Author Guarantor: Roger Caven
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Last updated: 23 July 2021

Learning how to play Deuces Wild will drive your experience to a new horizon. Your gaming session with the cards is no longer an ordinary memory with video poker games. If you are a thrill-seeker who wants to set a new challenge on your limit, then this variant coming with a twist will suit you best.

Deuces Wild’s Premise

To learn how to play Deuces Wild, you need a basic grasp of this casino game. Deuces Wild is a variant of video poker. This means some characteristics of the original game remain the same, including the final objective. Your mission is to get the best possible hand to win the machine. 

What makes this combination of slot machine and poker exciting is that all deuces or 2-value cards are “wild cards”. These cards play an important role than any other ones in the game, as they can substitute for any card. You can totally make use of these valuable cards to complete your hand with a missing one. 

Is it clear? If not, let’s see an example. Should you be dealt a pair of Kings and a deuce, the actual hand becomes three of a kind Kings. That is exactly how Wild cards work.

deuces wild video poker game play
How to Play Deuces Wild

How to Play Deuces Wild

The game in Deuces Wild begins when the player makes a bet. You need to choose the denomination you want to play on the hand. Then press “Deal” to have the computer deal five random cards from a virtual deck of 52 standard playing cards. 

You have the choice to discard any card on the actual hand and hold the ones that you think can make your hand a winning one. If you are holding any deuce, keep it. These cards will be useful to increase your chance of winning. After you have decided to hold as many cards as you want, ask the computer to give you new cards by pressing “Deal”. 

The game ends after two rounds of dealing. It is time for you to check whether your hand can lead to a payout. Some hands have high payout, while some give players lower ones. Therefore, it is important to know about winning hands in Deuces Wild and determine how much you can earn from them.

Winning Hands in Deuces Wild

Possible hands that can give you a payout are here. Let’s start with the hand that pays out the highest. Other hands come with decreasing rewards. 

Royal Flush

You have a Royal Flush if your hand contains 5 cards of 10, J, Q, K, A of the same suit. If you hold this set of cards, you can make sure that you will get the highest payout in Deuces Wild. The suit of cards is not a big deal here. Thus, a hand of 10 to Ace of Diamonds is equal to that of Spades. 

Royal Flush comes in two types. Based on the type you receive, you will get a different payout. To be precise, a Flush Royal with a wild card has a lower payout than pure or natural Flush Royal.

deuces wild straight flush
Deuces Wild Royal Flush - Source: Freepik

Four Deuces

Four Deuces occurs when your hand consists of four cards of 2 from four suits and another card. As aforementioned, Deuces has the highest value in Deuces Wild. The hand of four deuces is worth more than any four of a kind. Other hands’ value varies based on the rank of the irrelevant card.  

Five of a Kind

It is impossible to have a five of a kind in a standard deck. However, in Deuces Wild, this can take place thanks to the wild cards, or Deuces. A deuce can stand in the place of any card, making the hand of a four of a kind five of a kind. This winning hand is worth more than a Straight Flush.

Straight Flush

Straight Flush consists of five cards of the same suit in a sequence. Or, if you have four cards of the same suit in a sequence and a wild card. A hand of this type can be: J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ or 10♥ 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 2♥. This hand ranks lower than Royal Flush. 

Four of a Kind

When you have four cards of the same value from different suits and an irrelevant card, you get Four of a Kind. You can determine the rank of these hands by the value of the cards appearing four times, then the irrelevant card. A hand of J♣ J♠ J♦ J♥ 8♥ ranks higher than 10♣ 10♠ 10♦ 10♥ J♥, which is ranks higher than 10♣ 10♠ 10♦ 10♥ 6♥.

deuces wild four of a kind
Deuces Wild four of a kind - Source: Freepik

Full House

You can make sure that you get a Full House when your hand comes with three cards of the same value and two cards of another rank. This type of hand is also known as full boat, or just boat or full hand. To sort out these types of hand, you need to compare the value of the card value that comes three times, then the two others. For example, a hand of 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ 7♦ 7♣ ranks higher than 8♠ 8♦ 8♥ 10♦ 10♣, which is higher than 8♠ 8♦ 8♥ 7♦ 7♣.

Flush

A hand with five cards of the same suit is called Flush. No matter these cards are in a sequence or not, for instance, J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 5♦ 4♦. We distinguish the hands of the same rank by their suits.

