How To Play Jacks Or Better Poker
Jacks or Better is a variation of five-card draw poker. You can
learn how to play Jacks or Better easily if you already know the
rules of poker. If you don't, learning how to play Jacks or
Better is a great introduction to the game. Though draw poker
variations are not popularly played in Las Vegas, you can find
many internet casinos offering games like Jacks or Better. Would
you like to learn how to play Jacks or Better?
The hand ranking in Jacks or Better is the same as standard
poker; with the exception that the lowest winning hand possible
is a pair of jacks or better--hence the name of the game. The
first step in learning how to play Jacks or Better is to
memorize the rank of hands. A Royal Flush, which consists of
sequential cards of the same suit from Ten through Ace, is the
highest possible hand. In descending order from the Royal Flush,
they are: Straight Flush (any five cards of the same suit in
sequential order); Four of a Kind (four same-value cards, such
as four 3's or four 9's); Full House (three same-value cards
plus a pair of another value card); Flush (five cards in the
same suit, no particular order); Straight (five cards in
sequential order, non-matching suits); Three of a Kind (three
same-value cards and two unmatched cards); Two Pair (any two
sets of same-value cards); Pair (Jacks or better: any pair of
Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces). When you learn how to play Jacks
or Better, you can play just about any other variation of poker.
If you're just starting out at poker, learning how to play Jacks
or Better is a good way to get to know the game because it's
easier to get a high hand than it is in the more common stud
poker varieties. In Jacks or Better, the game starts out with
each player being dealt a face-down five-card hand. Players then
keep as many or as few cards as they believe will make a good
final hand and discard the rest. A second round is then dealt so
that each player has five cards again. One strategy for how to
play jacks or better is to know which cards to keep from the
initially dealt hand. You should generally keep cards that would
contribute to a good hand; for instance, a pair of Jacks or
better; or three same-suit or sequential cards that might add up
to a flush or straight.
Once you know how to play Jacks or Better, you can move on to
other forms of poker. Jacks or Better is one of the easiest
variations of poker to master, and knowing how to play Jacks or
Better can help you hone your poker skills. Good luck in the
game!