There is no doubt that Three Card Poker is becoming one of the most popular
table games in both land based and online casinos. Just walk into any Las Vegas
resort and on the gaming floor will be a whole section devoted to Three Card
Poker - most likely nearby the Blackjack tables.
Each game of Three Card
is played with a fifty-two deck of cards, and actually resembles two games in
one. Players generally have the option of playing on one or both games, although
some casinos require players to make an ante bet for both games. The table
layout presents three circles in front of each seating position. One circle,
labeled "Pair Plus", is centered directly above two circles, labeled "Ante" and
"Play".
Games begin by each player setting chips in the Ante and/or Pair Plus
circles. After all bets are placed, the dealer hands out three cards to each
player. The player immediately to the dealer's left is the first to act. In the
online casino, unless the software platform facilitates private group games, it
will just be you and the dealer. Either way, players will never compete against
one another. It is always the dealer's hand versus each player's individual
hand.
If the Pair Plus bet was made, this will be deemed a winner at this point.
If the player's three-card hand is a Pair or better, it wins. If it is not, it
loses. The Pair Plus wager is not affected by the dealer's hand.
The first
decision a player will need to make after being dealt their hand is whether to
fold or continue playing (much like Let it Ride Poker). If making the decision
to fold, the ante wager will be forfeited. If making the decision to continue
playing the hand, the player will need to place a bet in the "Play" circle equal
to the amount of the Ante bet.
After all players have acted on their hands, the
dealer's three facedown cards will be overturned. If the dealer's hand does not
"qualify", meaning it is a hand with a Queen or higher, the player's hand wins.
If the dealer does qualify, the dealer and player hand will be compared against
a modified poker hand ranking chart, which is essentially the same as a
traditional casino poker hand ranking chart, but for three cards.
If the player's hand
is ranked higher than the dealer's, the player will win even money on the ante
and play bets. In the event of a tie, the Player wins by default.
If the player
holds a Straight, Three of a Kind or Straight Flush, a bonus will be paid
regardless if the dealer has a better hand or not. Look for Bonus pay tables
that pay 5-4-1, rather than 4-3-1. The latter makes the House Edge 6.8%, while
the former brings it down to 3.4%.
For more information on Three
Card Poker, please visit our
Three Card Poker Tips section.
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Poker Games:
