Dakota Duel Draw

Introduction

Dakota Duel Draw is an intriguing poker variation where players have two opportunities to secure a win. Currently, as of February 1, 2023, this game can be enjoyed at the Lodge casino located in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Rules

1. This poker game utilizes a standard 52-card deck, and all hands are evaluated using the traditional rules of poker.
2. The game begins with the player placing an Ante bet and/or a Big 8 wager.
3. The dealer will deal each contestant two private cards along with two groups of three community cards, referred to as the flop. All community cards will be dealt face down.
4. After assessing their own cards, the player then has to decide whether to make a Play bet that matches their Ante bet or to forfeit their hand.
5. The dealer will reveal the three community cards to the players.
6. From the player's two hole cards, two unique poker hands will be constructed. The first hand combines the player’s hole cards with the first set of community cards. The second hand uses the player’s hole cards along with the second set of community cards.
7. The bet placed on the first hand corresponds to the Play bet, while the second hand wager is based on the Ante.
8. Both hands will be rewarded according to the payout table specified below.
9. If the player’s two hole cards create a pair of nines or better, they will receive a bonus of eight times their Ante wager.
10. The Big 8 wager pays out based on the best five-card hand that can be formed using all eight cards, which include both flops and the player’s community cards. Notably, even if the player chooses to fold their Ante bet, they still have chances linked to the Big 8. The payout structure for the Big 8 is illustrated below.

The subsequent table outlines the payout structure for both the Ante and Play bets, with winnings being on a \"to one\" basis.

Another table delineates the payout structure for the Big 8 bet, also using a \"to one\" basis for winnings.

Strategy

According to a mathematical report shared by GLI, which I received from the creator and proprietor of the game, players should consider raising if at least one of the following conditions is true for their hole cards.

• At least one card is a 9 or higher.
• The cards form a pair.
• The cards must be suited, except in cases involving pairs of 2-7, 2-8, or 3-8.

Analysis

If players follow the aforementioned strategy, the house edge on the Ante wager is estimated to be 3.02%. Players are likely to make the Play wager 80.1% of the time, leading to an average total bet of 1.801 units. This results in the Element of Risk—measured as the ratio of expected player loss to total amount wagered—being calculated at 0.0302/1.801, which equates to 1.68%.

The table that follows presents my evaluation of the Big 8 bet, highlighting a house edge of 1.87% in the lower right cell.

External Links

Dakota Duel Draw — Official web site for the game.

Written by: Michael Shackleford