Rules The deuces wild game only uses one regular 52 card deck at a time, eliminating the chance of you getting multiple cards of the same denomination and suit in the game. It also provides a more fair chance of winning by only using one deck of cards, so overall it is a good thing. Simple strategy for Deuces Wild video poker: Rules and specifics. As it turns out, even seasoned gamblers find applying Deuces Wild video poker strategy pretty challenging at first. If you want to start playing as soon as possible and protect the depth of your bankroll, you most definitely need to study a simplified Deuces Wild video poker. Deuces Joker Wild is only spread at one casino in Las Vegas. It is found at Harrah’s. There are two DJ Wild tables there. The minimum bet is $10. How to Play Deuces Joker Wild. Players make an Ante and Blind bet. The player and dealer receive five cards. Deuces and a joker are wild. The player decides whether to fold or play. Deuces Wild is the most popular wild-card version of video poker. Read our deuces wild guide to learn about pay tables, strategy, and rules.

Ask any experienced video poker about Deuces Wild and you’ll likely see their eyes light up. That twinkle is tied to Deuces Wild’s status as one of the best bets a casino gambler will ever find, provided the pay table is configured correctly.

I’ll get into the nitty gritty of pay table comparison down below, but for now, just know that a full pay Deuces Wild machine offers basic strategy players a 100.76% payback percentage. No need to adjust your screen either. Skilled players can really reap a long-term advantage over the house playing Deuces Wild.

Like I said, the details behind that advantage will be discussed later in the page.

When you’ve gotten your feet wet and want to learn how to play Deuces Wild perfectly, this page is the ticket. Whether you prefer to play on machines in your local land-based gambling hall, or on the computer or smartphone through the top-rated online casinos knowing a few simple tricks of the trade separates the best from the rest.

On that note, the list below highlights five crucial rules and strategies for Deuces Wild video poker that most players just don’t know much about.

1 – Mastering Deuces Wild Basic Strategy Really Is Easier Than You’d Imagine

You can call it the Rosetta Stone, Holy Grail, or Bible of online video poker, but basic strategy really is an all-important talisman used to understand the game’s fundamental mysteries.

Every variant out there, from Jacks or Better to Double Double Bonus Poker, has been broken down by statistical analysis to arrive at the game’s basic strategy. The basic strategy chart provides a key to making the most mathematically profitable discard/draw decision given every possible five-card starting hand.

Let’s say you’ve been dealt something like the 2d-2h-Ad-Ah-Kh, giving you two main hands or draws to work with.

You could hold the deuces with the two aces to make a pat four of a kind, which is good for a guaranteed five-coin payout and a one-card draw at five of a kind and 15 coins.

Or you could hold the deuces with the Ah and Kh to give yourself a four-card royal flush draw. In this case, you aren’t guaranteed to win anything, but if you land another deuce, or the Qh, Jh, or 10h, you’ll complete a wild royal flush to scoop 25 coins.

Deciding between close calls like this is what strategic thinking in video poker is all about. And as you can see by using the Deuces Wild basic strategy chart below, holding onto the four of a kind is ranked just ahead of a four-card royal draw (when you have two deuces):

Three Deuces

Two Deuces

One Deuce

No Deuces

To use this chart effectively, simply assess your “deuce count” and use that particular subsection. Then, scan your five-card starting to see which hand(s) and draw(s) you currently hold. Finally, choose the option which ranks highest on the list to ensure you’re always playing perfectly.

2 – The Full Pay Machines Create an Edge for the Player

Most video poker players know that using basic strategy correctly in Deuces Wild can create a rare player edge.

But what they don’t know is that this player advantage of 0.76% over the house can only be attained using a specific pay table setup. When you play Jacks or Better, the “full pay” table uses a 9/6 alignment for full houses and flushes, respectively.

And in Deuces Wild, you’re looking for the following 15/9/5/3 setup to score full pay odds:

Deuces Wild Full Pay Table (by Coins Wagered)

Be sure to bet the maximum of five coins per hand though, as wagers of one to four coins don’t count for the jackpot payout of 4,000 coins on a natural Royal Flush. Thus, betting anything less than the max reduces your payback rate to 99.67%, sending an edge of 0.33% back to the house.

3 – Adjustments to Full Pay Table Turn Deuces Wild Gold Mine Into a Landmine

At this point, you’re probably wondering why skilled players haven’t skinned casinos for all they’re worth, grinding full play Deuces Wild while applying basic strategy.

That’s a great question too, and the answer lies in the casinos’ ability to adjust any machine’s pay table as they see fit. Just like Jacks or Better enthusiasts know to avoid inferior 9/5 or 8/6 pay tables, diehard Deuces Wild fans have learned to avoid the pay tables below like the plague:

Deuces Wild Inferior Pay Table Adjustments

As you can see, anything less than the 15/9/5/3 full pay alignment creates a big hit to your payback percentage.

How big of a hit all depends on the pay table’s exact configuration, so steer clear of the substandard setups shown here:

Deuces Wild Pay Table Comparison

Casinos nowadays spread Deuces Wild only rarely, and for higher stakes. But you can still find machines out there when you know where to look.

And thanks to the fine folks at vpFREE2, you’ll know exactly where to look after consulting their searchable video poker machine placement database.

4 – Not So Ugly Ducks Is a Great Game If Full Pay Machines Aren’t Available

While the full pay 15/9/5/3 machines are increasingly rare, you’ll still find plenty of Deuces Wild games using modified 16/10/4/4 setup.

Affectionately known as “Not So Ugly Ducks” (NSUD) within video poker circles, this form of Deuces Wild still offers players a 99.73% payback rate. That’s no player edge, I’ll be the first to admit that, but when you don’t have access to full pay games, playing Not So Ugly Ducks according to basic strategy only gives the casino a slight 0.27% edge.

That’s twice as good as the best basic strategy blackjack experts have it, so when in doubt, look for Not So Ugly Ducks to get your Deuces Wild fix.

5 – Online Casinos Offer Significant Six-Figure Scores on the Progressive Jackpot

While players on other software platforms are chasing 4,000-coin jackpots for landing the elusive royal flush, fans of Microgaming online casinos can win truly life-changing money.

You’ll need to hit a natural royal flush in all diamonds, which is obviously a huge long shot, but when the cards cooperate, you can pay off your mortgage, travel the world, or enjoy the six-figure windfall however you see fit.

Conclusion

Deuces Wild video poker has blossomed from obscure offshoot to bona fide classic in just a few decades. The reasons why are easy to see too, what with highly strategic side challenging players on every hand, and that sweet player edge on full pay machines.

This game was specifically designed to reward skillful play, so know that you’ve learned about the five rules and strategies presented here, get out there and even the score against casinos everywhere.

Deuces Wild is just one of the many versions of Video Poker and therefore it is difficult to give a standard strategy for a general version.

We have compiled a strategy for some of the most popular versions. Please ensure you check the strategy for the version you are playing.

How to Play Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is the same as other versions of Video Poker. You get dealt 5 cards, hold as many or as few as you want, the cards you discard are replaced by other cards from the pack and winnings are then paid. But, there is one major difference, which is that all four 2’s often known as Deuces are Wildcards and can be replaced by any other card to improve your hand. As there are 4 Wildcards, it is possible to get 5 of a kind, which isn’t possible in many versions of Video Poker, meaning the Strategy is completely different from other versions depending on how many Deuces you are dealt to start.

Payouts and Probability

First of all, let’s take a look at the possible winning combinations, how much each pays – remember this can vary from machine to machine and depending on how many coins you play – and how likely each is to come in.

As you can see from above, as the deuces are wild, not only is there a Five of a Kind in Deuces wild, there are also 2 versions of a Royal Flush, one using one or more deuces and one not using any. It is the one that doesn’t use deuces that pays the most, followed by Four of a Kind deuces, Royal Flush using one or more deuce then Five of a Kind.

It is imperative that this order is understood before you start playing the Deuces Wild Video Poker to ensure the optimal strategy is followed.

Due to the four wildcards, the minimum payout is Three of a Kind. A pair of Jacks or better and Two Pair count for nothing in Deuces Wild.

Deuces Wild Strategy

Now for the strategy part…

First, find the table depending on the number of deuces you are dealt. The chances are this will be 0, in which case use the top table. If you get 1, use the 2nd table etc.

Start from the top and work your way down until you find the hand that relates to the one you have. There will be some occasions where your hand appears more than once, in this case, follow the advice in the higher option as this will be the most likely for you to win.

No Deuce

* An outside Straight is where you require a card at either end to make the hand – e.g. 4, 5, 6, 7 – either a 3 or 8 would complete the Straight

** An inside Straight is where you require a card in the middle to make the hand – e.g. 4, 5, 7, 8 – only a 6 would complete the Straight
One Deuce

2 Deuces

3 Deuces
Hold if you have a Wild Royal Flush or Five of a Kind (so non-Deuces are a pair), otherwise just hold the 3 Deuces

The above is a guideline only in order to optimize your chances of winning, like many casino games, players do like to trust their instinct so feel free to do the same.

4 Deuces
Discard all other cards if you hold 4 deuces

Terminology

Deuces Wild Poker Rules

The following applies, in the above table:
Inside Straight – EG 5,6,8,9 – 4 Cards where there is one number missing that would complete a Straight.

Outside Straight – EG. 5,6,7,8 4 – Cards that are consecutive and where a card at either end can provide you with a Straight.

Rules To Deuces Wild Card Game

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