Video Poker books, strategy cards, newsletter

Preserved reference

This has been proven in the casinos by tens of thousands of skilled or semi-skilled recreational players who make their vacations more enjoyable by playing at an advantage while earning complementary meals and lodging, by hundreds of serious players who supplement their income with modest video poker winnings, and by a few dozen professional players who make a living playing video poker.

I don't mean just an occasional win. That happens in nearly all games. All casino games are structured so that there is an occasional big winner for the publicity value, but in nearly all casino games the odds are against anyone being ahead in the long run. One of the few exceptions is video poker, where it is possible for anyone, yes even you, to be a winner in the long run.

I'm not talking about some system "guaranteed" to beat the odds. We're talking about gaining a real mathematical advantage, making you a favorite to come out ahead in the long run after many playing sessions. No tricks, no gimmicks, no grandiose claims, no looking for "hot" machines, no progressive or "system" betting, and no cheating. Just intelligent play to gain a small but real advantage on certain games that are widely available in Nevada and some other gaming areas. But even if you decide to play where positive expectancy games are not available, my optimized strategies will minimize the house edge, making your money last longer, and giving you the best chance of a winning session.

I have been playing video poker since 1989, analyzing and writing about the various games since 1991, and publishing the Video Poker Times newsletter continuously since 1993. Extensive computer analysis by myself and others knowledgeable in probability and statistics has shown that any player can gain a consistent edge, simply by selecting beatable games (which are easily identified by the payoff table), and following my rules to hold the best cards for each play.

Often the best play is not intuitive. A few examples:
* Should you draw to an inside straight? (Yes, in some games, but not in others.)
* Should you hold an ace by itself? (Yes in most games, but not in Deuces Wild.)
* Should you hold two pair? (Yes in most games, but in standard full pay Deuces Wild you should hold just one of the pairs.)
* Should you hold any two suited cards with an Ace? (Yes in Double Bonus Poker.)

Surprised? There are many such situations where most players miss the best play, which is why the state-wide average casino hold on video poker is about two percent more than it would be if everyone played perfect strategy.

Please note that I am not saying that you can beat any video poker game. Only a few types of games offer over 100% return, but it is easy to learn to recognize those games. Also, I am not saying that you will be a winner every playing session. On average, I lose in about two out of three short sessions, but the losses are small enough and the wins big enough to put me ahead in the long run.

Whether you want to become a professional video poker player or just want to have a decent chance of winning while having fun and earning comps, then look no further. These products will fulfill your needs.

Gaining a real advantage over the casino is not as hard as it may sound. If this is your first serious excursion into video poker, you should start with the best-selling book, Video Poker - Optimum Play. In it, accurate strategies for several of the games, including Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild and Joker Wild, have been reduced to about a dozen easy-to-learn Precision Play^TM rules with no significant loss in expectation. The book also covers many other subjects related to video poker play.

Every serious player, whether professional or recreational, should subscribe to Video Poker Times^TM. This newsletter provides complete strategies for new games, covers related subjects such as bankroll requirements, and keeps you up to date on the availability of good games and promotions. You can also get all of the still-useful information from the first eleven years of the newsletter in the new book, All The Best of Video Poker Times (see below for details).

Is a book or newsletter too bulky to carry with you and use during play? For your actual casino excursion, you should consider my highly optimized cue cards. The heavy laminated, shirt pocket size strategy cards are available for 18 of the most attractive games, plus certain variations on some of those games. See below for details on the various cards.

Do you like to read about weird plays, strange types of players, anomalies reportedly seen in the games, and other unusual things related to video poker? Then you'll love my little booklet Video Poker Anomalies and Anecdotes.

This book contains all of the best articles from issues 1.1 through 11.3 of Video Poker Times, the only hard copy newsletter devoted to winning at video poker. It would cost over $200.00 to get all of this information in the individual back issues, but you can get it all in this 100-page 8.5 x 11 book for only $29.95 plus shipping and handling. To order this book by itself, please click on Shop the RGE Catalog at left.

Combination special: Save over $19.00. Send only $60.00 for a copy of this book plus one year of Video Poker Times, first class US postage paid. Your subscription will start with the current issue unless you specify otherwise.

Three year special: Save $30.00. Send only $105.00 for a copy of this book plus three years of Video Poker Times starting with back issue 11.4 so you don't miss anything. You will get issues 11.4 through the current issue immediately, and your subscription will continue through issue 14.3 (May/June, 2006).

The book will be personally autographed on request. Everything is sent by first class mail.

These are limited time offers, available in the U.S. only. You must mention that you saw it here and order direct from Dan. Ordering information is at the bottom of this page.

Add any five strategy cards (see below) to either of the above combinations for only $15.00.

Historical contact information removed.

Functional, not fancy. Every card is laser printed in sharp black on white for best readability in dim casino lighting, and heavy laminated for durability. The cards will fit easily in your shirt pocket or in the palm of your hand.

Before ordering cue cards, it's a good idea to scout around and find out what games are available where you play. Having the card for a 102% game will get you 102% payback only on that specific game.

Each card features an optimized hand rank table for one game, and some can be used for several variations on that game as follows (numbers such as "9/6" refer to the per-coin payoffs that are most commonly changed -- in the case of Jacks or Better they refer to the full house and flush):

Jacks-or-Better optimized strategy for full pay 9/6 (99.53%, or 99.85% with 4700-coin royal), 8/5 (97.3%), 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.2%), Aces and Eights (100.15%), Jacks or Better 10/6 (100.67%, but this variation appears to be extinct), Aces&Faces 8/5 (99.25%), and most J-or-B progressives. This one card covers all those variations, so it's a must have for every video poker player.

