five of a kinds and even royal flushes become commonplace.
Because the deuces are so important, playing strategy is evaluated according to the number of deuces dealt and the possible hands they may create.
Basic strategy
Hands without deuces:
1. Always draw one card to a royal flush, even if it requires breaking a pat straight flush.
2. Always draw two cards to a royal flush unless you already hold a pat straight, flush or straight flush.
3. Draw one card to a straight flush unless you already hold a pat flush or straight.
4. Draw two cards to a straight flush unless you already hold a pat flush or straight.
5. If you need one card for either a flush or a straight, draw for the flush.
6. If you need one card for either a flush or straight and already hold any pair, keep the pair.
7. Always hold three of a kind. When dealt two pair, discard one of them and draw.
8. Draw five cards when you don’t have a pat hand and you don’t have a chance at the hands listed above.
Hands with Deuces:
1. When dealt four deuces, hold all five cards to minimize the chances of “losing” one in the draw.
2. When dealt three deuces, hold them and draw for the fourth unless you already have a pat royal flush or five of a kind.
3. When dealt two deuces, hold them alone and draw unless you already have a pat four of a kind or better. Also, if you need one card for a royal or straight flush, draw for the one card.
4. When dealt a single deuce, hold any pat hand except break a flush or straight if you have a one-card draw for a royal or straight flush.
Deuces Wild is a popular variety of video poker, where any ‘two’ you are dealt will be a wild card – making this version of the game the one where you’ll see the biggest hands appears. Every game of video poker has a unique strategy due to the changing pay charts and with these differences in rules, Deuces Wild perhaps offering some of the biggest changes in strategy.
In this article I start with an explanation of the Deuces Wild poker and take a look at a standard pay table. Then I move on explain the best strategy for playing Deuces Wild – this being in the form of five tables based upon the number of twos you have in your hand.
How to Play Deuces Wild
Here is an example hand when playing Deuces Wild Poker. As you can see in the hand below, you have a ‘2’ in the hand which is wild, which in this case becomes a ‘10’ giving you a full house (the ‘2’ could equally become a ‘4’ and still give you a full house.)
You’ll notice the pay table has five columns and you’ll receive a different payout amount of hitting a natural Royal Flush as opposed to a Wild Royal Flush. You’ll also spot that five of a kind is listed, which you can achieve by a combination of two’s and any other card. Four two’s is the second biggest payout in the game. You should always play with 5 coins (the right hand column in the chart) as for a Royal Flush you’ll gain 4,000 coins, whereas if playing with 4 coins you’ll win just 1,000 coins.
Deuces Wild Strategy Chart
Four Two’s
Stick with what you have and pick up 1,000 coins.
Three Two’s
If you have made a ‘Wild Royal Flush’ stick with it, otherwise discard all the non-2 cards.
Two Two’s
- Stick with any made hand which is 4 of a kind or higher (if 4 of a kind exactly – discard the other card and hope for a fifth)
- With 4 to a Royal Flush, keep these 4 cards and discard the other.
- If you have 4 to a straight flush with 2 connected cards of 6-7 or higher, keep these 4 cards and discard the other.
- For any other combination of cards, keep your two deuces and discard all others.
One Two
- Stick with any made hand which is 4 of a kind or higher (if 4 of a kind exactly – discard the other card and hope for a fifth)
- With 4 to a Royal Flush, keep these 4 cards and discard the other.
- Full House
- If you have 4 to a straight flush, with three consecutive cards of 5-7 or higher, keep these cards and discard the other.
- Keep 3 of a kind and discard the other two – also keep made straights and flushes
- With 4 to a straight flush, keep these four and discard the other card
- With 3 to a Royal Flush, keep these 3 and discard the other two
- With 3 to a straight flush with 2 connected cards (6-7 or higher), keep these 3 and discard the other two cards
- Keep the two and discard all other 4 cards
No Two’s
- If you have a Royal Flush bingo! If you have 4 to a Royal Flush, discard the other card.
- Keep any made hand from 3 of a kind to straight flush (with 3 of a kind exactly, discard the other two cards)
- With 4 to a straight flush, discard the other card
- With 3 to a Royal Flush, discard the other two cards
- With any pair, discard the other three cards
- With 4 to a flush, discard the other card
- With 4 to an open-ended straight, discard the other card
- With 3 to a straight flush, discard the other two cards
- With 4 to an inside straight draw discard the other card (unless the missing card is a 2)
- With 2 to a Royal Flush (J,Q or higher) discard the other three cards
- Discard all five cards
Using the Charts
Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy Trainer
When using the Deuces Wild strategy chart, you’ll look up the hand you are originally dealt with in the chart – first by counting the number of two’s and then applying it to the chart. In many cases your hand will apply to more than one category in the chart, in which case you’ll apply the highest one on the list. Here is an example:
With this hand, you haven’t been dealt a two, so you’ll head to the ‘No Two’s’ section of the chart. This hand actually applies to three different parts of the chart. Firstly, you have three to a straight flush (the 3, 4 and 6 of diamonds) which is ranked number 8 on the chart. Secondly, you have 4 to an open ended straight (3, 4, 5 and 6) which is ranked number 7 on the chart. Finally you also have 4 to a flush, which is ranked number 6 on the chart. As such, you’ll pick the highest ranked, which is number six, meaning you should hold all but the ‘five of clubs’ here.
3 Different Variations on Deuces Wild at One Casino
Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy Apps
Drake Casino offer you the standard Deuces Wild, Cash Grab Deuces Wild (includes a progressive jackpot) and a variation called Pyramid Deuces Wild which includes 3 card and 5 card payouts in the same game. This casino works in your browser and has BetSoft and AE games. I recommend checking out their big list of promotions, which has new additions every week. Drake are open to US and international players. See those top-rated Deuces Wild games at www.drakecasino.eu for yourself now!
More Video Poker Articles
Video Poker Guide (overview, history and basics)