Microgaming video poker strategy guide. Video Poker rules and tips. Play video poker online and win!

Microgaming is one of the most prolific online gaming software developers out there. They've been in the business for longer than most, and they maintain high innovation standards – they're always releasing new things. Among their offerings are some of the best video poker games on the market today, and you'll find them at most of the best online casinos.

Microgaming video poker remains extremely popular because it creates an environment where you can enjoy traditional poker without the stress of having to sit at the felt with a bunch of intimidating sharks trying to psych you out. This article aims to give you some tips on video poker strategy that will help you master this entertaining and rewarding casino game.

In the game of video poker there are two rounds of dealing. You are initially dealt five cards, face up. You hold the cards you like the look of, and discard the rest, at which point the game replaces your discarded cards with new ones, making up your final hand.

Therefore, the most important skill you can possibly have when playing video poker is the ability to see potential. Video poker pays out on nearly all of the traditional poker hands, the pay table for which is usually prominently displayed on the right-hand side of the screen. You need to learn and memorise the winning combinations.

The ability to see potential is essential because you must be able to recognise when you are holding the makings of one of the more powerful hands. It won't help you in the second round to receive the cards that would have completed a flush if you threw away the wrong cards in the previous round while chasing a lesser hand.

You should always be aware of the more powerful hands even though they don't come up as often, and play towards them. The payout odds attached to such hands will more than make up for the minor losses you might have incurred on your way to winning them.

That said, it's also common sense never to break up a hand that already wins in the first round simply because you think you might be onto something bigger in the second. Take your prizes as you see them.

If the first round gets dealt, and you can see absolutely nothing of value in it, there are a couple of tips to observe to help you potentially make off like a bandit in the second round.

First, hang onto any high cards that are suited. It may not be obvious, but these could turn into a flush, or get paired up in the second round.

For that matter, if you can truly see no winning pattern, then hold all suited cards (even if there's only two of them) and discard the rest. This is how straights and flushes are made.

If nothing is suited, then hang onto any sequence you can see, such as 10-Jack-Queen or 5-6-7. And in the unlikely event that you don't even have that, then hang onto the highest value cards in the hand.

This places you in a much better position to win in the second round than if you randomly hold low value cards.