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Bob Dancer writes a video poker column for beginners to experts. He also writes a column with Jeffrey Compton, "Player's Edge", featuring information on promotions at various Las Vegas casinos. Player's Edge is published each Friday in the Neon section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Click here to send Bob Dancer an e-mail.

Oct. 21, 2003

The Tricky Hands in Pick'Em Poker

Pick'Em Poker is probably the easiest video poker game around. You combine that with it returning over 99.9%, you have a can't-miss game for the player.

Being the easiest, however, doesn't mean it is easy. Obviously players make enough mistakes so that casinos keep the game in stock. Today I want to discuss some of the trickier hands in this game.

As always in Pick'Em, you are forced to keep the two cards on the left. Your only choice is between the two cards on the right. And whichever card on the right you select, you'll receive two extra cards. So in a simple hand like 3s 8h / 4c / Kd, your choice is between drawing two cards to 3s 8h 4c or 3s 8h Kd. And since Pick'Em is a nines-or-higher game, obviously you want to pick the latter.

1. Ah 3s / 2c / 9d
2. 8c Tc / 9h / 3c
3. 7h 8s / Ts / 6d
4. 6c 7c / 8c / 9c
5. 2s 3s / 4s / As
6. 9d Td / Jd / 9h
7. 2c 9c / 2h / Kc
8. 7d 9d / 8s / 2d
9. 2d 4d / 6d / 4c
10. 9s Ts / As / 6s
In giving the answers, I'm using notation that is taught in my Pick'Em Poker classes and used in the Bob Dancer / Liam W. Daily Winner's Guide on Pick'Em Poker. Currently I am not teaching Pick'Em Poker in Las Vegas because the two Fiestas do not have the game. But they are expected to be getting some in 2004 and I'll be teaching it then. For those readers in Michigan, I'll be teaching the class on November 7 at the Turtle Creek Casino in Traverse City, MI.

1. Ah 3s / 9d --- Whenever you have a choice between a straight with two insides and an extra high card, choose the high card.

2. 8c Tc / 9h --- Usually you'll choose a flush over a straight. The only time you don't is when the straight has no insides and there's an extra high card with the straight than with the flush. That's the case here, so we go with the straight.

3. 7h 8s / Ts --- Here we have two straights with rank +0. (786 has no high cards and no insides and 78T has one high card and one inside). When two straights have the same rank, choose the one with the extra high card.

4. 6c 7c / 8c --- Here we have two straight flushes with rank +0. Whenever two straight flushes have the same rank, choose the one with fewer insides. Notice that in this particular case, 6c 7c 9c is actually a straight flush draw that can never become a straight flush because the 8c is out of the deck.

5. 2s 3s / 4s --- Both 234 and 23A have a rank of -1. 234 has exactly the same value as 235, because both of them can only be part of two straights and straight flushes --- namely 65432 and 5432A. All A-low combinations have two insides and one high card. So when we have two straight flushes with the same rank, we choose the one with fewer insides.

6. 9d Td / 9h --- High pairs are better than all straight flushes, and even A-high royal flushes.

7. 2c 9c / Kc --- The only time a flush is better than a low pair is when the flush has two high cards. Such is the case here.

8. 7d 9d / 2d --- Looking back at the explanation in rule 2, our straight here does not have an extra high card --- so we go with the flush.

9. 2d 4d / 4c --- The only time a low pair has more value than a straight flush is when the straight flush has two insides and no high cards.

10. 9s Ts / 6s --- ALL straight flush draws are superior to any 3-card flush in the same hand.

How did you do? If you missed ANY of these, you should consider studying some more before you go out to play.