VIDEO POKER GLOSSARY

flush

a hand of five cards all of the same suit, irrespective of value

five of a kind

in games with wild cards, a hand containing four cards of the same value, irrespective of suit, plus a wild card

four of a kind

a hand containing four cards of the same value, irrespective of suit

full house

a hand of three cards of the same value and two cards of another same value, irrespective of suit, e.g. 2, 2, 2, 5, 5; i.e. a three of a kind and a pair

full pay machine

a machine with high enough payoffs so that a player using optimal strategy and betting the maximum can achieve a return of over 100%

hold cards

cards dealt in the opening hand that the player has chosen to keep; all other cards are discarded and replaced with new ones

inside straight

- a potential straight missing a card in the middle, as in e.g. 3,4,6,7,Q

natural royal flush

in games with wild cards, a royal flush not using a wild card

one pair

a hand containing one pair of cards of the same value, irrespective of suit; in video poker typically only a pair of jacks or better is considered a winning hand

open-ended straight

a potential straight missing a card at either end, as in e.g. 3,4,5,6, Q

progressive jackpot

a jackpot for a machine (or group of linked machines) where the value increases with each game played; used to additionally reward high-ranking hands (usually only royal flushes, sometimes other hands as well)

royal flush

a hand of 10, J, Q, K, A, all of the same suit

straight

a hand of five cards of consecutive value, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, irrespective of suit; an Ace cannot count as both low and high, as in e.g. Q, K, A, 2, 3

straight flush

a hand of five cards of consecutive value, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, all of the same suit; an Ace cannot count as both low and high, as in e.g. Q, K, A, 2, 3

three of a kind

a hand containing three cards of the same value, irrespective of suit

two pair

a hand containing two pairs of cards, each of the same value, irrespective of suit

wild card

a card that can count as any card to complete a hand

wild royal flush

in games with wild cards, a royal flush using a wild card to complete the hand