Pick A Suit

I've got a new table game to announce: Pick A Suit!

Descriptions, rules and pay tables - including the hit rate and edge - are on the website, along with links to PDFs with the same info.

Remember this?

That was my inspiration for my Pick A Card game. In short, you bet on any rank and are paid based on how many times that rank appears out of 3 cards. Plus two three card poker type side bets.

I'm finally ready to admit the problem with that game. FIFTEEN betting positions! (13 ranks and two side bets.)

I know what you're saying: Roulette has over 36 spots, plus all the splits, edges and corners, etc. So what's the big deal with 15? Roulette has only one result at a time. Much simpler. Pick A Card usually has three results.

After a lot of thought, and working with Excel, I've made it simpler. Instead of selecting a rank, players select a suit. Boom. Only 6 betting spots - 4 suits and the same two side bets.

And, to make it a little spicier, I added one fully wild joker.

The joker gave me some headaches with the math, which I discussed briefly here: WoV - Three Card Joker Poker

For what it's worth, I'm still not 100% convinced my math is right, but I'm certain that whatever it might be off is insignificant. I.E. I plugged my alternate, probably wrong number into the Excel document to recalculate the edge, and, when rounded to one decimal place, the edge didn't change.

If you have any comments about the math, please make them in that thread, and leave this thread for comments about the game itself. Thanks.

So, outside of a couple of my poker buddies, and PaiGowDan (who doesn't give much feedback these days), you're the first to know about this new game.

What do you think?

Quote: DJTeddyBear

I've got a new table game to announce: Pick A Suit!

I got a private message telling me that this link points to my Pick A Card game. 😳

Crap.

Yeah, it did. I fixed it. 👍

Quote: DJTeddyBear

What do you think?
link to original post

I think the 4 card Jackpot bet adds an unnatural level of complication. Maybe players will really go for it, and I'm just a curmudgeon. I am pretty sure dealers will hate it.

I'm still thinking through procedural issues with a spread and stylus vs a cut and deal (possibly with burns).


Overall, the game is just about simple enough to be understood inside 20 seconds. The Casino War table always seems to have players, maybe a few will check this out.

The only way you may get feedback from paigowdan is via a ouija board if you believe in those things
I am pretty sure he has passed away R
I.P

I've gotten a couple private messages with comments and critique. Not sure why the people thought that their content needed to be private. I welcome all comments, including critique, to be in the public forum so that others can read them and comment.

Anyway, I'll keep it anonymous, but relay what was said.


One comment regarding the 'non-standard equipment' nature of using a stylus. The stylus I suggested is nothing more than a typical round barrel pen that hotels give away by the thousands, with the ink barrel removed and a foam ear plug inserted. Many hotels also have ear plugs that they give away as well. If that's too much of a pain in the ass, just use an extra cut card instead. Or let the dealer cut the deck and use the top 4 cards. All options mentioned on the site. I'm not married to the actual procedure, but like the idea of a player selecting the cards used. On a side note, I think the Big 6 wheel would get a lot more action if players were allowed to spin it.


Another comment acknowledged that we can't pay when a single suit hits, and suggested a different pay table - without the joker. Any casino or game distributor that is interested will get my Excel document that has additional pay tables, and allows them to play with the numbers themselves. And if desired, there is a tab that has the game without jokers. (Maybe I'll add that to the website's math page...)

And call me crazy but I kinda like the fact that when a joker appears, every bet is a winner. OK, most only pay even money, but a win is a win. And with it appearing about 5% of the time, it's not too costly for the casino, while making a great semi-frequent everybody wins moment.


Dieter commented above that having the fourth card would be too complicated and dealers will hate it. I'm not sure why. It will only come in to play in about 1 in 84 hands. Therefore, most of the time it's just set aside, then added to the discard rack without even being shown. And when it does come into play, there's gonna be some excitement and anticipation as it is revealed.


Dieter also commented that the game is simple enough to be understood quickly. Thanks. That's what I go for in all my games.


Thanks for all the comments. Keep 'em coming!

Why should the players pick the cards to be used for the game? This is risky (game protection), it wastes time, and it invites stupid players to blame the one who got to choose the cards for picking bad cards. Let the dealer get the blame. Even if there are no stupid players or cheaters, it wastes time letting players pick cards with a stylus. Time is money.

This is not craps where people wouldn't play if the dealer threw the dice. Craps is completely different.

In every single card game, the dealer takes cards out of a deck or shoe after a manual shuffle or shuffling machine. It's hard enough to get casinos to go for a new game. It will be a hard NO if players get to choose the cards.

Besides that... instead of drawing a fourth card which is usually not used, just have the dealer draw three cards. If the three cards are a 3 of a kind or straight flush, then have the dealer draw a fourth card.

