- Appendices
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- External Links
Perfect Pairs Blackjack. Microgaming’s Perfect Pairs Blackjack game is only available to play as a Multi-Hand game, however that will mean you can play from one to five hands per game and as such you can play it as a Single-Hand game if you so wish.
Introduction
I'm aware of two side bets calling themselves Perfect Pair or Perfect Pairs. I'll divide them into a version 1 and version 2.
Version 1
Version 1 goes by the plural name Perfect Pairs. It may be found in casinos in Australia, Macau, and London. It pays if the player's first two cards are a pair. The following table shows the specifics. A 'perfect pair' is two identical cards (like two ace of spades). A 'colored pair' is two cards of the same rank and color (like the ace of spades and ace of clubs). There are four pay tables that I am aware of, which are referred to as A to D below. The following four tables show how the odds of each pay table.
Internet casinos using live dealer studios by Evolution Gaming the following pay table.
Pay Table A — 8 decks
| Hand | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair | 25 | 1456 | 0.016867 | 0.421687 |
| Colored pair | 12 | 1664 | 0.019277 | 0.231325 |
| Red/black pair | 6 | 3328 | 0.038554 | 0.231325 |
| Non-pair | -1 | 79872 | 0.925301 | -0.925301 |
| Total | 86320 | 1 | -0.040964 |
Pay Table B — 8 decks
| Hand | Pays | Combintions | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair | 30 | 1456 | 0.016867 | 0.506024 |
| Colored pair | 10 | 1664 | 0.019277 | 0.192771 |
| Red/black pair | 5 | 3328 | 0.038554 | 0.192771 |
| Non-pair | -1 | 79872 | 0.925301 | -0.925301 |
| Total | 86320 | 1 | -0.033735 |
Pay Table C — 8 decks
| Hand | Pays | Combintions | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair | 25 | 1456 | 0.016867 | 0.421687 |
| Colored pair | 12 | 1664 | 0.019277 | 0.231325 |
| Red/black pair | 5 | 3328 | 0.038554 | 0.192771 |
| Non-pair | -1 | 79872 | 0.925301 | -0.925301 |
| Total | 86320 | 1 | -0.079518 |
Pay Table D — 8 decks
| Hand | Pays | Combintions | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair | 25 | 1456 | 0.016867 | 0.421687 |
| Colored pair | 15 | 1664 | 0.019277 | 0.289157 |
| Red/black pair | 5 | 3328 | 0.038554 | 0.192771 |
| Non-pair | -1 | 79872 | 0.925301 | -0.925301 |
| Total | 86320 | 1 | -0.021687 |
The next table shows the expected return under all four pay tables, according to the number of decks.
Perfect Pairs Expected Returns
| Decks | Pay Table A | Pay Table B | Pay Table C | Pay Table D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | -0.223301 | -0.252427 | -0.262136 | -0.203883 |
| 4 | -0.101449 | -0.106280 | -0.140097 | -0.082126 |
| 5 | -0.077220 | -0.077220 | -0.115830 | -0.057915 |
| 6 | -0.061093 | -0.057878 | -0.099678 | -0.041801 |
| 8 | -0.040964 | -0.033735 | -0.079518 | -0.021687 |
Version 2
Version 2 goes by the singular name Perfect Pair. It can be found at Internet casinos using live dealer software by Evolution Gaming. Despite the singular title, it pays for one or two Perfect Pairs. A Perfect Pair is defined by the player's or dealer's initial two cards matching in both rank and suit.
Evolution uses eight decks in the blackjack game, so I am basing this return table on eight decks. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 8.05%.
Version 2 — 8 Decks
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two perfect pairs | 200 | 2,101,008 | 0.000285 | 0.056941 |
| One perfect pair | 25 | 244,747,776 | 0.033166 | 0.829138 |
| Zero perfect pairs | -1 | 7,132,734,336 | 0.966550 | -0.966550 |
| Total | 7,379,583,120 | 1.000000 | -0.080470 |
Next, here is the house edge for 2, 4, 6, and 8 decks.
Version 2 House Edge
| Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 2 | 48.08% |
| 4 | 21.50% |
| 6 | 12.54% |
| 8 | 8.05% |
There is another version of version 2 that pays 25 to 1 for one or two perfect pairs. The house edge on that, assuming eight decks, is 13.03%. This side bet is also seen in baccarat, where I have a separate page for it.
Written by: Michael Shackleford
How to Play Perfect Pairs Blackjack
Learning how to play perfect pairs blackjack is simple, as it’s almost identical to traditional blackjack. There is one major difference, in the form of a side bet. More on the side bet later.
The game is traditionally played with six or eight 52-card decks, although you may be able to find a casino where a smaller number of decks are used. This is not likely, however, as a small number of decks make it less likely that players would have consistent access to the cards needed to win this side bet. And since we’re still talking about a game of blackjack, fewer decks in the shoe would mean a decided advantage for card counters (unless, of course, someone is playing Perfect Pairs Blackjack online).
Perfect Pair Blackjack online, free
The side bet known as Perfect Pairs Blackjack comes into play at the beginning of each hand, and the rest of the game proceeds like any other round of blackjack. That means the ultimate objective is to get as close to 21 as possible by adding together the value of your cards, being careful not to go over 21 or wind up with a lower total than the dealer. If your initial two cards add up to 21, then it’s considered a natural blackjack and you automatically win.
Before you are dealt your first two cards, you can elect to make a side bet in addition to your normal wager. This side bet is for Perfect Pairs Blackjack, and it must meet a minimum amount as determined by the casino (you can also bet more if you choose).
Once your bets have been placed, you receive your first two cards. If the cards constitute a pair, then you win the side bet according to what kind of pair you have and the payout rates of the casino. If the two cards don’t make a pair, then you lose the side bet. In either case, the side bet is resolved and play continues as in normal blackjack.
The best result for the side bet is a “perfect pair.” This means two identical cards of the same rank and color. Depending on the casino, this will pay out at either 30:1 or 25:1.
The next winning option is the “colored pair.” This is two cards of the same rank and color (such as the ace of hearts and the ace of diamonds). I’ve seen casinos that pay 15:1, 12:1, and even 10:1 for this winning side bet.
Online Casino Perfect Pairs Blackjack Poker
Finally, there’s the “red/black” pair, which are two cards of the same rank but of different colors (an ace of hearts and an ace of spades, for example). This usually pays out at either 5:1 or 6:1.