Understanding Aces and Faces Video Poker: How to Play, Hand Rankings, Strategy, and More
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Published: Sun Apr 20, 2025, 12:55 PM
Read Time: 14 minutes
Aces and Faces is a popular variant of video poker that puts extra emphasis on high-ranking cards. If you’re new to the world of video poker, this game offers an excellent entry point with straightforward gameplay and exciting opportunities to win.
Unlike traditional poker where you play against other players, video poker pits you against a machine with fixed payout rates, eliminating the psychological aspect of reading opponents. Aces and Faces specifically rewards hands containing aces and face cards (jacks, queens, and kings) with higher payouts than standard video poker games.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Aces and Faces video poker, from basic rules to optimal strategies. Whether you play at a physical casino or try your luck at one of the top U.S. online casinos, such as Red Stag Casino or Super Slots Casino, understanding the fundamentals of this game will significantly improve your chances of walking away a winner.
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What is Aces and Faces Video Poker?
Aces and Faces is a variation of Jacks or Better video poker, one of the most popular casino games worldwide. The game gets its name from the enhanced payouts it offers for four-of-a-kind hands consisting of aces or face cards (jacks, queens, and kings).
While the basic gameplay mirrors other video poker variants, these boosted rewards for high-card combinations give Aces and Faces its unique appeal.
The game maintains the familiar five-card draw poker format where players are initially dealt five cards and then have the opportunity to hold or discard any number of cards to improve their hand. The goal remains the same as in other video poker games: to create the best possible poker hand according to standard hand rankings.
Aces and Faces typically offers a theoretical return to player (RTP) of approximately 99.25% when played with optimal strategy. This high RTP makes it one of the more player-friendly casino games available, especially compared to online slots which often have RTPs in the 85-95% range.
Rules of Aces and Faces Video Poker
Learning how to play Aces and Faces is straightforward, especially if you’re already familiar with basic poker hand rankings. Here’s how a typical game unfolds:
- You start by placing your bet. Most games allow you to wager between one and five coins, with five coins typically being the optimal bet to qualify for the maximum royal flush payout.
- After placing your bet, you press the “Deal” button, and you receive five cards from a standard 52-card deck.
- You then decide which cards to keep (hold) and which to discard. This strategic decision should be based on the potential to form winning combinations according to the paytable.
- Once you have made your selections, you press the “Draw” or “Deal” button again, and the machine replaces your discarded cards with new ones from the remaining deck.
- The final hand determines your payout. If you have a winning combination, you will be paid according to the game’s paytable. If your hand does not match any winning combination, you lose your bet and start again.
The game’s mechanics are straightforward, but strategy comes into play when deciding which cards to hold. Unlike slot machines or RNG-based online casino games that feature purely random outcomes, video poker rewards skillful decision-making.
Unlike games in which all cards come from a single deck, each round in Aces and Faces features a different deck, which means that the results of previous rounds do not impact the rounds that follow. This independence between hands is important to understand for strategic play.
Aces and Faces Hand Rankings
In Aces and Faces, winning hands are ranked according to standard poker rules, from highest to lowest.
Here is how winning hands rank in Aces and Faces:
- Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit
- Straight Flush: Five sequential cards of the same suit
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank
- Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence
- Straight: Five sequential cards of mixed suits
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
- Two Pair: Two different pairs
- Jacks or Better: A pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces
Aces and Faces Paytable
What distinguishes Aces and Faces from other video poker variants is its paytable. Aces and Faces offers enhanced rewards for four of a kind hands containing aces or face cards.
Here is a typical paytable for a full-pay Aces and Faces game (based on a five-coin bet):
| Hand Ranking | Payout (Coins) | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4000 | 800x bet |
| Straight Flush | 250 | 50x bet |
| Four Aces | 400 | 80x bet |
| Four Faces (J, Q, K) | 200 | 40x bet |
| Four 2-10 | 125 | 25x bet |
| Full House | 40 | 8x bet |
| Flush | 30 | 6x bet |
| Straight | 20 | 4x bet |
| Three of a Kind | 15 | 3x bet |
| Two Pair | 10 | 2x bet |
| Jacks or Better | 5 | 1x bet |
Notice how a hand with four aces pays more than four face cards, which in turn pays more than four of any other card. This unique structure is why it is called “Aces and Faces.”
The paytable might vary slightly between land-based casinos and online casinos. Therefore, always check the specific paytable of the machine you’re playing.
Also, note that the royal flush payout jumps significantly when playing with maximum coins. While most payouts scale linearly with your bet, the royal flush typically pays 800 times your bet when playing with five coins instead of the expected 250 times. We recommend using a bet amount that fits your budget and comfort level, but this payout structure is why experienced players almost always play with the maximum bet allowed.
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Strategy for Playing Aces and Faces
Basic Strategy for Aces and Faces
Developing a solid strategy for Aces and Faces involves understanding which cards to hold and which to discard in any given situation. While complete strategy charts are available, here are some fundamental principles to guide your decisions:
Premium Hands: Keep What You Have
Always hold royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, and full house hands. This is because those are already strong winning combinations. With these premium hands, you do not need to draw additional cards.
Flush and Straight: Don’t Break a Winner
When dealt a flush or straight, keep the entire hand rather than breaking it up in hopes of achieving a higher-paying hand. The bird in hand principle applies here. A guaranteed win is better than a risky draw.
Three of a Kind: Draw for Improvement
When you have three of a kind, discard the other two cards for a chance at four of a kind or a full house. Since you already have a winning combination, this move does not incur any real risk.
Two Pair: One Card Away from a Full House
For two pair, hold both pairs and discard the fifth card. This gives you a chance to improve to a full house while still guaranteeing at least a two pair payout no matter what.
