Useful Tips for Getting Your First Win
It boils down to how you use the ressources the game gives you, and how you minimize the need for favorable RNG.
For example in ante 1 for a typical deck : if you go for a full house, discarding to get the 5th card is going to require more luck than if you do the same for a flush/straight. The more you progress the more possibilities open up depending on what you come across of course.
Some jokers are really good almost everytime. Some will get you out of ante 2 safely while you look for better options. Some are to be avoided most of the time. Some will be slightly better than what you already have, and might be worth picking up. Some are good but show up at the wrong time etc…
Keep in mind how “ahead” you are in terms how score (how easily/by how much you beat current blinds), so you can buy stuff (or save) accordingly. Do not be afraid to switch course if the situation calls for it. Also don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit (games are short and experience is valuable).
Try to buy ONE joker before the first boss or right after it (unless you see something crazy of course), and save the rest of your money so you can build some interest before you need to buy more. Sitting close to 25 makes your run much easier compared to struggling between 0 and 5 every shop, and will open much more options.
The voucher that gives +1 hand is very strong, don’t sleep on it if you can afford it.
When money is good, don’t be afraid to buy tarot packs just to see if there’s not even more money waiting for you. Rerolling is a good idea if you have money to spare and have a joker that is not that useful to you atm, but don’t do it too much, and certainly not too early in the run. In the worst case though, better burn all your money hoping for a good power up than proceed to your certain defeat with $30 unused.
In the beginning I was losing all my runs, trying to “force” a build, looking for the flush, looking for best hand (full house, straights, flushes, ..) Then I switched it around and I try to build my strategy around the cards I’m dealt and finding consistent more wins, three in a row now. I won with “pair” and “two pair” hands. Used deck was green deck and then switched to abandoned deck as soon as that was unlocked. Abandoned deck is amazing for straights and two pairs. Try looking for scaling jokers like Supernova, green joker, card sharp together with a good boost in base chips (banner is my favorite). The ultimate jokers line up is where you have a strong base chip builder + mult scaler (looking at you supernova) x mult scaler ( card sharp) , you can stack up really hard. Some legendary jokers are really funky. Telescope voucher is handy for planet building on your most played hand, which gives a nice base increase on your hand value.
Oh sometimes, you don’t get dealt any good jokers, better to abandon the run after ante 4-5 if the build is going nowhere, as you won’t survive 7-8.