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Our article will discuss the rules of Aces and Eights, the odds, and the optimal strategy, and provide you with some tips to up your video poker game.
Rules of Aces and Eights Video Poker
This intriguing game is also known as Dead Man’s Hand and dates back to the 1800s. The name is based on the story of the legendary gunfighter and gambler ‘’Wild Bill’’ Hickok, who supposedly held a strong two-pair hand at the moment he was murdered.
The hand consisted of two aces and eights (Ac, As, 8c, 8s), hence the name Dead Man’s Hand.
The rules of this game are straightforward and similar to those of Jacks or Better. Aces and Eights uses a standard 52-card deck and is based on a five-card draw game.
This means you will be dealt five cards, and you have to decide which are worth holding and which must be discarded.
The machine will then re-deal the cards to replace the discarded ones, and your aim is to make the strongest hand possible. At the end of the round, your hand will be compared to the pay table, and you will be paid accordingly.
Aces and Eights Pay Tables and Hand Rankings
Pay tables differentiate one video poker variation from another, so you should always shop around until you find the machine with a full pay table. Full pay Aces and Eights offers a return of 99.87%, meaning that the house edge is only 0.22%. However, a house edge this low can only be found in the 25/8/5 version of this game.
The table below shows the payback figures for that video poker variation. It is called 25/8/5 because the game pays 25:1 for four of a kind in the ‘’other’’ variety, 8:1 for a full house, and 5:1 for a full flush.
| Hand | Pays | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 (when betting with 1–4 coins)800 (when betting with five coins) | 0,0025% |
| Straight flush | 50 | 0,0107% |
| Four aces or eights | 80 | 0,0372% |
| Four sevens | 50 | 0,0176% |
| Four of a kind other | 25 | 0,18% |
| Full house | 8 | 1,15% |
| Flush | 5 | 1,08% |
| Straight | 4 | 1,12% |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 7,45% |
| Two pair | 2 | 12,93% |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 21,52% |
Aces and Eights differs from other variations because it pays more for specific hand combinations:
- Four of a kind — aces or eights pay 80 credits
- Four of a kind — sevens pay 50 credits
- Four of a kind — others pay 25 credits
As you can see from the pay table above, four aces or eights pay more than a straight flush, and four sevens pay the same as a straight flush, which is the main thing that differentiates Aces and Eights from Jacks or Better.
The royal flush offers the biggest payout, $4,000 when played with the maximum number of coins (five). The payout will be significantly lower if you play with four coins ($1,000).
The game has no wild cards, so players must analyze their hands and find aces and eights to create the most valuable hand.
Optimal Aces and Eights Strategy
If you want to boost your winning odds, follow the optimal Aces and Eights strategy. Like with other variations, the aim is to lower the house edge and make a hand that will produce the highest result. We have put together certain hand combinations and proposed the moves you should take if you are dealt such cards.
It goes without saying that you must keep the cards if you are dealt a four of a kind, a royal flush, a straight flush, a flush, or a full house. If you don’t get any of the combos from the list below, it is better to discard all the cards.
| Hand | Optimal decision |
|---|---|
| Four cards to a royal flush | Discard other one card |
| Four cards to a straight flush | Discard other one card |
| Two pair | Discard other one card |
| Four cards to a flush | Discard other one card |
| Four cards to an open-ended straight | Discard other one card |
| Four cards to a straight with three high cards | Discard other one card |
| Three of a kind | Discard other two cards |
| Three cards to a royal flush | Discard other two cards |
| Three cards to a straight flush | Discard other two cards |
| Three cards to a straight flush with three high cards | Discard other two cards |
| One low pair (tens or lower) | Discard other three cards |
| Two cards to a royal flush | Discard other three cards |
| Two unsuited high cards | Discard other three cards |
| One high card | Discard other four cards |
Aces and Eights Tips
Aside from studying and applying the perfect strategy, here are a few more tips that will help you increase your odds of winning.
The importance of finding a reputable provider cannot be overstated. We have supplied a list of casinos above, so feel free to check it out and pick the one that appeals to you most. After all, you don’t want to get a royal flush and then be denied your winnings by the casino.
Like with other video poker variations, playing the maximum coins in Aces and Eights is advisable. Playing with five coins pays significantly higher (800x) than playing with four coins or less (250x).
Don’t rush when choosing the right Aces and Eights variation. We have already explained how pay tables differ from casino to casino, and you want to find the one that will give you the best payouts.
Set a limit to your bankroll and stick to it. If you are on a losing streak, don’t chase your losses, as you will only end up gambling with amounts you are uncomfortable with.
Conclusion
Considering how simple and rewarding Aces and Eights is to play, it is obvious why it has many fans. It is an ideal video poker game for those who want to add a twist to their gameplay. The bonus payout for four aces and eights may not be as big, but it is enough to spice up the action.
Additionally, Aces and Eights is easy to find at online casinos and some land-based ones. But don’t forget to always look for the version that delivers a payout of 99.76%.
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