Jacks or Better: Build on Your Pair
With a single pair of jacks or better, hold only those two cards and discard the rest. This maximizes your chances of improving to three of a kind, two pair, or potentially better hands.
Almost Royal: Chase the Big Prize
When you have four cards to a royal flush, always draw to it. Do so even if this means breaking up a pair of jacks or better. The potential royal flush payout justifies this slightly risky play.
Near Straight Flush: Calculate Your Risk
If you have four cards to a straight flush, generally draw to it unless you already have a high pair (jacks or better). The potential straight flush payout is substantial enough to warrant the risk.
No Winning Hand: Play the Odds
With no winning hand, prioritize holding based on potential. Look for combinations that could form winning hands like four cards to a flush, four cards to a straight, or three cards to a flush. And if you have at least one face card, hold on to those cards.
Nothing Promising: Start Fresh
When faced with a completely unpromising hand, discarding all five cards and starting fresh is often the best strategy. Sometimes a complete redraw gives you the best odds of getting something worthwhile.
Focus on High Cards: The Game’s Unique Feature
Pay special attention to hands containing aces and face cards. These have enhanced value in this specific variant. For instance, drawing to four of a kind with aces offers a higher potential reward than with lower-ranked cards.
Advanced Strategy Tips
Once you have mastered the basics of Aces and Faces strategy, consider these more advanced strategic concepts to optimize your play:
Master Strategy Charts
Study and memorize strategy charts specifically designed for Aces and Faces. These charts outline the mathematically optimal play for every possible starting hand, taking into account the specific paytable structure of this variant.
Recognize Close Calls
Learn to recognize “close call” decisions where multiple holding options have similar expected values. In Aces and Faces, these decisions often involve choosing between drawing to high card combinations versus keeping a sure win.
Analyze the Paytable
Pay attention to the specific paytable of the game that you are playing. Small variations in payouts can shift optimal strategy. For example, if four aces pays exceptionally well on a particular game, you might take more risks to achieve that hand.
Understand Variance
Consider the concept of variance in your play. Aces and Faces has higher variance than some other video poker variants due to enhanced payouts for certain four of a kind hands. This means you might experience bigger swings in your bankroll.
Manage Your Bankroll
Practice disciplined bankroll management. Set loss limits and stick to them. Avoid chasing losses with larger bets. A typical guideline is to have at least 100 times your bet amount as your starting bankroll. So, if your bet amount is $1.00, your starting bankroll should be at least $1000.
Calculate Expected Value
Use the concept of expected value to guide difficult decisions. This involves calculating the average return for each possible play based on all potential outcomes and their probabilities. While complex to calculate mentally, understanding this concept helps develop intuition for optimal play.
Play at a Comfortable Pace
Consider playing at a slower pace to reduce hourly losses and extend playing time. Video poker is not a race, and taking time to carefully consider each decision improves your overall results.
Leverage Online Bonuses
If you are playing Aces and Faces online, take advantage of online casino bonuses and promos and VIP and loyalty programs when available. These can add significant value to your play over time, effectively increasing your return to player percentage.
Practice with Free Games
Also, if you are playing online, look for online casinos that offer practice or free-play modes. For example, DuckyLuck Casino and Red Stag Casino both offer demo versions of Aces and Faces that can be played even if you do not have an account. These practice games allow you to refine your strategy without risking real money.
Shop for Better Paytables
Additionally, many online casinos offer better paytables than physical casinos. So, shop around much like you would line shop when betting on sports.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced players sometimes fall into these common traps when playing Aces and Faces:
If you have the budget and comfort level to bet maximum coins, do so. The boosted royal flush payout when betting five coins significantly improves your overall return. If the maximum bet is too high for your comfort, find a machine with lower denominations.
Breaking a winning hand unnecessarily costs players dearly. For example, breaking up a paying pair of jacks to draw to a straight or flush is usually mathematically incorrect.
Failing to recognize the increased value of aces and face cards in this specific variant leads to suboptimal decisions. Always remember that four aces or four face cards pay substantially more than other four of a kind combinations.
Playing too quickly without properly analyzing each hand often results in mistakes. Video poker requires thoughtful decision-making with each hand, unlike slots where you simply press a button repeatedly.
Chasing royal flushes too aggressively can deplete your bankroll. While the royal flush offers the highest payout, it remains a rare hand that occurs approximately once every 40,000 hands on average. Given how unlikely it is, do not throw away guaranteed wins if you have them.
Ignoring the specific paytable of the game you are playing can be costly. Always check the payouts before you start playing, as not all Aces and Faces games offer the same rewards structure.
Playing while tired, distracted, or under the influence almost inevitably leads to strategic errors, as it does with any other form of gambling. Video poker rewards focus and clear thinking, so play only when you have a clear head.
Believing in “hot” or “cold” machines or games reflects a misunderstanding of how video poker works. Each hand is independent, and the game has no memory of previous outcomes.
Conclusion
Aces and Faces video poker offers an engaging blend of luck and skill that rewards strategic thinking and patience. Unlike many casino games where the house edge is insurmountable, this variant gives knowledgeable players a fighting chance with its high return to player percentage when played optimally.
The game’s unique emphasis on aces and face cards adds an interesting dimension to standard video poker strategy, making it both challenging and rewarding to master. As you develop your skills, you’ll find that what initially seemed like a game of chance transforms into one where your decisions significantly impact outcomes.
Becoming proficient at Aces and Faces takes time and practice. Start with the basic principles outlined in this guide, gradually incorporating more advanced concepts as you gain experience. Approaching the game with a solid understanding of its mechanics and strategy will enhance your overall experience and potentially your success as well.
With patience, discipline, and strategic play, Aces and Faces can be a very player-friendly option if you enjoy video poker and other RNG-based games.
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Aces and Faces FAQ
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