Tens or Better: How to Play, Rules and Winning Strategies

What is Tens or Better?

Tens or Better emerged as a variation of video poker. It is just like the Jacks or Better casino game but has a lower winning threshold. Instead of a minimum pair of Jacks, you only need a pair of tens. This means that you have more chances of winning since the combination required is lower.

How to Play Tens or Better

Let’s walk through what you need to know to get started with this game:

1. Familiarizing the Layout

On the left, you will see the paytable which shows how much you get in every winning combination that you form. In the middle are the five faced-down cards that you are going to play. Here are the buttons that you can click on the game:

• Settings – Found on the top left corner of the game, you can toggle to turn on and off the sound effects and music. You can also adjust the game speed, change the color and design of the cards, and choose a language. You may also check the game rules and review the hand history of the games you previously played.
• Coins – This button adjusts the value of the paytable for up to 5x.
• Value – You choose your bet in this button between 100, 500, 1,000, or 5,000 per game.
• Lines – By default, you play one line per game. This button allows you to add more lines to play up to 25.
• Refresh – You can use this button after you add funds to your account. Your balance should update after clicking.

2. Playing the Game

To start playing the game, set the coins, value, and lines that you want to bet on. The minimum bet is 1 while the max is 10,000. Make sure you check the total bet per game at the bottom so you can manage your funds properly. Once you are ready, click the “DEAL” button to start flipping the cards. You win once you form any of the poker hands or a pair of tens or better.

9 Hands of Tens or Better

Familiarize yourself with the winning hands so you can enjoy the game better. Here are all the types of hands used in the game to win ranked from highest to lowest:

1. Royal Flush

A set of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of Diamonds forms a royal flush. This hand is the most difficult to land and also has the highest payout in the game. It is formed by five cards that are in the same suit starting with Ace, the three face cards and a 10.

2. Straight flush

A straight flush is achieved when five cards of the same suit are in a sequence but not a royal flush. An example would be a set of Queen, Jack, 10, 9, and 8 of Club.

3. Four of a kind

Four of a kind is formed when there are four cards of the same face value and different suits. The fifth card in this winning hand can be any card. An example would be a set of 10s in Club, Spade, Heart, and Diamond plus a 2 of Hearts.

4. Full House

A full house hand is composed of three cards of the same rank and a pair of cards of another rank. A set of 7s in Spade, Heart, and Club plus a pair of 2s in Diamond and Heart is an example of a full house. This is also commonly known as full boat or full hand.

5. Flush

You form a flush when all five cards belong to the same suit but not in a sequential order. A flush of cards can be a set of 8, 7, 5, 4, and 3 of Clubs.

6. Straight

An example of a straight is a set of Jack of Hearts, 10 and 9 of Diamonds, 8 of Spade, and 7 of Club. This poker hand is formed by having a sequence of the card values without regarding the suits.

7. Three of a kind

Three of a kind is composed of three cards in different suits with the same face values and two random cards. You can form this hand with a set of 7s of Club, Spade, and Diamond plus a Queen of Hearts and a 2 of Diamond.

8. Two pair

As long as you get two pairs of the same faces that is a two pair hand. For example, a set of Queen of Spade and Diamond, 9s of Heart and Diamond, and a Jack of Hearts.

9. Pair of Tens or Better

Getting a pair of tens or higher is the lowest hand that you need to win in this video poker game. A set of 10s of Heart and Spade and any three random cards make up a pair of tens. Suited high cards like the queens and kings can also make up a pair of tens or better.

The Paytable

Knowing the odds and payouts of tens or better video poker can help you plan your next bet. Check out the payout in every one credit bet on the game and your chances of winning:

11 Tips & Strategies in Tens or Better

1. All the strategies that are useful in Jacks or Better also apply to Tens or better. The initial way of thinking should be to get at least a pair of Tens or some hand ranked higher than Tens pair.
2. If you initially get dealt with tens or better, do not discard any card unless you have a better hand. The game automatically holds hand cards in your hand for the next bet but it is still up to you to decide before starting the game.
3. Unless you need only one card to complete a royal flush, you should not break a flush or a straight, as it will not always yield a better payout.
4. Keep a high pair unless you have four cards to a straight flush or a royal flush.
5. You should be inclined towards drawing four cards always when you have only one high card.
6. Draw three cards if you have a pair unless there is a possibility of a better hand
7. If you have three of a kind or three cards to a straight flush, draw two cards.
8. If you have four cards forming a royal flush, discard the fifth card even if you get a flush or a pair. Doing so will improve your chances of getting a better hand.
9. Do not break your hand if you reach a royal flush, a double pair, three of a kind, or four of a kind.
10. Always draw only one card if you have a hand like four of a kind, two pairs, or four cards to a straight or flush.
11. If you have four out of 5 cards for royal flushes, hold them as they are also useful in completing straights or flush hands.
12. Don’t discard low pairs if there’s no other option as it gives you a chance for a three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind.

Where to Play Tens or Better?

You can play Tens or Better video poker by Tangente here at Bspin. Feel free to try out the demo mode where you can play and test out your luck for free. Once you’re ready to bet, check out our promotions so you can get bonuses.