Tens or Better: Fun and Easy

About Tens or Better

It’s safe to say that video poker has taken the best from both classic poker and slot machines. If you feel like poker is a little bit too much for you and yet you’re drawn to this amazing card game, you’re sure to like video poker. Compared to standard poker, video poker is easier to play and pays better. In video poker, you’re playing not against a dealer but against a RNG-powered slot machine. However, instead of icons, this unusual slot machine uses cards.

Let’s start with the name of the game. Why is Tens or Better called like this? Well, that’s pretty simple. To get paid, you need to have at least a pair of Tens on your hand. A pair of Tens generates the minimum payout for a player. If you have a better combination, you’ll get a bigger payout. If you’re familiar with video poker, you must’ve noticed that Tens or Better is very similar to Jacks or Better. Only in Jacks or Better, to be eligible for a payout, you need to have at least a pair of Jacks.

Tens or Better: Rules

Tens or better video poker is played with one 52-card deck. When playing Tens or Better, your goal is to form a poker hand which has a pair of Tens or a better combination. Now that you know the basics, let’s proceed to the gameplay.

1. Before the game starts, you need to place a bet. You can bet 1 coin, 2 coins, 3 coins, 4 coins or 5 coins. The more you wager, the more money you’ll get for a paying combination of cards - if you’re lucky to collect one, of course!
2. Click the “Deal Cards” button. You’ll be given 5 random cards from a 52-card deck.
3. The 5 cards will be lined up on the screen. These cards make your first hand. Evaluate your hand. Remember that your goal is to create the strongest hand possible. Choose the cards that you want to discard. If you want to replace a card, select it and then hit “Deal Cards”. The selected cards will be replaced with new ones.
4. See what you’ve got on your second hand. If you have at least two Tens (or a better paying combo), you’ll get a payout. Otherwise, you lose your bet to the casino. Keep in mind that a pair of cards lower than Tens is not eligible for a payout. If, for example, you have two 6s, it still means a loss.
5. If you lost your wager, simply hit the “Deal Cards” button again to receive another hand and test your luck in the next round!

Double game

In some Tens or Better games, you can opt for the Double game. Once the base round is over and you end up with a winning combination, you’ll be invited to take part in the Double feature. If you agree, you’ll be given 5 new cards. The first card is dealt face up, while the rest of the cards are not revealed. The open card is called the Dealer’s card. From the four face-down cards, you’ll get to pick only one card. If this card beats the Dealer’s card, you win and your winnings in the previous base round will be doubled. If the Dealer’s card happens to have a higher value than your selected card, you lose your winnings and have to leave empty-handed.

As you can see, this Double feature is a guessing game per se. If taking risks is your thing, you’ll probably like this opportunity to make some extra cash. If not, you should simply pass on the Double game. Sometimes, you can come across a modified version of the Double game where you only risk 50% of your winnings in the base round. This is a great option for players who are unwilling to put their entire winnings at risk.

Payouts in Tens or Better

Now let’s talk money! Let’s take a look at how the winning combinations in Tens or Better are paid. Once again, if you’ve played Jacks or Better, you’ll see that Tens or Better has a very similar payouts table. The payouts are indicated for a 1-coin bet.

• For a Natural Royal Flush, you get a whopping x250 payout. Natural Royal Flush is a combination of same-suit cards from Ace to Ten.
• Straight Flush generates a x50 payout. Straight Flush features 5 same-suit cards that form a sequence.
• If you collect a Four of a Kind, you get a x25 payout. Four of a Kind features 4 cards of the same suit and face value, plus one random card.
• For a Full House, the casino pays you x6. Full House features a combination of 3 cards of the same value, plus another 2 cards of the same value.
• If you have a Flush combo, you can count on a x5 payout. Flush has five same-suit cards. The cards don’t have to form a sequence.
• For a Straight, you get paid x4. You have a Straight if five cards of different suits form a sequence.
• Three of a Kind is worth a x3 payout. Three of a Kind features 3 same-value cards of different suits, plus two random cards.
• For Two Pair, you get paid x2. This paying combo features 2 same-value cards of different suits, another 2 same-value cards of different suits, plus 1 random card.
• Finally, for a pair of Tens, you get paid x1. This lowest-paying combo features two 10s.

Winning strategy for Tens or Better

Wondering how to maximize your winnings at Tens or Better? Your profits depend directly on your ability to create high-paying hands. We have a strategy that can help you boost your earnings. Let’s examine the most common situations.

• If you have 4 cards to a Royal Flush, you need to take one extra card.
• If you have Three of a Kind, you need to draw two extra cards.
• If you have 4 cards to a Straight Flush, you need to draw one card.
• If you have Two Pair, you also need to draw one card.
• If you have High Pair, be sure to replace three cards.
• If you have 3 cards to a Royal Flush, you need to take two cards.
• If you have 4 cards to a Flush, you need to draw one new card.
• If you have one Low Pair, you need to take three new cards.
• If you have 4 cards to a Straight, you need to take one new card.
• If you have 3 cards to a Straight Flush, go ahead and take two more cards.
• If you have 2 cards to a Royal Flush, take three new cards.
• If you have 2 High cards, take three new cards.
• If you have 1 High card, draw four new cards.
• If you end up with 5 random low cards, you need to replace them all.

Memorize these rules or keep them handy when playing the Tens or Better video poker game. Of course, this strategy alone can’t guarantee you profits. Your success also depends on luck because you never know what new cards you’re going to draw!

Final Word

Out of all video poker variations, it’s easy to see why most gamblers gravitate towards Tens or Better. This game is amazingly easy to master - even if you’ve never played video poker before! On top of that, it has a working strategy that tells you what to do and how many cards to draw in each given situation. Finally, since winnings start flowing from a pair of Tens, you’re more likely to lock in profits than in, say, Jacks or Better or other more challenging video poker variations. If you’re stretched for money, go ahead and play with the minimum 1-coin bet. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite video poker game for a really long time while landing paying combinations along the way.