Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks
- Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks Tips
- How To 3 Card Poker
- 3 Card Poker Tips And Tricks
- Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks For Beginners
- Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks To Play
The first step to devising any successful 3 Card Poker strategy is to familiarize yourself with the Pair Plus odds. There are 22,100 winning hands, or around 25.6% of the total possible combinations. In 3 Card Poker you win if you successfully produce a pair, flush, straight, three of a kind or straight flush. The object is to have your three card poker hand to beat the dealer’s three card poker hand. You first make an Ante bet. After receiving your three card hand, you can surrender your hand and Ante wager or make a Play bet equal to your Ante bet before the dealer’s hand is revealed. If you win, you win both of your bets.
The Queen-Six-Four Strategy. Casino gamblers universally accept only one 3 Card Poker strategy. That is to play when you have a hand consisting of Queen-6-4 or higher and fold on everything else. It is that simple. In 3 Card Poker, the hands get ranked from the highest one to the next highest.
Just what is it? Three Card Poker is also known as Tri Card Poker, Trey Poker and Poker Three but why all the names for the same game? Well, it all started out as a name protected casino table game called 3 Card Poker that became very popular. Then it seems that others wanted to offer the game without paying the royalties due so they just renamed it. So whether it's called 3 Card, Tri Card or just plain Tri Poker, the rules are the same, the optimal playing strategy is the same and a lot of players love it.Three Card Poker is two gambling games in one. You are usually allowed to play either one or both games at the same time, but some casinos will require you to play both. The two games are 'ante/play', where you compete against the dealer, and 'pair plus' that has different bonus payouts for hands of one pair or better. When both games are played at the same time, players may wager different amounts on each game.
The games are played with a standard 52 card deck. The cards are distributed to the dealer in groups of three by an automatic shuffling machine. The player's table layout is shown at the right. The rules are also printed on the table at each player spot, just like this: (note :) The rules listed below are FULL PAY. Always look for these!
- Play MUST EQUAL Ante
- Dealer Plays With QUEEN High or Better - At some casinos dealers play with a King High or Better. The result is a much higher house advantage.
- When Dealer Does Not Play:
- Play Pays: PUSH
- Ante Pays: 1 to 1
- When Dealer Plays:
- Play Pays: 1 to 1
- Ante Pays: 1 to 1
3 card hand values: The first thing you will probably notice from the hand rankings list below is that a straight has a higher ranking than a flush. That's simply because there are fewer ways to make a 3 card straight than a 3 card flush. As in most poker games, aces play both high and low to a straight. An ace high straight flush is the highest hand you can get and some casinos have also added a mini-royal flush to the ante bonus and pair plus pay table.
Rules - Ante/Play & Pair Plus
This game starts with the players placing bets in the 'ante', 'pair plus' or both spots on the table layouts. The ante and pair plus wagers can be any amount within the posted table limits. The players and the dealer all get three cards, face down. The players all look at their hands and either fold by giving their cards back and losing their ante bet, or play by placing a bet, equal to the ante, in the 'play' spot on the layout. Note that even if the player folds, pair plus wagers are still paid on any pair or better.
| Hand Rankings | Full Pay Pair Plus Table | Full Pay Ante Bonus Table |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-Royal | - | - |
| Straight Flush | 40 to 1 | 5 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 30 to 1 | 4 to 1 |
| Straight | 6 to 1 | 1 to 1 |
| Flush | 4 to 1 | - |
| Pair | 1 to 1 | - |
| High Card | - | - |
The dealer then turns over his cards. If he does not have queen high or better, he doesn't 'qualify' to play and pays the active players even money on their ante bets and those with a straight or better are paid the additional ante bonus shown above. These players get a 'push' on their play bets. If he does have a qualifying hand, those who cannot beat it lose their antes and their play bets, but can still win the ante bonus with a straight or higher. Those who can beat the dealer win even money on their ante and play bets plus the ante bonus, if any.
Strategy - Ante/Play
In Three Card Poker ante/play, the only thing the expert player needs to know is how high his or her hand should be to produce the best possible long term results, if played. The answer to that question is Q-6-4 or higher.
