A hybrid table game popularized in 1994, Three Card Poker incorporates elements of poker and blackjack to form an exciting, fast paced contest between players and a house dealer.
You should keep in mind that 3-Card Poker side bets have a big edge in favor of the house compared to the main game. Three Card Poker House Edge vs. Other Table Games. Here is how 3-Card Poker's house edge compares: 3 Card Poker: 3.27%; Blackjack: 0.5% to 3% (depends on the rules) Baccarat: 1.06% (if you play the ‘Player' bet). Three Card Poker is played with a single 52-card deck and is actually two games in one. First, the Pair Plus game allows players to wager on whether they will be dealt a Pair or better, or not.
The mechanics of Three Card Poker are simple and easy to pick up for anybody who has ever dabbled in either poker or blackjack. With two tiers of betting – the main ante and play bets along with the Pair Plus and other bonuses – Three Card Poker offers multiple forms of action on every hand. Even better, the big bonus payouts awarded for qualifying high hands like three of a kind or a straight flush can turn a casual game into an unforgettable score.
Every experienced gambler has that friend who winds up winning big on their first trip to Las Vegas or the local casino. Free video joker poker. And more often than not, those stories usually take place at a Three Card Poker table, where a few small side bets on the bonus and three perfect cards can combine for huge payouts.
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Three Card Poker Basics
The first action in a Three Card Poker hand is a mandatory bet known as the Ante. This wager must be made for a player to take a hand. After making the ante bet (along with the Pair Plus and other side bets, which will be explained below) players receive three cards, as does the dealer. The player's cards may be exposed at this point, but the dealer's hand remains face down.
Three Card Poker relies on the traditional poker hand hierarchy to determine winners, but rather than five cards only three are needed. Casio game download. This means high-card (A-3-2) is the lowest qualifying hand, followed by one pair (9-9-2), flush (any three cards of the same suit), straight (6-7-8), three of a kind (9-9-9), straight flush (6-7-8 of the same suit), and in some casinos, the mini-Royal (A-K-Q of the same suit).
Remember, in traditional five card poker a flush beats a straight because the hand is slightly easier to make, and both hands beat three of a kind for the same reason. But things change in Three Card Poker, and the hand values are turned upside down.
With 52 combinations available to make three of a kind, this hand is actually nearly as difficult to make as a straight flush (48 combinations). The odds of making either hand stand at less than 1 percent, while a straight (3.2 percent) and flush (4.9 percent) are far easier to make.
Based on the strength of your hand, you can decide whether to match your Ante with an equal Play bet. If you have a weak hand and decline to play, you can fold and forfeit your ante and bonus bets. When you decide to post the Play bet the dealer will then expose their cards to determine a winner.
The dealer hand must be queen-high or better to qualify. When the dealer fails to produce a qualifying hand, your Ante bet is paid out at even money, while the Play bet is automatically returned as a push. When the dealer produces a qualifying hand it's compared to each player hand and the highest hand is declared the winner. If your hand is better than the dealer's, both your Ante and Play bets will be paid out at even money. Identical hands are deemed a push.
The game's flair comes from the bonuses of course, and even if you don't wager on the Pair Plus bonus, you can still enjoy a little extra juice on your money from time to time. Whenever a player hand makes a straight or better, it qualifies for an Ante Bonus, or an additional payout on top of the even money you get on the Ante and Play bets.
To top it off, even if the dealer somehow produces a superior hand, causing you to lose the Ante and Play bets, you recoup some of those losses because the Ante Bonus is awarded no matter what when you make a straight or better. Royal panda casino. There are a few Ante Bonus payout tables out there, but for the most part you'll see 1 to 1 payouts on straights, 4 to 1 on flushes, and 5 to 1 on straight flushes. The house edge on this standard 5-4-1 pay table is 3.37 percent.
Bonus Side Bets in Three Card Poker
The other primary bet you can make in Three Card Poker is known as the Pair Plus bet. This can be anywhere from $1 on up, and making the bet entitles you to a sizable extra payout when you happen to make big hands.
The name Pair Plus comes from the fact that you need at least a pair to qualify, and while this pays out at even money, the real excitement comes from hitting a straight flush and its 40 to 1 payout. Three of a kind hands also pay out pretty nicely at 30 to 1, and many players enjoy grinding Three Card Poker with the express intent of spiking a big hand with a Pair Plus bet on the line.
The standard pay table used for Pair Plus bonus bets (40-30-6-4-1) offers a 2.32 percent house edge, but alternative Pair Plus pay tables like the 40-30-6-3-1 can be deceptive, while also increasing the house edge to 7.28 percent. https://squaredfree.mystrikingly.com/blog/easy-unzip-1-5-compress-files-with-password.
