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Video Poker is one of the most exciting new casino games that combines the huge payouts of slot machines with the skill of draw poker. The rules of online video poker are the same as casino video poker - to make the best possible poker hand. Typically, the poker game is Five-Card Draw. In this variation of poker, the player is dealt five cards and is able to keep or discard one or more of the original cards dealt in order to be dealt new cards that will improve her hand. All video poker machines have listed on them what is called their payout schedule. This tells the player how much he will be paid for each poker hand based on how many coins were inserted.

Almost all poker games use a regular deck of 52 cards, comprised of four suits (clubs, diamonds, heart and spades) that each have 13 cards ranking as follows from highest to lowest: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. (Note that the poker rules for most games stipulate that the ace can also be counted as the lowest card).

When you are dealt replacement cards for your discards, your new hand is evaluated. Based on what kind of hand you're holding, you'll receive a certain number of points. Hands are listed below, from best (highest scoring), to worst (no score):

ROYAL STRAIGHT FLUSH (ROYAL FLUSH)
The highest five denomination, all in the same suit:


STRAIGHT FLUSH
Five cards in denomination sequence, all in the same suit:


FOUR OF A KIND
Four cards of the same denomination:


FULL HOUSE
Three cards of one denomination and two of another denomination:


FLUSH
All five cards in the same suit:


STRAIGHT
Five cards in denomination sequence:


THREE OF A KIND
Three cards of the same denomination:


TWO PAIR
Two cards of the denomination and two cards of another denomination:


ONE PAIR
Two cards of the same denomination: 


HIGH CARD
The card of the highest denomination. 
Ace is the highest and Deuce is the lowest. Tiebreakers 
go to the next highest card.

Note:
In video poker, Straights Flushes do not have to appear
on the screen in sequence order.
Each hand of a poker game is, in essence, a self-contained game in which someone will be awarded the pot. The dealer who deals the cards according to the specific poker rules for that game initiates a new hand. Each player in turn, proceeding clock-wise from the dealer, may either bet or check (also known as a pass). If a player makes an opening bet, the next player clockwise has three choices: fold, call or raise (Players can no longer check once a bet has been made).

A fold means that the player does not want to spend more money to vie for the pot; therefore, he discards his cards and is no longer a part of the hand. A call means that the player stands in the hand by betting an amount equal to the current bet. A raise means that the player increases the current bet. A reraise is a raise of a previous raise. Betting ends when all who wish to call the highest bet have done so or when all but one player has dropped out. The poker rules for the specific game may limit the number of raises allowed. However if only two players are in the pot they can keep raising each other indefinitely.

The sequence of dealing cars and having a round of betting continues according to the poker rules of the specific game. At the end of the last betting round, all players who are left in the hand have a showdown in which the player with the best hand is awarded the pot. It is the obligation of the player who made the last bet or raise (not call) to show her hand first in the showdown.

The other remaining players then show their hands in a clockwise fashion. However, the other players do not have to show their hands; if they know they are beaten, they can just concede the pot. Remember that not all hands will reach the showdown stage; very often, a player will win the pot because all other players have folded their cards. These are some basic poker rules that should help you in your game of online poker.
courtesy of video-poker-guide.info - more about strategies

VIDEO POKER GLOSSARY
    * Boat - Another name for a full house.
    * Catching Cards - Getting favorable cards.
    * Cowboys - Kings.
    * Fishhooks - Jacks.
    * Flush - Five cards of the same suit.
    * Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank.
    * Full House - A hand consisting of three cards of 
	  one rank and two cards of another rank.
    * Joker - (Also, Wild Card) A card that can be labelled 
	  whatever suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
    * Ladies - Queens.
    * Max Bet - The maximum amount of coins that you can play 
	  per spin. It is of the most importance when playing 
	  progressive slots because usually the max bet must be 
	  played to qualify for the big jackpot.
    * Progressive Jackpot - The big jackpot that grows progressively 
	  as people play. For each spin/hand played the machine adds
	  a small credit to the running jackpot total. Sometimes 
	  several machines are linked up together to form a combined 
	  large jackpot, and also several casinos may join together
	  to form an inter-casino progressive jackpot that can generate
	   very large sums.
    * Quads - Four of a kind.
    * Rainbow - Three or four cards of different suits.
    * Royal Straight Flush - An ace high straight flush.
	  Also called a Royal Flush, or simply a Royal.
    * Straight - Five cards of consecutive ranks or in sequence.
    * Straight Flush - A hand consisting of five cards of consecutive 
	  ranks and of the same suit.
    * Suit - Any one of the four types of cards: clubs, diamonds, hearts 
	  or spades.
    * Trips - Three of a kind. 
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