Pyramid Poker

Introduction

Welcome to the captivating world of Pyramid Poker, a strategic and engaging card game that blends elements of poker with a unique pyramid-shaped playing board. Players aim to strategically build hands by selecting cards from the pyramid structure, creating exciting opportunities for skillful play and clever tactics. With its blend of luck and strategy, Pyramid Poker offers an immersive gaming experience that challenges players to think critically and outmaneuver their opponents. Get ready to embark on an exciting journey of card manipulation and strategic thinking in this intriguing twist on traditional poker games.

Rules:

  1. Deck: Pyramid Poker is played with a standard 52-card deck, with all cards ranked as in poker, where aces are always high.
  2. Dealing: After bets are placed, each player and the dealer receive three cards face down.
  3. Hand Arrangement: Players must arrange their three cards into a 2-card and a 1-card hand, ensuring that the 1-card hand is of lesser value than the 2-card hand. Pairs in the 2-card hand take precedence over singletons.
  4. Scoring: Hands are scored based on standard poker values, with pairs ranking higher than singletons. No straights or flushes are considered.
  5. Comparison: The player’s 1-card hand is compared to the dealer’s 1-card hand, and the player’s 2-card hand is compared to the dealer’s 2-card hand. The highest hands win, with all ties going to the dealer.
  6. Outcome: If the player wins both comparisons, they receive a payout of 1 to 1. If the player wins one comparison and loses the other, their bet is a push. If the dealer wins both comparisons, the player loses their bet.

House Way:

  1. If dealt three singletons, place the middle card in the 1-card hand.
  2. For pairs of 2’s to 8’s, always place the pair in the 2-card hand.
  3. If holding a pair of 9’s, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is 6 or higher; otherwise, place a 9 in the 1-card hand.
  4. For pairs of 10’s, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is 7 or higher; otherwise, place a 10 in the 1-card hand.
  5. With pairs of jacks, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is 8 or higher; otherwise, place a jack in the 1-card hand.
  6. For pairs of queens, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is 9 or higher; otherwise, place a queen in the 1-card hand.
  7. If holding a pair of kings, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is 10 or higher; otherwise, place a king in the 1-card hand.
  8. With pairs of aces, place the pair in the 2-card hand if the singleton is a jack or higher; otherwise, place an ace in the 1-card hand.

Optimal Strategy:

  1. When dealt three singletons, place the middle card in the 1-card hand, unless the lowest card satisfies any of the following conditions:
    • If the three cards are 2, 3, and any card 5 or greater.
    • If the three cards are 2, 4, and any card queen or greater.
  2. With a pair and a singleton, typically place the pair in the 2-card hand, unless the combination meets any of the following criteria:
    • If the singleton is 2 to 4 and the pair is jacks or higher.
    • If the singleton is 5 to 7 and the pair is queens or higher.
    • If the singleton is 8 or 9 and the pair is kings or higher.
    • If the singleton is 10 or jack and the pair is aces.