In some cases you'll find Three Card Poker tables that include the mini-Royal (A-K-Q of the same suit) on the Pair Plus pay table, and these pay out at 80 to one. The standard Pair Plus pay table with mini-Royals included (80-40-25-6-3-1) offers a 7.73 percent house edge.
Additionally, many casinos offer tables featuring progressive bonuses that pay out escalating jackpots that can run into the six- and even seven-figures. In order to hit these jackpots, players must make the additional side wager and make specific high hand; usually a mini-Royal in spades.
Finally, you may notice Three Card Poker tables advertising a Six Card Bonus, and this simply refers to the practice of combining your three cards with the dealer's three cards, while making the best five-card poker hand possible. Five-card Royal Flushes trigger the jackpot on this special bonus bet.
The Strategy of Three Card Poker
Optimal strategy for Three Card Poker can be distilled into the simplest of formulas: when your hand strength equals queen-six-four or higher, you should always post the additional Play bet. When your hand strength equals anything lower than queen-six-four, you should fold and surrender your Ante and bonus bets. The reason for this is based on mathematical certainty, as queen-six-four represents the minimum hand you need to rate better than the dealer's random three cards.
One thing about Three Card Poker to keep in mind is that your hand will beat the dealer's hand 44.91 percent of the time, you'll lose 55.03 percent of the time, and the rest of the hands will result in a chop. But by sticking to the queen-six-three threshold for matching the Ante bet, you'll stand to lose 8.26 percent of your Ante bet, but your win rate on the Play bet will jump to 5.29 percent.
Some players advocate a strategy based on replicating the dealer's action, or in other words, raising on any hand queen-high or better. Gambling experts have determined that this is a serviceable strategy overall, lowering the house edge to 3.45 percent as opposed to 7.65 percent when playing by instinct alone. Overall though, the queen-six-four strategy lowers the house edge more than any other, and using this as a minimum hand with which to raise will save you money over the long run.
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Three Card Poker
Dreams casino bonus code. Three Card Poker is one of the greatest stories of player driven success in the gaming industry. It is relatively new and is based on the centuries-old, traditional and extremely popular card game, Poker, as are other casino games like Caribbean Stud Poker and Casino Hold'em. Almost everyone has played Poker at least once in their lives, which would make themselves familiar with the ranking of various hands. Although, Three Card plays at a much faster pace, chiefly due to the time involved in shuffling and dealing which is almost instant online. Not to mention that players don't play against one another in this variant of Poker so there's no waiting, deliberating and bluffing. In fact, the simple play style and easy bankroll control mean the game has picked up quite a following and is loved by many players, whilst the relatively non-volatile house edge leads the casinos to love it just as much. As a percentage of the table games market, Three Card Poker, though it was initially hard to establish, is now amongst the most played games on any casino floor, with over 1600 casinos in the US alone offering the game. The ease of learning the game, the potential high payouts and the wide areas of accessibility have allowed this game to prove just as popular online as it is in traditional bricks and mortar casinos.
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- It's fast and easy to play
- Big wins and fast gameplay
- Good odds and a non-volatile house edge
The History of Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker, sometimes known as Poker Three, Trey Poker, or Tri Card Poker, was created back in 1994 by British Poker player Derek Webb who wanted to create a game which used the excitement of Poker, but with the added speed of more traditional casino table games such as Blackjack, Craps or Roulette. The game was introduced to British casinos by Webb where it was successful. Soon after, it reached the US and eventually went around the world. Three Card Poker is the American version of the British game, Brag. This game originated over three hundred years ago from a game known as Primero, a fast-moving betting game using only three cards. As the game evolved, it became known as Post-and-Pair, as the betting rounds became the focal point of the game and wild cards called braggers were brought in, so then it changed once again to be called Brag. This game made it to the States as Casino Brag and Brit-Brag, but eventually evolved again into the game we now know as Three Card Poker.
Playing Three Card Poker Online
Before you go ahead and register at one of our recommended casinos, you can get a taste of the game right here for free; no sign-up, registration, download or deposit is required. Three Card Poker is a two-in-one game consisting of the Pair Plus game and Ante-Play game. In the former, the player is in a one on one game against the dealer to see who has the highest Poker hand, and in the latter, the player bets on whether he/she will receive a winning Poker hand of a pair or better. The house advantage of the Pair Plus game is 2.32% and if played properly, the house advantage on the Ante-Play game can be as low as 2.02%. It is played with one standard 52 card deck which is shuffled for every hand and bets are placed in two ways before the deal; first you can bet on getting a pair or better, and second, you can play an Ante bet against the dealer for the biggest hand (this isn't optional in all forms of the game, it can be compulsory in some casinos so it's worth flicking at the individual game rules for whichever vendor you're playing at). The dealer gives out three cards face down to each player, including himself, however, only he isn't allowed to look at his cards at this stage. Note that once the cards are dealt the Pair Plus game is resolved, yet, you still have the option to place a play bet on the Ante game if you feel the hand holds up, or, you can fold. If you fold, you forfeit your Ante bet. If you raise, an additional Play bet must be made, equal to the Ante. Next, the dealer's cards are revealed. In order to qualify, a Queen high or better is required. The basic strategy of the game is pretty simple, if you hold a hand of Q-6-4 or higher – play, if you hold a lower hand – fold, though some players advocate playing queen high no matter what the other cards are.
