Video Poker Strategy
9/5 Jacks or Better is the short-pay version of 9/6 Jacks or Better. It returns 98.45% 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 line is marked. Everything else matches full pay.
| Hand | Pays (per coin) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 |
| Full House | 9 |
| 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 98.45% and 99.54% is 1.09% of everything you wager. At quarter stakes with max coins ($1.25 a hand) and a typical 500 hands per hour, that is about $6.84 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.
We ran the classic borderline hands through the engine on both pay tables. Not one optimal hold changed. Low pair vs four to a flush, high pair vs three to a royal, suited 10-J vs jack alone: every answer is the same as 9/6. The flush drop lowers what flush draws are worth (a four-to-a-flush hand falls from 1.2128 to 1.0213 EV per coin) but never enough to flip a decision. Play the 9/6 strategy chart as-is.
The free trainer includes this exact pay table, so every hold is graded against optimal play for 9/5 Jacks or Better specifically, not an approximation from the full-pay chart.