Three-card poker is a casino game based on the standard, most common poker rules. It was developed by Derek Webb in 1994 and patented three years later, in 1947. The developer's aim was to create a version of poker that could be played at the speed of the game in gambling houses and casinos, with simple rules, high enough payouts, and enough of a house edge to attract investors to fall in love with the new poker. 3 card poker mainly made famous by Webb himselfThey have even set up their own gambling houses to expand the game's popularity. Until 1999, due to certain restrictions, 3-card poker was only played in the British Isles. It was only after 2008 that the game became fully free, making it one of the youngest brothers of traditional poker.
As the name suggests, the game is played with three cards in hand. You then compete against the dealer, and whoever has the highest hand wins. Sounds very simple. The name also has a word in it - Poker, which indicates that a standard poker hand evaluation system is used. You can change your bets by selecting other hands to win, but you will not play against other players' bets in this game.
Where is the best place to play three card poker?
Simply choose a few bets, wait for your cards and hope for the best.
Remembering that the game is played with three cards, there is one unique feature of the game that changes the value of the cards. The fact that we are not playing with all the cards in a row (straight) combination is more difficult to achieve than the species (flush). It therefore has more value. Other than this, all other bets are based on a normal poker game (starting from the best):
- Straight flush
- Three of a kind ("Three of a kind")
- Line ("Straight")
- Colour ("Flush")
- Pair ("Pair")
- High card
More observant players may have noticed that we did not mention the royal queue. In Three Card Poker, this combination is identified with the suit-row. However, some (in fact, you could say most) casinos also offer 6-card bonus values, where additional wins are awarded that already include both a royal flush and a full house, and the suit is restored back to its place and becomes more valuable than the flush. More on this a little below.
Three card poker game progress
The Ante blind is placed first. When you make it, you are dealt three cards and you can decide what to do next. If you decide to play, you will have to bet the same amount, and if you don't, you will lose your ante bet. After the bet, you will see the dealer's cards and if your cards are better you will receive 1:1.
Three card poker bonuses
Casino hard to imagine without bonuses. 3 card poker is no exception. There are three types of bonuses: the ante bonus, the pair-plus bonus and the 6-card bonus.
Ante bonus
The Ante Bonus gives you an extra payout by multiplying your ante bet if you get a straight (1:1), three of a kind (4:1) or a straight and a colour (5:1). As we mentioned earlier, payouts may vary from casino to casino and the figures given are only indicative.
Couple plus
Pair Plus is probably the most popular choice among players. It pays for every hand that is equal to or better than a pair. In other words, you only lose if you don't even have a pair. The payouts increase from 1:1 to 40:1, according to the casino's pay tables.
6 card bonus
The six-card bonus is triggered if you continue playing and win against the dealer. In this case, all six cards in the game - three of yours and three of the dealer's - are involved, and all combinations count. The best payout - a royal flush - can be as high as 1000:1, which is a truly remarkable payout. Of course, this is an additional bet.
If you play with all bets, the €1 minimum bet table will result in a bet of €4 if you choose to play, and €3 if you fold when you receive your cards. So you need to weigh up very carefully whether you want to enjoy the game or take a risk and win really big.
Three card poker strategy
One of the simpler strategies, if you're only playing with Ante with no bonuses, is to always play when you have at least a queen. The casino also plays only when you have at least a queen in your hand. For better odds, it is suggested to play only when you have a queen, six and four or better. Meanwhile, jack and any other lower two cards are a losing proposition, so it's not really worth playing. Unless you have chosen the 6-card bonus, in which case jack, ten and eight is even a very good hand.
It is much harder to strategise when playing with a bonus, so if you choose to play with bonuses, enter your strategy. If it works, share it with other players - after all, it's fun for everyone to win against the casino!
Three card poker casino
When playing 3 card poker at any casino, the most important thing is to first understand your money management strategy. As mentioned earlier, players choose between Ante or Pair+ bets. The Ante is necessary to start the game and it provides the first three cards, the value of which can be judged by seeing them. In contrast, with a Pair+ bet, if the three cards dealt do not form a pair, the player automatically loses. Effective money management requires a choice of betting strategy and a desire to play long or short. A constant Pair+ bet will result in a much higher variance, as it will not allow bets to be made that would be worthwhile with a Queen or higher without a Pair. The probability of making a pair or better from 3 cards is quite low, so players may be subject to long consecutive losing streaks.
In 3-card poker casino games, you are usually allowed to choose Ante and Pair+ together. In such cases, failure to pair will result in the player's Pair+ bet being forfeited, but the player can continue playing against the dealer. If a pair is made, the player is automatically credited with the winnings of the Pair+ bet and can continue to play against the dealer. Betting on both squares at the same time will always pay to play against the dealer, as the combination of cards will always be stronger than a queen.
Different casinos may offer different rules for 3 card poker. While there are different formats and variations, even traditional 3 card poker may have slightly different conditions at certain casinos. Below is a picture describing a traditional 3 card poker casino game with a list of rules and conditions. For newer players, it is important to note the rules, as some casinos may change them to increase their advantage, which is always a disadvantage for the player. The most important things to note are the dealer's card strength conditions (e.g. whether they play Q and above or J and above, etc.) and the Pair+ payouts.
3 card poker online
Of course, as with most casino games, the regular version of 3-card poker is not the only one. While you won't often see 3-card poker in traditional casinos, you can find rooms online that offer this variant as well as several others. One of the most popular variants, especially in Las Vegas, is the Three Card n' 21 Done variant, which combines BlackJack rules with three card poker. There's never a shortage of action when playing 3 card poker online, as the number of game variations on offer is extremely wide. Online casinos will also often help you find more tables with different betting limits or rules, which can be both favourable and unfavourable to players.
When playing three-card poker at online casinos, it's always important to pay attention not only to the rules and bonuses of the poker format itself, but also to the offerings of the casino houses. 3 card poker has a house edge of around 2.32%, so even with the most perfect strategy, players will lose money over time. Luckily for players, online casinos often offer bonus and bonus systems which, in theory, reduce the player's long-term drawdown. For new players, we suggest that you always use your first deposit bonuses to their maximum value, as these bonuses usually provide the most value. Once these bonuses have been taken advantage of, it is important to keep an eye on the website and casino house news, as a number of rooms offer weekly or monthly bonuses. By making good use of casino house bonuses and bonus systems, players can play with the same amount of money in 3 card poker for much longer and thus have a better and more entertaining time.
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