The following outcomes are possible:
- If the dealer doesn't qualify, then the player wins even money on the Ante bet and the Play bet will push.
- If the dealer qualifies, then the player's hand is compared to the dealer's hand, of which, the higher of the two hands wins. The order of Poker hands is found below.
- If the player has the higher Poker hand, then the Ante and Play will both pay even money (1:1).
- If the dealer has the higher Poker hand, then the Ante and Play will both lose.
- If both the player and dealer tie, then the Ante and Play bets will push.
- If the player made the Ante bet and has a straight or higher, then the player will receive an Ante Bonus, regardless of the value of the dealer's hand.
- The Pair Plus bet will pay entirely based on the Poker value of the player's hand, as indicated in the Pair Plus section below.
What's great about Three Card Poker is the fact that the Ante bet carries a bonus payout for certain hands which doesn't require an additional bet. This means that any player holding a straight, three of a kind, or straight flush will receive a bonus, regardless whether their hand beats the dealer or not. This will see you into some serious genuine winnings.
The game is based on stud Poker, although, seeing as a hand consists of three cards, the ranking hands and the odds on those hands differ slightly. Due to this, straights are rarer than flushes and thus outrank them, whereas, this is the other way around in five-card games. Furthermore, you cannot win with a full house or four of a kind in this variant of Poker. Below is a list of all the possible winning hands and how often they may appear in a pack.
Straight Flush is a sequence of three numbers in the same suit, for example, J-10-9 all in diamonds. The total number of straight flushes in a deck of cards is 48.
Three of a Kind consists of three same value cards from different suits, for example, 5-5-5. There are 52 potential three-of-a-kinds in a deck.
Straight is made up of a sequence of numbers from different suits, for example, J-10-9. There are 720 possible straights to make.
Flush is formed using three random cards in the same suit, for example, Q-7-4 of clubs. There are 1096 flush combinations to make.
Pair is a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank, for example, 3-3-9. There are a possible 3744 pair combinations.
High Card includes one of the face cards, Ace, King, Queen or Jack, with two other random cards, for example, A-4-2.
With regards to the Pair Plus bet, the good news is that you don't need to beat the dealer to win this bet. Any hand containing a pair or higher will do the trick (that's, in fact, where it gets its name from). Make sure to check the odds as Pair Plus pay-tables vary from casino to casino.
Straight Flush pays 40 to 1. The house edge on this hand is 5.39%.
Three of a Kind pays 30 to 1 with a 7.10% house edge.
Straight pays 6 to 1 with a house edge of 7.28%.
Flush pays 3 to 1 and the house edge is 5.57%.
Pair pays 1 to 1 (even money) with a house edge of 4.58%.
Beginners' Tips
By this point, your mind should be whizzing with probabilities, odds and hand combinations! Before you immediately hit the free game on this page, you should take a look at the following advice which may help you beat the casino in this exhilarating variant of Poker!
- First of all, you should call or raise 67% of the time as winning hands occur 25.6% of the time.
- Some casinos add a hand called a mini-royal to the top of the pay-table. Mini-royals consist of A-K-Q of the same suit. Therefore, there are four mini-royals, one for each suit. Paying the mini-royals separately subtracts four combinations from the straight flush total.
- To make good gravy, you ought to be making use of the Pair Plus bet as it's good value for money with such a low house edge of 2.32% and good odds. Keep in mind that this is a bet based on pure luck as you're betting on being dealt a pair or better.
- The number of possible high card only hands is 16440.
- Be sure to have a look at the payout percentages offered by casinos as they to tend to vary from place to place.
Variations of Three Card Poker
Ultimate Three Card Poker: This version of the game also goes by the name Face Up. It has the same rules as the original game, however, with a couple of differences. First of all, the dealer only exposes one of his cards rather than all three in each head to head game. Further differences lie in the betting process. In a game of Ultimate, you need to make an extra blind wager that's the same value as your Ante. You can also make a Pair Plus bet at the same time. Furthermore, if you get a pair, you can make an additional bet triple the Ante, seeing as you can only see one of the dealer's three cards. You can double your bet on anything lower than a pair. You win the blind bet as long as your hand is higher than the dealer's and lose if your hand is lower. It's considered a push if your hand is lower than a flush. The optimal strategy in this game is to fold any hand lower than a J-7-4. Also, you shouldn't make the triple bet with less than a pair in hand.
