Any sense to this video poker logic?

Factual Questions
1

I have a video poker “tutor” for my PDA. It makes suggestions in case you miss a flush or straight opportunity, as well as preferring pairs to “jacks or better” cards.

My question is: why would this program always tell one to select the lowest two “jacks or better” cards, and always leave out the ace? The situations that it suggests omitting the ace are always ones in which suit is irrelevant.

For instance, the cards come up 2 of diamonds, 3 of spades, king of diamonds, queen of hearts, and ace of spades. In this situation, it will always say “Keep the lowest 2 high cards.” meaning the king and queen.

Are Vegas machines geared to provide fewer aces than other cards? Is there an advantage to always choosing this option? I’ve won several big hands on this game by ignoring it’s advice, I’m just wondering if I should ignore the advice that shuns aces or not.

2

If you hold the KQ, you have one more straight opportunity than if you hold the AK or AKQ. If you hold the AK you must hit exactly QJT. If you hold AKQ you must hit exactly JT. If you hold the KQ you can hit AJT or JT9. I don’t know enough about odds or how video poker machines are programmed to know whether the three outs to making a “jacks or better” pair you gain by holding the A are balanced out by the additional straight opportunity.

3

Otto got it.

Your payout is the same whether your one pair is jacks or aces. With the jacks, you are more likely to hit the straight.

Haj