Video Poker Strategy
8/5 Jacks or Better is the short-pay version of 9/6 Jacks or Better. It returns 97.30% with perfect play versus 99.54% on full pay. Here is exactly what the cut costs, and whether it changes how you play — tested hand by hand with our engine.
The reduced lines are marked. Everything else matches full pay.
| Hand | Pays (per coin) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 |
| Full House* | 8 |
| Flush* | 5 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 |
* Reduced versus the full-pay table.
The gap between 97.30% and 99.54% is 2.24% of everything you wager. At quarter stakes with max coins ($1.25 a hand) and a typical 500 hands per hour, that is about $14.03 per hour in expected value, purely for sitting at the wrong machine. Use the pay tables guide to spot the difference before you sit, and the bankroll calculator to see the session math.
Engine testing across the classic borderline hands found no optimal hold changes versus 9/6: every decision stays the same, from low pair vs four to a flush to high pair vs three to a royal. What changes is what your made hands are worth: a dealt full house drops from 9 to 8 per coin, and every flush draw is worth less. Use the 9/6 strategy chart unchanged.
The free trainer includes this exact pay table, so every hold is graded against optimal play for 8/5 Jacks or Better specifically, not an approximation from the full-pay chart.