Pick 'em Poker, also known as Pick a Pair Poker, is a simplified version of video poker, in which the player has only two choices, as opposed to 25=32 as in regular video poker. The game is usually found on Bally Game Maker machines under the name Pick 'em Poker, but Action Gaming/IGT also has stand alone games under the name Pick a Pair Poker. It can also be found at Internet casinos using Playtech software.
Rules
Following are the complete rules for Pick 'em Poker.
The game is played with a single 52-card deck
The player makes a bet
The player is given two cards, we'll call them A and B.
Two additional card are dealt, we'll call them C and D.
The player must choose which card, C or D, to add to cards A and B.
Two more cards are dealt from the remaining 48 in the deck to complete a 5 card stud hand, and the player is paid according to the poker value of this hand.
The actual game will show two cards face down under cards C and D, which the player is predestined to get. However mathematically it doesn't matter compared to dealing two random cards off the top of the remaining deck.
Strategy
The following strategy is based on the "Full Pay" pay table, which returns 99.95% under optimal strategy. To use the strategy look up both possible hands and play the higher hand on the list. For example suppose the player's fixed cards were 4♣ 6♣, and he has the choice of 8♣ or 4. The two hands the player must choose from are 3 to a straight flush, with two gaps, and zero high cards; or a low pair. We see the former has an expected value of 1.0949, and the latter of 1.1418. Thus choosing the 4, for the low pair, is the better play.
Pick 'em Poker - Full Pay Strategy
EV
Hand
10.5869
Three of a Kind
3.1729
Q,J,10 suited
2.8271
3 to a royal, king high
2.6312
High Pair, 99-AA
2.4362
3 to a royal, ace high
2.0027
3 to a straight flush, no gaps, 5 to J high
1.5372
3 to a straight flush, 1 gap, 5 to Q high or 234 suited
1.3936
3 to a straight flush, 2 gaps, 2 or 3 high cards
1.359
3 to a flush with 3 high cards
1.2287
3 to a straight, 0 gaps, 3 high cards
1.1968
3 to a straight flush, 2 gaps, 1 high card
1.1622
3 to a flush with 2 high cards
1.1418
Low Pair, 22-88
1.0949
3 to a straight flush, 2 gaps, 0 high cards
1.039
3 to a straight, 1 gap, 3 high cards
0.9929
3 to a straight, 0 gaps, 2 high cards
0.9654
3 to a flush with 1 high card
0.922
3 to a straight, 2 gaps, 3 high cards
0.8759
3 to a straight, 1 gap, 2 high cards
0.8404
3 to a straight, 0 gaps, 1 high card
0.7686
3 to a flush with 0 high cards
0.766
3 high cards
0.7199
3 to a straight, 2 gaps, 2 high cards
0.6791
3 to a straight, 1 gap, 1 high card
0.5993
3 to a straight, 0 gaps, 5 to 8 high
0.5691
2 high cards
0.523
3 to a straight, 2 gaps, 1 high card
0.4823
3 to a straight, 1 gap, 0 high cards
0.3723
1 high card
0.3262
3 to a straight, 2 gaps, 0 high cards
0.1755
trash
Here is the same strategy using standard video poker abreviations for more experienced players.
Pick 'em Poker - Full Pay Strategy
EV
Hand
10.5869
Three of a Kind
3.1729
QJTs
2.8271
KQJs, KQTs, KJTs
2.6312
High Pair, 99-AA
2.4362
Royal, Ace Hi
2.0027
STFL, Open, 345s-9TJs
1.5372
STFL, 1 Gap, 235s-9TQs, +234s
1.3936
STFL, 2 Gaps, 2 or 3 Hi Cards
1.3590
FL, 3 Hi Cards
1.2287
ST, Open, 3 Hi Cards
1.1968
STFL, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi Card
1.1622
FL, 2 Hi Cards
1.1418
Low Pair, 22-88
1.0949
STFL, 2 Gaps, 0 Hi Cards
1.0390
ST, 1 Gap, 3 Hi Cards
0.9929
ST, Open, 2 Hi Cards
0.9654
FL, 1 Hi Card
0.9220
ST, 2 Gaps, 3 Hi Cards
0.8759
ST, 1 Gap, 2 Hi Cards
0.8404
ST, Open, 1 Hi Card
0.7686
FL, 0 Hi Cards
0.7660
3 Hi Cards
0.7199
ST, 2 Gaps, 2 Hi Cards
0.6791
ST, 1 Gap, 1 Hi Card
0.5993
ST, Open, 0 Hi Cards
0.5691
2 Hi Cards
0.5230
ST, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi Card
0.4823
ST, 1 Gap, 0 Hi Cards
0.3723
1 Hi Card
0.3262
ST, 2 Gaps, 0 Hi Cards
0.1755
0 Hi Cards
Strategy created by Video Poker Strategy Master by TomSki. Thanks Tom for your permission to publish the above table.
Return Tables
The following tables show how the return is composed for various Pay Tables. All pay tables are per coin based on max coins played. The reason a straight flush often pays 239.8, is that with five coins bet at the $1 coinage this would pay $1199. At $1200 a W2G form would be necessitated.
"Full Pay" Pick 'em Poker
Hand
Pays
Combinations
Probability
Return
Royal Flush
1200
5208
0.000003
0.003411
Straight Flush
239.8
47652
0.000026
0.006237
Four of a kind
120
776112
0.000424
0.05083
Full House
18
4317408
0.002356
0.042414
Flush
15
5842860
0.003189
0.047833
Straight
11
9281412
0.005066
0.055721
Three of a kind
5
54994848
0.030015
0.150073
Two pair
3
113761152
0.062088
0.186263
Nines of better
2
418444104
0.228375
0.45675
Nonpaying hand
0
1224796044
0.668459
0
Total
1832266800
1
0.999531
Pick 'em Poker
Hand
Pays
Combinations
Probability
Return
Royal Flush
2000
5640
0.000003
0.006156
Straight Flush
239.8
47652
0.000026
0.006237
Four of a kind
120
775680
0.000423
0.050801
Full House
18
4313520
0.002354
0.042376
Flush
15
5861868
0.003199
0.047989
Straight
10
9287892
0.005069
0.050691
Three of a kind
5
54960720
0.029996
0.14998
Two pair
3
113687280
0.062047
0.186142
Nines of better
2
418227240
0.228257
0.456513
Nonpaying hand
0
1225099308
0.668625
0
Total
1832266800
1
0.996885
Pick 'em Poker — 99.45%
Hand
Pays
Combinations
Probability
Return
Royal Flush
1200
434
0.000003
0.003411
Straight Flush
239.8
3,971
0.000026
0.006237
Four of a kind
120
64,676
0.000424
0.050830
Full House
18
359,784
0.002356
0.042414
Flush
15
486,905
0.003189
0.047833
Straight
10
773,451
0.005066
0.050655
Three of a kind
5
4,582,904
0.030015
0.150073
Two pair
3
9,480,096
0.062088
0.186263
Nines of better
2
34,870,342
0.228375
0.456750
Nonpaying hand
0
102,066,337
0.668459
0.000000
Total
152,688,900
1.000000
0.994466
The following pay table can be found at Internet casinos using Playtech software.
Gambling Guide
. The two hands the player must choose from are 3 to a straight flush, with two gaps, and zero high cards; or a low pair. We see the former has an expected value of 1.0949, and the latter of 1.1418. Thus choosing the 4
