Casino-ABC: Letter P

With the letter “P”, the Casino A–Z moves on to the next round. Once again, you’ll find terms from the world of poker and blackjack that regularly come up at the table. To help you keep track, we explain the most important “P” terms in a simple, clear, and practical way – so you’re perfectly prepared for your next visit to the MERKUR Casinos.

Pair

A pair consists of two cards of the same value, for example two kings or two sevens. It is one of the most basic poker combinations and occurs relatively frequently.
But not all pairs are created equal. Two aces are naturally far stronger than two twos. And even a good pair can quickly lose value if stronger combinations suddenly become possible on the table.

Pat hand

A pat hand is a completed hand that you no longer need – or necessarily want – to improve. This includes strong combinations such as straights, flushes, full houses or four of a kind. When you have a hand like this, you generally do not want to change anything. It is already complete.

peek rule

With the peek rule, the dealer checks whether they have a blackjack before the players make their moves.
If the dealer does in fact have a blackjack, the round ends immediately. This protects players from making unnecessary additional bets.
The opposite is the no-peek rule , where the suspense remains right until the end.

Pocket Cards

Your pocket cards are the two cards you are dealt face down at the start. Only you are allowed to see them, and that is exactly where their strength lies. They form the basis of your strategy and often determine how you play a hand.
That is why they are also called “pocket cards”, because you are, so to speak, carrying them around secretly with you.

Pot

In poker, the pot is the total amount of chips that has accumulated in the middle of the table. All active players contribute to it. The bigger the pot, the more exciting things become.