Move aside PokerStars, because 888poker will be launching Pick’em8 soon. Find out how this novelty game works before it is released!

Have you grown accustomed to the poker games that PokerStars releases? If you think it is time for a change, your wish has been granted. 888poker is working toward launching its own novelty game very soon. The game will be called Pick’em8. Well, it is a not a full-fledged poker game, but it is a casino game that utilizes poker as a vehicle.

Current Phase of Development

If you visit the Pick’em8 landing page, you will be greeted with a “Coming Soon” message. Next, the game is not yet featured on 888 poker’s main lobby. Hence, you will have to wait a little longer for more updates.

Core Game Mechanics of Pick’em8

To give you a head start, here’s how the game is slated to work:

– Card selection

When you join a game of Pick’em8, the system will lay out eight possible hole cards in front of you. All of these cards will be face-up. The first step is to select two of these cards as your pocket cards. There is a time limit, so you have to act decisively. If you do not lock in your selections in time, the two cards that you have highlighted will be chosen for you. If you have not selected anything from the start, the game will automatically pick two for you.

– Buy-ins

Pick’em8 buy-ins, at least at the outset, will be $1 or $0.25. The buy-in of each competing player—in the current round—will be put into the prize pool. The monies will then be split among winning players, i.e. players with the strongest hand. Currently, the scaled commission fee taken by the cardroom is a bit steep. For example, Player A bought in for $1. However, the prize pool is only $0.91. That is why playing by oneself would prove to be counterproductive. To put it candidly, a terrible idea. Game testers hope that the pre-game wait time (to wait for a certain minimum number of players to join the game) can help reduce the chances of winners earning less money than their initial buy-ins. Our fingers are crossed.

– Automation

Pick’em8 is designed to be completely automatic. The game is unlike most Casino-style poker-based table games. There is no dealer hand to beat and minimum hand strength needed to win. The game deals five community cards and determines a player’s best five-card hand right away. As mentioned, players with the strongest hands win. The prize pool will be divided equally among these players. You can rest assured that nobody is an automatic loser. If you choose wisely, you have a chance to win. After all, every player is given the same eight possible hole cards. Makes sense doesn’t it?

– Opponents

When you play Pickem’8, you are competing mainly against the house. You should also expect to face some indirect competition with other players. According to 888poker, they state that there are no direct opponents in the game.

– Rounds

A new round will start at least every few minutes. This means that you can hop aboard pretty much whenever you want. If you are looking for some high-speed action or a fun way to pass some time while waiting for your next poker tournament to begin, Pickem’8 is a fantastic game for you. In most cases, each round happens very quickly. However, that depends on how much time the game gives players to make decisions as well. Additionally, new rounds will not necessarily start immediately after the current one ends. It will still be timed to give other players, who are waiting in line, a chance to enter.

Pray that Lady Luck is On Your Side

It is pretty obvious that the game will be dominated by luck. Players never know what community cards will be dealt. A player can choose the best two-hole cards but still lose several games in a row. Looking from another perspective, it is simply an equivalent of an all-in shootout. Each player is blindly all-in. While there is room to make your own decisions, where a sliver of skill can be used at the outset, Pickem’8 is all luck.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a game that offers decent entertainment during your free time at a low cost, you can never go wrong with Pickem’8. It is a game that’s worth looking forward to.