Online Joker Poker Strategy - What Are Your Best Attacks?

As the world transitions from regular Jacks or Better to online Joker Poker, the same transition is not all that drastic for many players. After all, the games both work in pretty much the same way. Just make an online casino account, choose your wager amount, and then play your cards like you would on an actual casino floor. Of course, there are a few differences - and some differences that can help you get a leg up on your fellow gamers!

Royal Flush - While the majority of games played at an online casino feature only the "regular" joker, not all do. Some games feature an expansion pack with the joker that causes his cards to become more valuable (hence, the term "royal flush"). If this isn't what you're looking for, consider including the "American Royal" - a variation on the classic royal flush that features an American eagle instead of the usual maroon color. Of course, there are also games featuring the "king of hearts" or "bicycle wheel" - the latter of which allows you to flip over the cards without dealing them out, thus creating the "king" symbol in the mix. For these reasons, it's worth noting that many online casinos feature variations on both Joker123 and regular cards, so be sure to review the types of card games you're interested in playing before making any monetary deposits.

Straight Flush - Although it may seem like the two cards are the same, the payout for each is actually very different. In a regular game of poker, a straight flush occurs when both cards are aces. However, when it comes to an online casino game, you'll often find that the two cards are aces and nuls. In a regular game, the payoff for a straight flush is 50% of the final total money in the pot (including the initial investment). However, in an online joker game, the payout is split between the two players who didn't get a straight flush, with the remaining money going to the player with the highest hand (in Texas Hold'em terms, the one who dealt out the last few cards).

Video Poker - While a video poker game offers the most hands (numbers 1-4) as a result of having the most cards (numbers 5-7), the optimal strategy is still dependent on the outcome of the draws. What would "work" in video poker if you didn't have the optimal hand? How would you fare in a "full house" video poker game? The best way to figure this out is to look at the types of hands in video poker and to determine how the odds of the different hands change once you combine them with certain types of betting strategies. You can also use the optimal strategy to determine if certain hands are good to play and when you should fold instead.

Hold Pat Hand - In Hold Pat, your starting hand selection is determined by the best betting strategy. For example, if you have a flush and an Ace to start off with, then you can use the Ace to bet into the red (flush) if there's a good chance you'll get a straight plus the strength of your two cards against the joker. If you're holding a straight and three cards (a two and a one), then you can use the hold 'em flop to bet out if the top card on the flop is a three or a four. If there's a good chance that the joker will be a high card (five or higher), then you can use the high hand position to bet out. The Hold Pat strategy chart below details when these hands are playable.

Wild Royal Flush - In a Wild Royal Flush, your starting hand selection is dependent on whether you're playing for a set or a single-card bonus. If you have a flush to start with, then you can easily switch over to the high cards if you have any loose cards left after your initial flush. If you have an Ace, a three-card montee, a two-card straight flush and a high-low split pair, then you can use the Wild Royal flush strategy to make a late play. The Wild Royal flush allows you to make plays with a weak pair such as an Ace/10 or an Ace/Joker. This is a fun style of playing the joker poker variations and is quite effective if you control your draws properly.