Basic Strategy Advice Needed

[drrich]

Please give me your advice- When playing a Jacks or Better machine, and you are dealt a non face card pair, and a single face card, do you:
 
1)  Hold only the pair for a better chance at 3 of a kind or
 
2)  Hold onto the pair and the face card to try to at least get a pair on the face card?
 
Basic Strategy, and I know making the wrong move consistently can kill you.
 
Also, any favorite machines at New York, New York????

[shadowman]

Always hold the pair only. The goal is not any particular result but the best overall results over time. The pair will do this.

[cddenver]

Please give me your advice- When playing a Jacks or Better machine, and you are dealt a non face card pair, and a single face card, do you:
 
1)  Hold only the pair for a better chance at 3 of a kind or
 
2)  Hold onto the pair and the face card to try to at least get a pair on the face card?
 
 
As shadowman says, hold the pair.  Keeping the high card as well leaves you with only two shots at improving the pair on the draw, instead of three.

[sweetie]

How come when I play video poker in Vegas I seem to lose $100 in no time and I don't seem to hit very many  4oaks. If I'm playing 25cent machines is this common for about 1/'2 hour of play.

[shadowman]

Sweetie, I don't know how fast you play but 4oaks occur about once every 420 hands on average. For fast players this about 1/2 hour of play.