Quote: avianrandy

The only way you may get feedback from paigowdan is via a ouija board if you believe in those things
I am pretty sure he has passed away R.I.P.
link to original post

Yeah. 8 years this month.

I was coming to Vegas. Dan and I were gonna meet and talk about partnering up to market my Pick A Card game which he really liked. He was in the industry and living in the promised land. I'm not in the industry, and live in a casino desert - northern NJ. About 80 miles in 6 directions to get to the closest casino.

He'd be perfect for marketing.

Instead, I got a call from Mike. Knowing I was gonna be in town the following week, and that I'm a Reverend, he asked if I would and perform a memorial service for Dan at his house.

Thanks again for asking Mike. It was a true honor.

I still miss Dan, and I do kinda talk to him occasionally. Or at least ask myself, "What would Dan do...?"

Quote: KevinAA

Why should the players pick the cards to be used for the game? … link to original post

Because I like the idea. 🤪

But seriously, your points are valid. Thanks.

My main concern is the game concept itself. Procedures and pay tables are flexible.

1. The first thumbnail of the tabletop shows a wrong (larger) house edge for the Joker Bonus side bet than is indicated in your Math tab.

2. Your Betting & Rules writeup seems to spend all of its text on describing the sidebets and just says that the main bet is judged against a paytable. But any dealer will be asked by curious bettors "how does this game work?" and will need a brief oral speech that describes the main game. What should he say? Something like this?

"Each player wagers on one or more suits. Three cards are then dealt and player wins on any suit that appears as two or more cards in the three cards. Payouts are 3to1 or more as shown in the paytable. This is made easier because the deck has a joker, which is a wild card that counts as all suits. Also, if the joker appears and no other cards match the player's suit then the player still wins/ties"

3. I too would advise you to eliminate the 4th card and the progressive side-bet. Too complicated.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Dieter commented above that having the fourth card would be too complicated and dealers will hate it. I'm not sure why. It will only come in to play in about 1 in 84 hands. Therefore, most of the time it's just set aside, then added to the discard rack without even being shown. And when it does come into play, there's gonna be some excitement and anticipation as it is revealed.

link to original post

The concern there is that because it doesn't come up about 99% of the time, on the rare occasion it happens, the dealer will not recognize the special case and autopilot right past it. The floor will be called. The issue will not be resolved to the shot-taker's satisfaction. A formal dispute proceeding will ensue. Nobody really wants that.

Gordon -

Thanks for the input.

Per #1 - Fixed.

Per #2 - I'll work on it this weekend.

Per #3 - I agree that it's complicated, but too complicated? For the record, this is the same jackpot method as I proposed for Pick A Card - except I added the joker - and I don't recall any comments that it was complicated for that game.


Dieter -

Dealer error / auto-pilot? That never happens, does it? LOL

I gotta think that player reaction to the qualifying hand would prevent auto-piloting the 4th card into the muck.

But I'll mention it as a potential problem on the website and/or description pdf.


Thanks again gang.

Any more comments?

Quote: Dieter

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Dieter commented above that having the fourth card would be too complicated and dealers will hate it. I'm not sure why. It will only come in to play in about 1 in 84 hands. Therefore, most of the time it's just set aside, then added to the discard rack without even being shown. And when it does come into play, there's gonna be some excitement and anticipation as it is revealed.

link to original post

The concern there is that because it doesn't come up about 99% of the time, on the rare occasion it happens, the dealer will not recognize the special case and autopilot right past it. The floor will be called. The issue will not be resolved to the shot-taker's satisfaction. A formal dispute proceeding will ensue. Nobody really wants that.
link to original post

That's why I suggest the dealer not draw a 4th card unless it's needed. It won't get discarded by accident.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

On a side note, I think the Big 6 wheel would get a lot more action if players were allowed to spin it.

Yes, especially by advantage players. It's been done before, I was involved, and the casino was not too happy.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Dealer error / auto-pilot? That never happens, does it? LOL

I gotta think that player reaction to the qualifying hand would prevent auto-piloting the 4th card into the muck.
link to original post

Clearly, the highly skilled professional casino dealers in your neighborhood won't have any problems.
Your first trial placement may be at a break-in house.

If the dealer can ignore the players calling for a monkey to paint it up at volumes that would drown out a jetliner taking off, they may have the icy nerves to keep cool through that straight flush.

Hey I have an idea- deal it from a shoe!

I didn't realize paigowdan has been gone 8 years. I would have thought maybe 2 years. Time flies

In the post above where I tried to link to my reverend web site, I screwed up the link. I fixed it here in this quote.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

...Knowing I was gonna be in town the following week, and that I'm a Reverend, he asked if I would and perform a memorial service for Dan at his house.
link to original post

The mention of Dan's service got me thinking and rereading the memorial service I performed, which got me crying over the loss of my friend.

The service is discussed in the thread, Service For Dan, which included the full content of my sermon and eulogy.