Three card poker is a popular casino game that is played at online and land based casinos. The game is sometimes referred to as poker three, tri card poker, and trey poker. Although the names are different, the game is still the same. The variation in the name is due to the fact that the three card poker is name protected, and in order to avoid royalty payments casinos simply use an alternative but easily recognizable name.

Three card poker is really two games played simultaneously. Casinos will let you play one of the games or play both together. The majority of online casinos expect players to participate in both games. The first game is ante/play, the competitive part of the game, and the other is pair plus where you earning based on the quality of your hand. If you play both games together, you’ll have to bet different sums on the individual games.

The game uses the traditional deck of 52 cards. Cards are issued to the dealer in sets of three by an automated shuffling machine. Rules of the game are outlined on the card table in every player’s place. The main rules go something like this:

Play must be equal to Ante

Dealer needs a queen high or above to play – Some casinos require a minimum King High (This gives the house a higher advantage). As such, you need to be strategic just like when you play agen bola.

Hand Values

A review of the hand ranking list will reveal a straight is higher in rank than any flush. This is due to the fact that it’s easier to make a flush than a straight. Aces can play a high or a low to a straight. A flush with an ace high is considered the highest a hand can be in the game.

Three Card Poker Rules

Players must first place their bets on the pair plus and ante slots on the poker table. These bets may be any sum, as long as they’re within the limits indicated on the table. With the bets placed, the players and dealer are given three cards dealt face down.

Players are allowed to examine their cards to determine whether they will fold or play. They fold by handing the cards back, but they’ll also lose their ante bet. Play continues if they decide to keep the card, but the player will have to place a bet that is equal to the ante. By folding, the player does not forfeit his earnings on the pair plus wagers if he has a pair or above.

Once all the other players have made a decision, the dealer flips his cards over. He won’t qualify to play is he doesn’t have a queen or higher. He will have to make payouts to the players for their ante bets. He will also have to pay out an extra bonus to players who were dealt a straight or better. For their play bets players will get a push.

If the dealer qualifies, players who can’t beat his hand will lose their play and ante bets, but they could still qualify for the ante bonus if they have a straight or better. Players who trump the dealer will earn an even payout on their play and ante bets in addition to the bonus if they meet the requirements.

Strategy for Ante-Play

In the ante-play version of three card poker, the main strategy is that players ought to know how high the hand needs to be for best results. He needs to use basic rules to determine if to play or not. Generally, the hand should be Q-6-4 or something higher in order to play.

So the strategy boils down to this:

  • Play Q-6-4 or higher
  • Fold when it’s anything lower
  • Pair Plus Play

In the pair plus version of the game, the player’s only decision is the amount he should bet. Other than that, there’s no strategy involved in the game. At full pay, pair plus pay has a low casino advantage – or least one that is on par with any other poker game played on tables. The generous payouts and the opportunity to win some money, at least one out of every four times, is the reason so many people flock to the game.

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Rosalinda is a game theory analyst and an avid reader. She loves studying old casino cultural history. Her friends refer to her as an interesting nerd.