Pick'em Poker

23 September 2023

By Jerry Stickman

Almost all video poker games deal a hand of five cards. They then allow players to choose which of those five cards, if any, they want to hold.

Pick’em Poker, also called Pick-a-Pair poker, is dramatically different. It is a combination of stud poker and draw poker. The player is dealt two cards that he must play – like stud poker. He is also dealt two piles of three cards each and must choose one of them to keep – like draw poker.

Pick’em / Pick-a-Pair Poker is not that popular. Only a few select casinos even carry the game. This could be because it is so different from normal video poker that players shy away from it.

The advantages of Pick‘em Poker include high return, simple playing strategy and a low variance. The return for the full pay version is 99.95%, among the best available. Play is simple because the player is only concerned about three cards – the two that are dealt and must be kept and the top card of the two piles to choose from.

One major disadvantage is the relative lack of royal flushes. On average there is only one in about 350,000 hands. Standard video poker produces one in roughly 40,000 to 45,000 hands.

Play is simpler than the standard draw or wild card games because the only choice is saving pile one or pile two. There is no need to consider saving two, three, or four cards like draw or wild card games.

There is one interesting change from standard video poker. When a pile is selected, it is immediate. It cannot be changed, so be careful.

Here is a summarized playing strategy chart. To use this chart, compare the two “must save” cards and each of the cards on top of the two piles. Start at the top of the chart. If a line matches, save that pile. Continue checking line by line until there is a match. If no match is found, pick either pile – it makes no difference in expected value of the hand.

Pick ‘em Poker Strategy Chart

• Three of a Kind
• Three of a Royal Flush – No Ace
• High Pair (9’s or Better)
• Three of a Royal Flush with an Ace
• Any Three of a Straight Flush Except Two Gaps With 1 or 0 High Cards
• Three of a Flush All High Cards
• Three of an Open Straight (9TJ or TJQ)
• Three of a Straight Flush Two Gaps With 1 High Card
• Three of a Flush – Two High Cards
• Low Pair – (22 through 88)
• Three of a Straight Flush Two Gaps With No High Cards
• Three of an Inside Straight – Three High Cards
• Three of an Open Straight – Two High Cards (89T)
• Three of a Flush – One High Card
• Three of an Inside Straight – Two Gaps – Three High Cards
• Three of an Inside Straight – One Gap – Two High Cards
• Three of an Open Straight – One High Card (789)
• Three of a Flush – No High Cards
• Three High Cards
• Three of an Inside Straight – Two Gaps – Two High Cards
• Three of an Inside Straight – One Gap – One High Card (679, 689, 78T)
• Three of an Open Straight – No High Cards (345 through 678)
• Two High Cards
• Three of an Inside Straight – Two Gaps – One High Card
• Three of an Inside Straight – One Gap – No High Cards
• One High Card
• Three of an Inside Straight – Two Gaps – No High Cards
• Pick Any Pile

Example strategy plays:

Example One: The 7 and 8 of spades are the two must play cards. The two piles of three have the 9 of diamonds and the jack of spades. Picking the pile with the 9 of diamonds, produces a three card open straight. Picking the pile with the jack of spades produces a three card inside straight flush with two gaps and one high card. Since this is higher in the table than the open straight, pick the pile with jack of spades.

Example Two: The 8 and 10 of hearts are dealt. The two piles have the 9 of spades and the jack of hearts. The pile with the 9 of spades gives an open straight with two high cards. The pile with the jack of hearts produces an inside straight flush with one gap and two high cards. This falls within the range of “Any Three card Straight Flush Except Two Gaps With 1 or 0 High Cards” and is higher in the chart so picking the pile with the jack of hearts is the proper play.

That is all there is to it. The next time a casino offers Pick‘em / Pick-a-Pair Poker, consider giving it a go. The return can be excellent, play is easy, the strategy is simple and the variance is low. All the ingredients needed for a winning session.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”


Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com