Teen Patti: Is the Indian version of the game (also known as Teen Pathi or Flash) which took the streets of India by storm. It has some differences from the original, them being, that the ranking of a straight flush and three of a kind are interchanged, and the high card and none (or nothing hand) are joined together. The prime difference between Teen Patti and Three Card Poker is that Teen Patti is played against other players rather than the dealer. This variant of the gambling game is best played between four and seven players and includes betting and bluffing, as is the norm in classic Poker. It's not unlikely that you'll be able to find this version of the game online as it's become highly popular in Indian and other Asian regions.
Three Card 21 ‘n' Done: This is a new variation of the game that has only been introduced to Nevada casinos of late (you never know, it might be available online in the near future). The game is a combination of Blackjack and Three Card, which is guaranteed to please a broad spectrum of people. It pays well on strong hands of three cards, however, if you are dealt a not-so-strong hand of which its total value exceeds 21, you can split it into three separate hands. The game begins with each player placing two bets; one for the three-card hand and the second for the 21 bonus game. Three cards are then issued to each player. The payouts for the 21 bonus are as follows:
21 Total: 1 to 1 (even money)
Pair: 1 to 1
Flush: 3 to 2
Straight: 2 to 1
Trips: 5 to 1
Straight Flush: 15 to 1
3 Card Royal: 50 to 1
3 Card Royal in Diamonds: 200 to 1
Playing for Real Money
Three Card Poker is available all around the globe if gambling is legal in your jurisdiction (and in many cases even when it isn't) you should be able to find somewhere to play this game. With the massive array of table games finding their way into the online casino environment, it's no surprise to see the game available at the best online casinos now also. Given that, unlike slots, table games can be broadcast, Three Card Poker can also be played at many live dealer casinos online, combining the comfort of playing from home with the real casino experience. Be sure to have a look at one of our trusted casinos listed at the top of the page, surely one of them will have the type of play you desire.
FAQ
Is there a strategy I could use to win the Ante-Play bet in Three Card Poker?
The basic strategy for the Ante-Play combination is to bet whenever you have Q-6-4 or better (although an even simpler strategy of playing Queens or higher will yield similar results). This means you should consider playing the following hands and folding all others:
- Any pair or better
- King or Ace high
- Queen high, when your second highest card is a 7 or higher
- Queen high, when your second card is a 6 and your third card is a 4 or higher
Remember that patience is a virtue, and you might have to wait for these hands to come your way, so be prepared to fold those weaker hands. This optimal strategy brings the house edge down from 7.65% to 3.37%.
Flush: 3 to 2
Straight: 2 to 1
Trips: 5 to 1
Straight Flush: 15 to 1
3 Card Royal: 50 to 1
3 Card Royal in Diamonds: 200 to 1
Playing for Real Money
Three Card Poker is available all around the globe if gambling is legal in your jurisdiction (and in many cases even when it isn't) you should be able to find somewhere to play this game. With the massive array of table games finding their way into the online casino environment, it's no surprise to see the game available at the best online casinos now also. Given that, unlike slots, table games can be broadcast, Three Card Poker can also be played at many live dealer casinos online, combining the comfort of playing from home with the real casino experience. Be sure to have a look at one of our trusted casinos listed at the top of the page, surely one of them will have the type of play you desire.
FAQ
Is there a strategy I could use to win the Ante-Play bet in Three Card Poker?
The basic strategy for the Ante-Play combination is to bet whenever you have Q-6-4 or better (although an even simpler strategy of playing Queens or higher will yield similar results). This means you should consider playing the following hands and folding all others:
- Any pair or better
- King or Ace high
- Queen high, when your second highest card is a 7 or higher
- Queen high, when your second card is a 6 and your third card is a 4 or higher
Remember that patience is a virtue, and you might have to wait for these hands to come your way, so be prepared to fold those weaker hands. This optimal strategy brings the house edge down from 7.65% to 3.37%.
Is there a progressive jackpot in Three Card Poker?
Progressive jackpots come in all shapes and sizes in this variation of Poker. Some casinos offer a small bonus on the Pair Plus wager which can pay out as much as 50 to 1 on a single suited Q-K-A. Other casinos make good use of a progressive jackpot to make the game more enticing. This is an additional 1 credit bet you can make before your hand is dealt, which you can win if your hand turns out to be a mini royal flush in spades. There is even a progressive bonus you can win if you get a three of a kind or straight flush.
The hand payouts are as follows:
- Royal Flush in spades gets the whole progressive jackpot.
- Royal Flush in hearts, diamonds, or clubs normally gets 500 credits.
- Straight Flush normally gets 100 credits.
- Three of a Kind typically gets 50 credits.
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What's great about the progressive jackpot is the Envy Bonus payoff which comes with it. When it's won, all the other players get a cut too. They receive approximately 25 credits for any royal flush and 100 credits for one landed in spades.
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