Two Cards High

Introduction

I came across a new table game called Two Cards High at the Las Vegas Flamingo on April 15, 2007, but it has since been discontinued.

1. The game utilizes a unique 40-card deck, which consists of cards ranked from ace to ten, excluding face cards.
2. The game starts when the player places their wager.
3. Each participant, the player and the dealer, is dealt five cards face down.
4. The player organizes their cards into one hand of three cards and another hand of two cards.
5. Both the two-card and three-card hands are scored based on the specific rules of the game, where the hand's score is determined by the last digit of the total points. For instance, if the player’s cards add up to 20 with values 5, 6, and 9, the hand’s score would be 0. baccarat A pair in the two-card hand takes precedence over two unmatched cards, with tens being the highest pair and aces the lowest.
6. To avoid losing their bet, the three-card hand must total zero points.
7. Once the player has finalized their hand, the dealer will do the same, striving to maximize the value of the two-card hand while ensuring the three-card hand scores zero.
8. Should the dealer fail to create a three-card hand with zero points, the player wins at even odds.
9. If the dealer succeeds in forming a zero-point three-card hand, the player’s two-card hand will be evaluated against the dealer's.
10. A winning pair in the player’s hand will yield a payout of 3 to 2 for the bet.
11. If the player wins with a hand that is not a pair, the payout will be at even money.
12. In the event of a tie between the player and dealer, the player will still receive even money on their wager.
13. If the dealer has a superior hand, the player's bet will unfortunately be lost.
14. The table below illustrates the potential outcomes and associated returns, with the house edge indicated as 1.33% in the bottom right cell.

The key to success in this game lies in forming the strongest two-card hand while ensuring the three-card hand scores zero.

Strategies grounded in mathematics and insights for various casino games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette, alongside hundreds of others available for play.

Written by: Michael Shackleford