Double Bonus Poker 10/7 at 100.15%. This is the most widely available 100%+ game around southern Nevada and some other parts of the country, but the strategy is very complex, and the volatility is high. Recommended primarily for players who like to play $1 or higher denomination, or multi-play machines, but this game is also popular with players who like the mini-jackpots on various four-of-a-kind hands..

Double Double Bonus 9/6 at 98.8% or 10/6 at 100.05%. This is a very popular game with recreational players, and the strategy is relatively easy, but the variance is very high. It is not recommended where higher payback games are available.

Double Double Jackpot is one of the easiest games to play accurately. The 10/6/5 version (101.4%) of this Sigma game appears to be extinct, but 9/6/5 (100.3%) may still be available in some areas. This strategy is also fairly close for the (apparently extinct) 10/7/4 version.

All American Poker is the best game available in many parts of the country, especially in the Midwest, and occasionally in Atlantic City and Connecticut casinos. This refined (but necessarily complex) strategy will yield 100.7% payback. Sporadically available paying 250-for-5 for quads (102.9%) on some Bally GameMaker machines. This same game has also been seen with other names, including Gator Bonus Poker.

Flush Attack at up to 101.8%±. This is the optimized "Flush 50" strategy for unlinked machines that go into "Attack" mode after 3 flushes. (Most now require 4, but you can often pick up a "free" flush from a previous player, thus making this strategy viable for short term play.)

Pick'em Poker at 99.9% plus liberal slot club rebates in some Strip and Midwest casinos. This game deals two cards, then you pick one of two shown for your third card, and it shows the final two cards. This is the best game available in several Las Vegas Strip casinos. A very fast game, good for lots of dollar action when there's a good promotion, but some people find it boring.

Deuces Wild at 100.75% with the "full pay" 25/15/9/5/3/2/2/1 payoff schedule. (This game can yield 101.1% with 4700-coin royal. There may still be one such machine at the Plaza in LV). Strategy modifications for a $15,000 sequential royal flush are included (adds 0.6%) in case you should spot such a machine. I highly recommend this game for the beginning or intermediate player in Nevada, especially for Las Vegas area "locals" casinos.

"Not So Ugly Deuces" (NSUD) at 99.7% with the 25/16/10/4/4/3/2/1 payoff schedule is the best game available in many casinos. This card is highly recommended if you play on the LV Strip or outside Nevada.

Bonus Deuces at 100.9% is the best game at Sam's Town (LV), where you also get 0.1% slot club cash rebate or 0.167% in comps.

Loose Deuces 17/10 at 101.6% on a nickel coin-dropper at Fitzgeralds, 15/10 at 100.95% at a few casinos, and the more common 15/8 (100.09%). The 15/8 version is available at the Las Vegas Hilton, where you get 0.33% cash rebate. This is a very high variance game, so avoid the 12/8 version like the plague.

Deuces Deluxe at 100.2%± (plus up to 0.4% slot club cash rebate at the Stardust). This same payoff schedule is also available in a few other casinos under a different name.

Joker Wild (Kings or Better 20/7) at 100.65%± (this game may still be available a few places with 4700-coin royal for 101% payback).

Double Joker Wild (AC) at up to 99.9%, making this possibly the best game still available in Atlantic City, but full pay machines are scarce and may no longer exist. One casino used to have a 3-coin $5 machine (100.3%), but at last report that game had been removed.

Double Joker Wild (LV) at up to 100.6% in Las Vegas. This pay schedule is not available in Atlantic City, and it's rare even in LV.

The following games appear to be extinct, but I still have these cards in stock in case you happen to find one or more of them somewhere. Suggested only for players who are always on the lookout for an unexpected good opportunity. Please let me know where you find any of these games.

Jacks-or-Better (9/7) at 100.78% (this is 0.16% more than you would get on this game with the 9/6 strategy above).

Pick Five Poker at over 102%. This game shows you two cards at a time, and at each juncture you must pick one of the two to be part of your final hand.

Joker Wild (Two Pair) at up to 102% (with 5000-coin royal). This game was pounded hard by the vultures, so it will probably never be seen again.

I have only the above cards. Please do not order a card for a game that is not listed. If you find an attractive game other than above, let me know, and I may make a card.

Historical contact information removed.

Minimum cue card order here is five cards.
For fewer cards, click on Shop the RGE Video Poker Catalog at left.

Pricing for cue cards:

Any 5 cards (mix or match), $17.50 + S&H*
More than 5 cards, add $3.50 per card

Any 10 cards (mix or match), $30.00 + S&H*
More than 10 cards, add $3.00 per card

* Shipping and Handling on cue cards:
In U.S.: Add $1.00 per order
Canada: Add $2.00 per order
Elsewhere: Add $3.00 per order

The S&H charge is waived for cue cards when combined with any book order.

An explanation sheet is included with each cue card order to clarify use and abbreviations.

Save over $16.00. Get any ten cue cards (see list above) plus a one-year subscription to Video Poker Times starting with the current issue (or specify starting issue) for only $60.00 postpaid (US only). Add more cue cards for only $2.50 each (limit of two of each card at this price).

Two ways to order direct from the publisher:

1. By e-mail, with payment via PayPal:

Historical ordering information removed.

Go to www.PayPal.com, and send the money to the same e-mail address. Your order will be shipped within one business day after PayPal notifies me that the money has been transferred.

If you are not already a PayPal member, go to www.PayPal.com and set up your account first. It may take a few days to transfer money from your bank to a new PayPal account. Please be sure the funds are available before ordering.

Historical ordering information removed.

2. By snailmail, with payment by check or money order:

Write a letter listing the items that you want.

Be sure give your complete mailing address. Your e-mail address would be helpful.

Enclose your check or money order payable to a historical video-poker writer.

Historical ordering information removed.

Mail it to: