Video Poker Tournament Guide
Video poker tournaments are one of the more complicated topics in video poker, because each tournament has it's own individual rules which make every single tournament unique. This article will attempt to break down video poker tournaments by explaining how they work, common variations, and the proper strategy to give yourself the best chance of finishing towards the top of the field.
What is a Tournament?
Tournaments are different from normal video poker games because in a tournament, you're playing with fake credits and hoping to accumulate the most credits out of all the players in the tournament. Instead of putting money into the machine you pay a tournament "buy-in", which is a fixed fee that every player pays to enter the tournament. Then, each player plays for either a set amount of time or hands, and at the end the players with the most credits win the prizes. Usually the top 10-25% of the field receives a prize.
Time Limit vs. Hand Limit
The main difference between tournaments is if they are limiting play based on total hands, or based on total time on the machine. For example, one tournament I read about allowed each player 200 hands on the machine, and whoever had the most credits at the end of 200 hands was the winner.
On the other hand, some tournaments allot each player a certain amount of time on the machine. For example, another tournament I researched allowed each player 45 total minutes on the machine, in three 15 minute sessions.
Other tournaments include both a time and a hand limit. For example, you may have 20 minutes on the machine, and be allowed to play a maximum of 600 hands. So, you are done either after 20 minutes or after playing 600 hands - whichever comes first.
Although time vs. total hands may seem like a small factor, it actually is very important when determining your strategy. If you have as long as you want to play your hands, you can take your time and always make the mathematically correct decision. However, if the tournament has a time limit, then you need to hustle up and make sure you play as many hands as possible. Each additional hand is another shot at a Royal Flush, so it's worth playing fast in exchange for a few small errors here and there.
Inflated Payouts
Another unique aspect of video poker tournaments is that often times tournaments use machines with inflated/more frequent payouts. This ensures that players won't go broke during their session, and that the scores are higher to make things more exciting. Some tournaments use these, and some don't - it's useful to find out beforehand.
Video Poker Tournament Strategy
For the most part you want to use your normal video poker strategy for the tournament, but there are a few spots where you should switch things up.
Go for the Royal
The first thing you should know is that in most tournaments someone is going to hit a Royal Flush, and odds are that they'll win the tournament. Because of this, you should be playing to hit a Royal because that is usually the only way to outright win a tournament. For example, if you have a pair but also have three to a Royal, go for the Royal. Even though a pair has a better expected return, you should shoot for the big payout.
Now, I'm not saying that you should always be throwing away decent hands to chase the Royal. But when it's a tough decision, always opt to draw for the big payout.
Where to Play Tournaments?
Tournaments are almost always hosted at strip casinos in Las Vegas. I have yet to see an online video poker casino host a tournament, because they really don't have enough players to support such an event. Also, most casinos outside of Las Vegas face the same problem - there aren't enough video poker players interested in the event.
