description Tens or Better Overview
Tens or Better is a draw-video-poker variant in which a pair of tens is the lowest paying hand. This lowers the qualifying threshold used by Jacks or Better, where a pair of jacks is required, so tens can produce winning hands more often. The exact payout schedule differs by machine, but the defining tradeoff is between the added frequency of qualifying pairs and the pay-table changes used to set the game's overall return and volatility. It is one of the basic formats used for comparing video-poker rules.
help Tens or Better FAQ
How is Tens or Better different from Jacks or Better video poker?
The only structural change is that a pair of tens is the lowest paying hand instead of a pair of jacks, so low-hand wins come more frequently. To compensate, machines usually trim the full house and flush payouts, for example offering 6/5 schedules instead of the classic 9/6 Jacks or Better pay table.
What is the payback of Tens or Better compared to 9/6 Jacks or Better?
Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better returns about 99.5 percent with optimal play, while common Tens or Better schedules return somewhat less despite the easier qualifying pair. Always check the full house and flush line on the pay glass before choosing a machine.
How does strategy change when a pair of tens pays?
You keep paying pairs more aggressively, since a pair of tens is now a winner rather than a trap hand, which slightly reduces the value of discarding for overcards. Strategy charts written specifically for Tens or Better differ from Jacks or Better charts for this reason.
Where can I play Tens or Better?
It is a common variant on casino video poker machines and at most online casinos, sitting alongside Jacks or Better on multi-game units of the kind popularized by IGT. The exact payout schedule varies from machine to machine, so compare pay tables before playing.
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