30 Jul 2024 studying The world of poker is diverse. Here every player will find a suitable format: from the famous Texas Hold'em to the dynamic Shortdeck and exciting Chinese Pineapple. But in today's topic we’ll tell you about one of the rarest, but at the same time youngest variations of poker — 3 Card Poker. What is 3 card poker? Classic poker in the course of its development appeared in a three-card version. It has differences in its rules and advantages for which it is appreciated by experienced players. It also has its own variations. This table game appeared in 1994 in a network of Derek Webb gambling establishments (Grand Gulfport Casino in Mississippi). He conducted an experiment and introduced the newest game against the dealer. This approach is now popular in casinos, but is not in demand in online rooms. 3 card poker is a gambling discipline in which it’s impossible to win at a distance. Whether you win or lose is decided mostly by luck. This popular card game is played against the casino or the dealer. Players do not have additional options in the form of exchanging cards or any other manipulations with them. There is no common board, as in Texas Hold'em or Omaha. The only decision a player makes is whether to continue playing each poker hand based only on the strength of the three cards received from the dealer, so they will make up the final combination. Rules of the three card game The rules of three-card poker are very simple. Bluffing is possible here, the luck factor is very strong, so there is no need to keep calculations. There are 52 standard cards in the deck, of which 22 thousand probabilities of combinations on three cards can fall out. Two to six people can participate in such type of poker. They agree on the role of the ace — it is assigned to the senior or junior card (a unit in the straight). The poker player is allowed to play simultaneously at several boxes, if he’s the only one at the table. Buy-ins for each box may differ from each other. Before the hand starts, each participant makes an ante (a mandatory bet). The croupier deals three cards to everyone and the table game starts according to the following rules: Each person in the hand looks at the cards received. There are two options: a pass or an extra bet. In the case of a pass, the ante is canceled. A bet is equal to one ante. If a player bets, the dealer cannot fold his hand. He makes a return move, trying to collect a combination from the highest card (Queen high or better). If the dealer fails to put together a combination, he loses to all participants who did not fold their cards. If no one has the game, the draw is canceled and the ante is returned in the proportion of 1 to 1. Additional bonuses for strong combinations are possible: 4 to 1 for a straight flush, 3 to 1 for a three of a kind. This bonus does not depend on the dealer's cards and is paid in any case. In order to understand, you can consider an example of the game at the one line. Once at the gambling table, it will not be difficult to quickly orientate and start playing from several positions. Winning combinations The croupier deals the cards. He shares them between himself and the participant 3 pieces each. From this moment the player has the opportunity to familiarize himself with the set of cards. According to the game rules, there’s a chance to collect the next possible winning combinations: Combination Description Odds to Get Straight Flush Three cards of the same suit, e.g., J♠Q♠K♠. 1 to 454 Three of a Kind Three cards of the same rank, e.g., 4♠4♣4♥, 8♠8♥8♣, Q♥Q♣Q♦, etc. 1 to 416 Straight Three cards of different suits, e.g., 9♦10♣J♥ 1 to 30 Flush Three cards of the same suit, but different ranks, e.g., 3♥9♥K♥ 1 to 19 Pair Two cards of the same rank (e.g., 2♥2♣, 9♦9♠, K♥K♦, etc.) + any other card 1 to 4.9 High Card No combination – three unrelated cards (highest card considered) 2.85 to 1 Three Card Poker does not include the Royal Flush combination. What you should know about betting? To understand how to play 3 card poker in a casino, it's important to get into the betting process: Ante — the initial bet required to get the game started; Ante bonus — a bonus contribution that is optional for a player to make in order to claim additional winnings when a straight, four of a kind or straight flush is dealt. This contribution is made before the poker hand is dealt (as is the ante and play). By participating in casino games, you can beat the dealer and win: Straight — 1:1; Four of a Kind — 3:1; Straight Flush — 4:1. Two ways to play three card poker Depending on the number of bets, there are two ways to play this poker game. Ante Betting The first method involves only one bet before the cards are dealt. Then the dealer, as in the rules described above, gives the players three cards. The participants either fold the cards or increase the initial bet by an equal amount. If a player refuses to continue and folds, his bet goes to the casino account. If he raises — everybody shows cards to determine the winner. The dealer opens the cards first. If he does not have a card higher than a Queen, the player does not show his combination and takes the money. If the dealer has an ace, king or queen, it is necessary to compare cards. If the player has one of the three strongest combinations, he is paid a bonus calculated by a special win table. For this each casino may use a different winning table. Pair+ (a game with an additional bet) In the second type, the player must make an additional bet — Pair Plus. The player can make a pair and stronger combinations, but only after this additional bet. The exact amount of winnings is also determined by the table. What can a poker player count on in this situation? Pair plus is paid as follows: Pair — 1:1; Flush — 4:1; Straight — 5:1; Four of a Kind — 20:1; Straight Flush — 40:1. What cards the dealer has in this case does not affect the winnings. Then there is a comparison of combinations, as in the first classic method with «Ante». Example of a game according to the rules of 3 card poker When the cards are