Straight

The combination of five cards in a sequence, not all of the same suit make a Straight hand. It can be 9♣ 8♠ 7♠ 6♥ 5♥. In this case, we call the hand a “nine-high straight”. A straight hand with the highest card of King is known as a King-high straight.

Three of a Kind

When you are dealt three cards of the same value but in different suits and two irrelevant cards, you get a Three of a Kind. This hand ranks higher than a two-pair.

Payout

Deuces Wild, like any other online game, comes with a paytable. Reading the paytable is important, as they tell you what you can expect to receive when having a winning hand, and give you clues to apply the most suitable strategy in terms of holds and discards.

These variants of video poker are not created equally. That’s why they come with different pay tables. Therefore, it is understandable that you might come across some casinos and find out that two or more versions of the game do not share the same payout scheme. It is sometimes confusing at first. 

However, let us help you with the widely used one, so you can have a better look at how it affects gameplay.

Coins/Hands 1 coin 2 coins 3 coins 4 coins 5 coins
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1,000 4000
Four Deuces 200 400 600 800 1,000
Wild Royal Flush 25 50 75 100 125
Five of a Kind 15 30 45 60 75
Straight Flush 9 18 27 36 45
Four of a Kind 5 10 15 20 25
Full House 3 6 9 12 15
Flush 2 4 6 8 10
Straight 2 4 6 8 10
Three of a Kind 1 2 3 4 5

Let’s start to read this paytable. As you can see, you can make bets ranging from 1 coin to 5 coins. If you place 5 coins and get a Find of a Kind hand, follow the “Five of a Kind” row over to where it meets 5 coins. You will see the value of 75. 

This number figures out that you have won 75 coins for that hand. Keep in mind that it does include your bet, then the real profit that you can make from that hand is 70 coins (75 minus 5). To make these winning coins real cash, simply multiply the coins you gain with the denomination. 

Deuces Wild Basic Strategies

Deuces Wild strategy will no longer be a puzzle for newbies, as it is straightforward and easy to understand. These strategies can be applied in accordance with the situation which you are sticking to. This will help you maximize your chances of winning the game.

There are two general rules that you need to remember, regardless of which hand you are holding:

  1. Never discard a Deuce
  2. Never hold any single card unless it is a Deuce

The following information will give you a closer look at what to do with a specific hand.

  • Four to Royal Flush: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • Four of a Kind: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • Three of a Kind: Hold 3 cards, draw 2 cards
  • Four to a Straight Flush: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • Three to a Royal Flush: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • One pair: Hold 2 cards, draw 3 cards
  • Four to a Flush: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • Four to a Straight: Hold 4 cards, draw 1 card
  • Three to a Straight Flush: Hold 3 cards, draw 2 cards
  • Two to a Royal Flush: Hold 2 cards, draw 3 cards

Tips and Tricks to Beat Deuces Wild

We are sure that you feel confident now to head towards any online casino on the market. You have got the game rule, and strategies, haven’t you? However, this doesn’t mean that you can have the game solved completely. 

Let our tips and tricks give you a hand. Equipping yourself with some important tips can lead to increasing winning odds.

Play for Free

Playing Deuces Wild video poker for free is the best thing you can come up with to practice the game with no risk involved. It is absolutely possible. More and more online casinos offer this video poker variant in the demo version, so you can feel free to apply your strategy without spending a cent.

Keep the Strategy Charts on Hand

Deuces Wild strategy charts can be easy. However, it takes time to remember it. We highly recommend you print the strategy chart while playing the game, so you can make full use of it in a practical way. Any mistake will diminish your chance of winning. So, why lower your winning odds when you can refer to the chart at any time? Keep using it until you make sure that you will not make any mistake during your gaming session.

Start It Over

Getting a wild card always gives you a better hand. Therefore, don't be afraid to discard the whole hand that consists of no Deuces or seeds of something good. In this situation, the more cards you draw, the more chances you can get a Deuce.

Say Goodbye to Two Pair

A two-pair hand with no wild card will not do you a good favor. It does not pay off itself, either. The best way to make your hand a better one is to make it Full House. However, this is not very lucrative. Keep a single pair and hope for a wild card in the next round of dealing.

The Last Words

Deuces Wild lures millions of gamblers thanks to the wild cards. These deuces show the light of winning possibilities and bring a new breeze to those who are looking for a new challenge. If you are set to play this game, always take an eye on the paytable of the game before splashing any real money. No matter which purpose you approach the game, keep in mind the ultimate point of playing for real fun.

Published: 23 July 2021 04:50