Regular Video Poker Vs. Power Poker

Jacks or Better is the original video poker game. It is so names because the lowest ranked hand that offers a payout is a pair of jacks. Hands ranked higher than a pair of jacks pay out in increasing amounts. The online gaming software provider, Microgaming offers two versions of Jacks or Better. One is the "regular" version and the other is the "power poker" version. The basic features of both versions are the same but there is one additional feature in the "power poker" games.

The "regular" Jacks or Better begins with a hand of five cards being dealt. An important thing to remember is that the hand is played with a full standard deck of 52 cards.

There is a built in Auto Hold function in the Viper software from Microgaming that automatically highlights that cards that should be put on hold according to optimal strategy. However the highlighted cards can be deselected by clicking on them and the other cards put on hold by clicking on them. Once the procedure of putting the cards on hold is complete then the remaining cards are replaced by clicking on the draw button. The required cards are replaced and the final hand is compared with the payout table and if the final hand results in a winning combination then the payout is made. The minimum coin denomination is $0.25 and the maximum coin denomination is $5. The player can wager from 1 to 5 coins. Therefore the minimum bet is $0.25 and the maximum bet is $25.

Microgaming "power poker" Jacks or Better is a multi hand game in which several hands are played simultaneously. Different variants play from 4 hands to 100 hands. A popular variant is 50 play Jacks or Better power poker", which plays 50 hands simultaneously. One hand is first dealt as in the regular version and the same process is followed for putting cards on hold. However the cards that are on hold are on hold for all the 50 hands. That is all 50 hands will have the same cards on hold. Each of the 50 hands is played with a separate complete deck of 52 cards. Once the draw button is clicked two things happen. The remaining cards of the original hand are replaced and new cards fill in the blank spaces in the other 49 hands. Each of the 50 hands is independently compared with the payout table and payouts made as required. The minimum coin denomination is $0.01 and the maximum coin denomination is $0.50. The player can wager from 1 to 5 coins. But since 50 hands are played simultaneously therefore the minimum bet is $0.50 and the maximum bet is $125.

Pros of "regular" Jacks or better

• Betting levels are lower and therefore bankroll lasts longer.
• Each hand is completely different.

Pros of "50 play Jacks or Better power poker"

• More hands can be played in the same time with minimal manual intervention.