Pocket Pair Goal
The goal of Pocket Pair is simple: make a pair. If you get a pair: you win! If the dealer gets a pair: you win! And if your first two cards are a pair: you win double! But watch out, if you or the dealer gets a single ace then you lose. If there are no pairs and no aces, then whoever has the highest card wins!

What Is A Pocket Pair?
Your first two cards are your pocket cards. And if your first two cards are a pair then you just got Pocket Pair! Normally a pair of cards will instantly pay 1:1 for each card in the pair. With a Pocket Pair, each card pays double - 2:1. Not only that, but you also have the option to go for Pocket Trips and even Pocket Quads.

Starting Bets
Place your starting bets in the two playing circles. You must bet at least the table minimum for each of your first two cards. Later you can buy up to two more cards for the same amount as your initial bets.

Dealing Rounds
1st Round: After your initial bets are placed, the first round of cards will be dealt. For the first round each player gets two cards face up - one for each bet. Additionally, the dealer receives three cards face down.

After the 1st round is dealt, the dealer checks if any player has a pair or ace. Any Pocket Pair pays instantly, before the dealer cards are shown, and the player has the option of Pocket Trips/Quads. Any unlucky ace will lose instantly.

Then, after checking the players cards, the first dealer card is revealed. If a very unlucky dealer ace is shown then every player loses.

2nd Round: After revealing the first dealer card, each remaining player has the option to Hit or Stand. If you want to Hit and take a third card, simply place another bet on the board. The bet must be the same size as your original bets. Again, if you make a pair then you win instantly but if you get an ace then you lose.

If you choose to Stand, then you will only have your previous cards and you will not have the option to get any more later.

Then, after each player has the option to Hit or Stand, the second dealer card is revealed. And again, if an unlucky dealer ace is shown then every player loses. However, if the second dealer card makes a dealer pair, then everyone at the table wins instantly and pays 1:1 for one bet.

3rd Round: After revealing the second dealer card, remaining players again have the option to Hit or Stand. Only players that Hit on the previous round have the option to take a fourth card. The bet must be the same and pairs/aces resolve instantly.
Finally, the last dealer card is revealed. Again, if the dealer has a pair then everyone remaining wins and if the dealer has an ace then everyone remaining loses.

If there is no dealer pair or ace, then the dealer compares high card with each remaining player. If the players highest card is highest than the dealers highest card, then that single bet wins and pays 1:1. However, if the dealers highest card beats the players, then that single bet loses.

Pocket Trips/Quads
If you get a Pocket Pair - congratulations you won! you win 2² = 4. Your 2 bets each pay 2:1 so you win 4 times over. Now you have the option to win even more money! You can either take your winnings or you can go for Pocket Trips!

To bet on Pocket Trips, simply place another bet that is the same as the original and you get one more card. If that card matches your Pocket Pair, then you got Pocket Trips and you win 3² = 9. Your 3 bets each pay 3:1 so you win 9 times over.

If you are lucky enough to get Pocket Trips, then you again have the option to take your winning. Or, you can go for the big win - Pocket Quads. You place another bet and get another card. If that fourth card matches your other cards, then you just got Pocket Quads and you win 4² = 16. Your 4 bets each pay 4:1 so you win 16 times over.

Warning: Watch out for an ace! If you go for Pocket Trips/Quads and don't get a match, no problem. You still get paid for your previous win. Unless, of course, you get a single ace. Then you lose all your bets and what you would have won before. Going for Pocket Trips and Pocket Quads is not without risk!

Unless of course, your Pocket Pair was a pair of aces - then there is no way to lose! Normally, if you get a single ace you lose. But if you already have aces, then another ace will just give you Pocket Trip or Pocket Quads.

Examples: If you bet $10 for the initial bet, you would have placed two $10 bets - total of $20. If you get a Pocket Pair, then each bet pays 2:1 so you won $20 for each bet - total of $40 winnings! Plus, you keep your bets.

If you go for Pocket Trips you bet another $10 - total of $30. If you get Pocket Trips, then each bet pays 3:1 so you won 30 for each bet - total of $90 winnings! That is $50 more than just with Pocket Pair. Again, you keep your bets.

And finally, if you go for Pocket Quads you pet another $10 - total of $40 now. If you get Pocket Quads, now each bet pays 4:1 so you won $40 for each bet - total of $160! That is $70 more than Pocket Trips and $120 more than Pocket Pair. And, of course, you still keep your bets.

Aces
Aces are the enemy in Pocket Pair. Aces are sad and alone - 1 truly is the loneliest number. If you ever get a single ace, then you lose. If the dealer ever gets a single ace, then everyone at the table loses. Aces are awful.

Like every good rule, the ace does make an exception. If the ace is paired, then you win as usual. The only time an ace can be paired is with two cards at once - Pocket Pair. And if you get pair of aces in your pocket then you are very lucky. Because Pocket Pair aces cannot lose when going for Pocket Trips or Pocket Quads.

High Card
If neither player nor dealer has a pair or ace, then you go to a show down for High Card. This is simple: whoever has the highest card wins.

High Card is only played for a single card and a single bet. If your highest card beats the dealer's highest card then you win 1:1 for that single bet. On the other hand, if the dealer's highest card beats your highest card then you lose the single bet for that card.

High Card Tie: There is only one way to push in Pocket Pair: High Card Tie. If your highest card matches the dealer's highest card then we call it a draw and the hand is a push.

Advanced Strategy
The key is knowing when to hit and take another card. Due to the odds and payouts, you should always go for Pocket Trips and Pocket Quads. It is basically equally likely that you will get either a matching card or an ace. But since the matching card pays much more (3:1 or 4:1) you should always make the bet. Of course, you are placing your guaranteed winning on the line, but this is really the best bet in any casino.

Hitting when you don't have Pocket Pair is more complicated. The only way to get a pair and win big is to hit. However, the more cards you take the more chance you have to get an ace. Additionally, if either you or the dealer gets an ace then you lose all your bets. So, you are risking more money for the same return.

If there is no pair or ace, either you or the dealer, then you need a high card. Therefore, you should always hit if your high card is lower than the dealer high card. Based on the odds of hitting an ace, hitting a pair, and winning/losing with high card, you should also hit if your high card is a 10 or lower. Basically, you should only stand if you have a face card higher than the dealer.

Basic Summary
Pair good! Ace bad! Have fun! Win money!