dealt and the poker player has familiarized himself with them, he has 2 ways: to respond with a bet, which is equal to the ante, or to simply fold the cards. In his turn, the dealer opens his set. He compares the combinations demonstrated by the two sides, and this is how the winner is determined. For all winning combinations the dealer pays 1:1. The player can count on decent prizes in the case if he will make not only the initial payment (ante), but also a couple of «+» and also the ante bonus. Further we suggest understanding by example, then the strategy of playing three-card poker will be more understandable. Let's assume that before starting, the poker player makes an ante of 1 chip. Then additionally put a pair plus, which according to the rules can not exceed the initial bet or be less than it. The dealer shows his own set of cards. He then reveals the table representative's cards, performing a comparison to determine which bets have prevailed and which have lost. Three-card poker does not involve a trade. If a player has combinations of pair and above, received at the deal, he will be paid a bet of pair «+» according to the established rules. Other actions with the loss or victory of the player directly depend on the cards of the dealer and the participant himself. The comparison is made by the seniority of cards. There’s one more point that cannot be left without attention. As we mentioned, the poker player has the opportunity to put only the contribution of a pair plus. In such a situation, the croupier deals the cards and then checks what has fallen out. If the player got a set of pairs or a combination older, then the bonus is rewarded according to the established scheme. After that the cards are taken away. If the dropped set is less than a pair, then the contribution put on the line goes to the bankroll of a casino, and the next deal starts. Where to study 3-card poker? You can play 3 card poker in online casinos, but this is not the kind of activity that will allow you to earn steadily, because the casino at a distance will always be profitable. Another thing is to play with live opponents in legal online rooms: GGPoker, PokerStars, 888Poker and others. This is where your level of skill really comes first. For beginners, we advise you not to jump in headfirst, but to start with training. It’s very easy to find a good mentor nowadays. For example, you can apply to a poker school where players are not only taught but also sponsored. You can find proven foundations on the Internet — poker forums, specialized websites, social networks, etc. An alternative option is to take lessons from an experienced poker coach, who will teach you the basics of the game and tell you how to develop further. You can find a mentor to suit any budget. The easiest way to do this is to check out the Coaches section. You can also practice on your own using special software, such as the super-popular Flopzilla program. It teaches you to think in ranges and make the right decisions. However, there is more than enough software nowadays — check out the best of them and their functions right here. Theory is impossible without practice, but beginners are better not to risk their own money. In such cases it’s better to pay attention to freerolls — free tournaments with real prize money. The schedule of free tournaments and current passwords for freerolls can be found on the official website or social networks, depending on the poker room. Where to play 3 card poker game? Three card poker can only be played in casinos, including online. When reading the basic rules of this game, you may get the impression that it is difficult to understand. Although this is an absolute misconception. It doesn't take much effort to understand how to play three-card poker. Three-card poker is perfect for relaxation and easy pastime. This game does not require tension and strong concentration from those who participate. More important here is luck than the actions of the players. 3 card poker will allow you to appreciate this famous game and have a good rest. However, with all this — this is not the format of poker, which can be considered to earn money on the distance. The gambling establishment will always be the winner here. Therefore, we recommend you to try playing Texas Hold’em, the most popular type of poker. Frequently asked questions about three card poker What rooms can I play three card poker at? These tables can not be found in standard poker rooms where real users compete against each other. It can be played at the online casino or mobile apps that are not affiliated with any of the online rooms. What are the minimum possible bets here? The size of the ante and other bets depends on the casino and the filters set. The minimum bet is usually $0.25. Can I play 3 card poker at home? If you change the rules, this format is fine for home entertainment. You can deal three, two or one card face up, and the principle of betting can be taken from Hold'em or Stud. Are there poker tournaments in the discipline? Multi-table events in this format do not take place at reputable casinos or online poker rooms. What is a six-card bonus? Some establishments offer an additional large reward if the player's hand and the dealer's hand combine to form one six-card combination. For example, at the famous Caesars casino network, a player is guaranteed $100,000 if a one-suit combination of nines to aces appears on the table. Can I play for free? Yes. Numerous websites allow you to practice with conditional chips. How many people can participate? It depends on the casino, but usually up to 6 people can sit at the table. Only each player plays against the dealer — they do not compete with each other. What reward can a player expect? Three card poker rules provide payments for victory over the opponent, as well as bonus rewards. Is it possible to bluff here? Bluffing in poker is important, but you don't have to resort to it, as well as other strategic techniques. There’s no usual 3 card poker strategy and tips for winning — here it’s all about luck.
