The Pair

Introduction

The Pair began a Nevada field trial At the El Cortez on September 19, 2019, a unique game was introduced that can be challenging to summarize concisely. However, it's fair to say that it combines elements reminiscent of both roulette and Three Card Poker. The term 'la paire' translates to 'the pair' in French.

Rules

Below are the fundamental gameplay rules, focusing on the general mechanics without delving into specifics about each type of wager.

1. The game is played with a single deck consisting of 54 cards, which includes two jokers.
2. Once the betting phase concludes, the dealer will distribute the first card in a three-card hand.
3. The dealer will resolve wagers based on the 'First Card,' which is determined solely by the first card dealt.
4. The dealer will deal a second card.
5. Next, the dealer will determine the outcome of the '2nd Card' bets, which rely on the first two cards dealt.
6. The dealer will deal a third card.
7. The dealer will also finalize the wager for the single 3rd card, along with all outstanding bets.
8. For the Poker bet, jokers are considered wild, which is further explained in later sections.

Notes:
I find it somewhat unsettling that the wagers are labeled as 'First, 2nd, and 3rd.' Personally, I would prefer a uniform approach, either using 'First, Second, and Third' or '1st, 2nd, and 3rd.' Nevertheless, this terminology is directly taken from the official rules, which I aim to honor.

First Card Wagers

The betting area designated for First Card wagers includes all 13 ranks, along with the joker. There are a total of 14 betting options, with 12 ranging from 2 to king arranged across two rows. The betting area for the ace overlaps that for 2 and 8, while the joker's area overlaps those for 7 and king. Similar to roulette, players can place bets that span the edges of two, three, or four different betting sections. Below is an overview of the various First Card betting options:

• Joker Straight Up — This wager involves betting exclusively on the joker, yielding a payout of 25 to 1.
• Straight Up — This wager targets a specific rank, such as the queen, offering a payout of 12 to 1.
• Split — This bet involves two ranks, for instance, a jack and a queen, with a payout of 5 to 1.
• Joker-7-K — This particular bet encompasses the joker, 7, and king, paying out at 4 to 1.
• A-2-8 — This wager covers the ace, 2, and 8, offering a payout of 3 to 1.
• Corner — This involves betting on four ranks, like 5, 6, jack, and queen, with a payout of 2 to 1.

2nd Card Wagers

There are 14 options for 2nd Card wagers, each corresponding to a specific rank and the joker. To win, the first two cards dealt must create that selected pair. The two types of bets include:

• Rank — This wager predicts that the first two cards will make a designated pair, with winning pays at 225 to 1.
• Joker — This wager bets that both of the first two cards dealt will be jokers, with winnings paying at an impressive 1300 to 1.

3rd Card Wager

The single option for the 3rd Card wager is known as the Poker Hand. In regards to this bet, jokers are designated as wild cards. Below is the payout table for the Poker Hand bet, with winnings calculated on a 'to one' basis.

Other Wagers

The table also features three additional betting options that don’t align with the previous layouts, which are as follows:

• First Card Red — Pays 1 to 1.
• First Card Black — Pays 1 to 1.
• Any Pair — This wager pays out if the first two cards dealt result in a pair. Refer to the payout table for details.

Notes:
The expression 'ace to king' is likely intended to encompass all 13 ranks.

If the explanations above were somewhat ambiguous, which they might be, you may want to consult the rack card for clarification. Click any image for a larger view.

Analysis

The following table provides my analysis of First Card bets, with the return column indicating that the most favorable bets involve either the joker or a single rank, each boasting a house edge of 3.70%.

The subsequent table outlines my analysis of the 2nd Card bets, revealing that betting on a single rank is the more advantageous choice, with a house edge of 5.24%.

The next table presents my evaluation of the Poker Hand bet, which surprisingly indicates a very low house edge of just 1.11%.

The following table details my analysis of the Any Pair bet, showing a house edge of 3.77% in the lower right cell.

The last table outlines my examination of the First Card Red and First Card Black bets, revealing a house edge that remains consistent at 3.70%.

External Links

Discussion For a deeper discussion about La Pair"e, feel free to visit my forum at Wizard of Vegas.

Written by: Michael Shackleford