The following video poker strategy is for a specific version of deuces wild, called Not So Ugly Deuces. The game offers a theoretical payback of 99.73% and it has the following pay table:
There are numerous pay tables for Deuces Wild games, but keep in mind that this chart only applies to the “NSUD” pay table. If followed accurately, the expected return (when playing maximum coin) is 99.71%, which is less than 0.012% off of perfect play.
This strategy chart was created by Dan Paymar, who was an expert video poker player and the author of several books on the subject. He was also the developer of a software training program called Optimum Video Poker, which is no longer available since Dan passed away in July, 2020.
To use the chart, count the number of deuces in the hand that you are originally dealt. Then, hold the first hand-type available in that group.
Four Deuces
1. Just the Deuces
Three Deuces
1. Wild Royal
2. 5 of a Kind
3. Just the Deuces
Two Deuces
1. Wild Royal
2. 5 of a Kind
3. Straight Flush (SF)
4. 4 of a Kind
5. 4 card Royal Flush
6. 4 card SF
7. 4 card Inside SF
8. 4 card SF (2-2-5-6)
9. 4 card SF (2-2-4-5)
10. Just the Deuces
One Deuce
1. Wild Royal
2. 5 of a Kind
3. Straight Flush (SF)
4. 4 of a Kind
5. Full House
6. 4 card Royal Flush
7. Flush
8. 4 card SF
9. 4 card Inside SF
10. Straight
11. 4 card Double-Inside SF
12. 3 of a Kind
13. 4 card SF (Ace low)
14. 3 card Royal Flush
15. 3 card SF
16. 3 card Inside SF
17. Just the Deuce
No Deuces
1. Royal Flush
2. 4 card Royal Flush
3. Straight Flush (SF)
4. 4 of a Kind
5. Full House
6. Flush
7. Straight
8. 4 card SF
9. 3 of a Kind
10. 4 card Inside SF
11. 3 card Royal Flush
12. 3 card Inside SF (Ace low)
13. 4 card Flush
14. 2 Pairs
15. 3 card SF
16. 1 Pair
17. 4 card Straight
18. 3 card Inside SF
19. 3 card Double-Inside SF
20. 2 card Royal Flush (no Ace)
21. 3 card Inside SF (Ace low)
22. 4 card Inside Straight
23. Redraw
Note that any deuces in the dealt hand are included in the hand type description. For example, “4 card Straight Flush” in the “1 Deuce” group could be 2-5♥-6♥-7♥ or 2-9♥-10♥-J♥ (where the non-deuces are all the same suit), but not 2-10♥-J♥-Q♥ since that would be a 4 card Royal Flush which is higher in the chart. A hand such as 2-6♥-8♥-9♥ would not qualify since that would be a 4 card Inside Straight Flush which is lower in the chart.
Keep in mind that this strategy is optimized, meaning there are no penalty considerations, and it’s simplified in situations that occur infrequently and have very small EV difference. The total net “cost” of this optimization is less than 0.012% off of perfect play and less than 0.005% off of the best published professional strategy for this game. Most players will actually achieve better payback with this strategy than they would with a professional strategy due to many fewer inadvertent deviations from the chart.
And finally, why is this game called “Not So Ugly Deuces”? The original full pay Deuces Wild has the per-coin payoff schedule 1-2-2-3-5-9-15-25-200-800. A game analysis shows that the 5-for-1 payoff for four of a kind contributes over 32% of the game’s payback.
Many casinos offer this game, but with the quads payoff reduced to 4-for-1. With no strategy change, this reduces the payback by 1/5 of that 32% or more than 6%. This game has the 4-for-1 quads payoff, but increases the payoffs for four other hands. The result, assuming perfect strategy, is 99.726% payback, so many players clubs benefits put it to just about 100%. Multiple points days and/or off-point comps can also make it attractive to advantage players.