Online gaming offers all kinds of video poker games. You have lots of choices to pick from. Deuces Wild is one of those that most players gravitate to. Its favorability draws from the exciting gameplay and the chance to hit bigger wins if you know how to make the deuces work for you as you play. Savvy players with the right strategy get 100.8% of their wagers back. While Jack or Better gets you with high payouts on the jacks, Deuces Wild takes reel-spinning characteristics. In a feature you would only find on slots, all deuces are turned into “joker” cards, so you can substitute them as you please.
How to Play Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild is played pretty much as you do other video poker games. It is one of the video poker games that almost made it into the flash game era. You have five cards dealt to you when the game starts. You can decide what cards to keep and what cards to get rid of. The cards you no longer want in your hand are replaced by new cards from the deck. Deuces Wild is played with a standard deck of 52 cards with no Joker cards used. Hand rankings are done like on a regular video poker game, except deuces are wild. With this, if you have three kings in your hand and a deuce, this could also be a king. Deuces can change into whatever card you want them to, which is why the game is named so.
Hand Rankings on Deuces Wild
Hand rankings are pretty much the same as you have them on regular poker. There are some differences, for instance, the two-pair hand is not a winning hand in this game. Look through online casinos, and you are bound to find great selection of real money video poker games. Play any of the video poker games available, and see which combinations and playing “hands” you can use. The winning hands below start from the lowest to the highest.
- Three of a kind – If you have three cards of the same value in your hand or two and a deuce on the board.
- Straight – A hand with five sequential cards in any suit. A deuce can replace one to make a complete straight.
- Flush – A hand with four or five cards of the same suit but with a deuce on the board.
- Full House – When your hand has three of the same card and a pair. This can also apply to two pairs if a deuce is on the board.
- Four of a kind – When your hand has four cards or three of the same kind with a deuce on the board.
- Straight Flush – A hand that includes five cards in sequence, all in the same suit. Four sequential cards and a deuce on the board can also form the hand.
- Five of a kind – It is achievable with four exact kind cards and a deuce on the board.
- Deuces Royal Flush – Get a 10, jack, queen, king, and ace of the same suit, and one of the cards is replaced with a deuce for you to land this hand.
- Four Deuces – A round played with four deuces on the board.
- Royal Flush – A hand that includes a 10, jack, queen, king, and ace of the same suit with no deuces on the board, just like regular poker.
Strategy for Deuces Wild
To play deuces wild on real money casinos and enjoy it to the fullest, you need some strategy to get you more wins as you play more rounds. The game is played so much that it spawned a movie, but most players don’t have the full strategy. The strategy is all about the number of deuces you should hold and what potential winnings you can expect from the deuces you hold.
What to Hold
In Deuces Wild, the lowest hand that gets you a payout is one with three of a kind. Players that get a pair or three cards that look alike after the first round of cards is dealt should consider holding on to these ones. A pair may not payout on the game, but there are higher chances of getting three of a kind when you have a pair in your hand. With three cards that are similar on your hand, you have the chance of landing a full house or five-of-a-kind with a deuce on the board.
Is a 2 Pair Advisable to Hold on Deuces Wild?
In Deuces Wild, holding two pairs means you can only improve your hand to a full house. Holding a two-pair in Deuces Wild is generally not something players do unless you are really going for a gamble that is a tough call. You are better off dropping three cards and choosing what pair you stay with between the two. You drop a pair and one more card because hitting a full house is rare. On the other hand, you have deuces being wild, meaning you have better chances of hitting three of a kind. You can also improve your three-of-a-kind into something better.
Winning Combinations You Can Make When You Have Deuces
As you know by now, the number of deuces you have in your hand determines what cards you drop and how many you draw. Here is how it works.
Four Deuces
This is the golden chance. Hold on to all four deuces and wait for the payout.
Three Deuces
Hold on to the three deuces you have and draw two cards, except if you have a pat royal flush impending. In that case, you should hold on to all five cards and wait for your payout.
Two Deuces
Hold on to any four or five-of-a-kind or straight flush you have on a pat hand. If you don’t have a pat hand, then you should drop three cards holding on to a couple of deuces with exceptions for
- If you are dealt four to a royal flush
- If you are dealt four to a straight flush
One Deuce
Having one deuce in your hand means you have more complex decisions to make. Here are the strategies that determine when you hold the deuce.
- Hold if you are dealt 4-of-a-kind, 5-of-a-kind, royal flush, or straight flush
- Hold it if you are dealt a full house
- If you are dealt four to a royal flush
- If you are dealt four to a straight flush
- If you are dealt three to a royal flush
- If you are dealt three of a kind, whether straight or flush
Playing a hand with no deuces gives you more freedom to make decisions, but it gets harder to create a winning hand no matter what version of real money video poker you are playing. You are better off drawing a new hand when you have nothing to work with rather than taking the chance of landing a deuce without dropping enough cards.
Conclusion
Playing Deuces Wild requires you to understand what the deuce could do for you and make it work for you. Strategy all has to do with how many deuces you are dealt with and whether to keep them or drop them. The best thing about strategy here is that it has nothing to do with bankroll and focuses on the hands you are dealt. Play the strategy right, and you may just land hands that you may have never thought to play.