High card hands between Q-6-4 through K-Q-10 are loss limit plays. These are hands with negative expectations. They will lose less if played than they will in ante forfeiture losses if they are not played. Ace high hands and better have positive expectations. The house advantage for ante/play, against the optimal strategy shown below is a comfortable 3.37%. Not too bad for the player.*
Optimal Three Card Poker Strategy
- Always play Q-6-4 or higher
- Never play anything lower
* Note: The house advantage percentages referred to are based on the full pay schedules shown above. Be aware that lower payouts, especially in pair plus, are used in many places that double and triple the house advantage against the player. Avoid games with a pair plus payout of only 3-1 for a flush instead of 4-1 etc. and look for full pay games.
Pair Plus 'Non-Strategy' and Unequal Bets Play
Since the only decision the player has to make in pair plus is how much to bet, there is no optimal strategy involved. However, at full pay the low house advantage of 2.3% makes it about as attractive as any table poker game you can find. You can't bet five dollars and win a house here, but the payouts are very generous and you should get a pay hand of some sort about 25% of the time. This is a good game but you want to remember that the win/loss swings are much more volatile in pair plus than in ante/play.
| Poker Hand | AB1 | AB2 | AB3 | PP1 | PP2 | PP3 | PP4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Flush | 5 | 5 | 4 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Three of a Kind | 4 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 30 |
| Straight | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Flush | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||
| Pair | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| House Advantage | 3.37% | 3.61% | 3.83% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 5.6% | 7.3% |
| AB = Ante Bonus, PP = Pair Plus | |||||||
Most places allow you to make unequal bets on the two games. A conservative bet would be two units on ante/play and one unit on pair plus, or equal bets. A more aggressive approach is to place more on pair plus than on ante/play. Many good players prefer to keep their pair plus to ante play ratio on the conservative side and try to get a little ahead before they get aggressive and load up on the pair plus.
6 Card Bonus
The 6 card bonus side bet is an optional wager that gives players one more chance to win. To play, place a bet within table limits inside the 6 card bonus betting circle. Depending on the casino you may also be required to place a wager on the ante and/or pair plus betting spots. You then combine your three card hand with the dealer's three card hand to form the best five card hand. A 6 card bonus winning hand is paid regardless of the outcome on the ante/play bet. Some of the more popular pay tables are listed below and will vary by casino.
Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks Tips
| Poker Hand | Pay Table 1 | Pay Table 2 | Pay Table 3 | Pay Table 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 1,000 to 1 | 1,000 to 1 | 1,000 to 1 | 1,000 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 200 to 1 | 200 to 1 | 200 to 1 | 200 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 100 to 1 | 100 to 1 | 50 to 1 | 50 to 1 |
| Full House | 20 to 1 | 20 to 1 | 25 to 1 | 25 to 1 |
| Flush | 15 to 1 | 15 to 1 | 20 to 1 | 15 to 1 |
| Straight | 9 to 1 | 10 to 1 | 10 to 1 | 10 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 5 to 1 | 5 to 1 |
| House Advantage | 6.74% | 8.56% | 10.23% | 15.28% |
| Hit frequency | 7.2798% | 7.2798% | 7.2798% | 7.2798% |
Even the best pay table gives the house a larger than acceptable advantage of 6.74%, which makes the 6 card bonus side bet a bad gamble.
Progressive
The progressive side bet, developed by Shuffle Master in 2008, adds a jackpot element that is popular with many players. The rules are simple: Place a bet, within table limits, on the progressive betting sensor and play your hand as usual. If your hand is a mini-royal AKQ of spades, you win the jackpot. The pay tables below show typical payouts and house edge numbers.
| Poker Hand | Pay Table 1 | Pay Table 2 | Envy |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKQ Spades | 100% | 100% | $100 |
| AKQ Hearts/Diamonds/Clubs | 500 for 1 | 500 for 1 | $25 |
| Straight Flush | 70 for 1 | 100 for 1 | |
| Three of a Kind | 60 for 1 | 90 for 1 | |
| Straight | 6 for 1 | - | |
| Seed Amount | $1,000 | $1,000 | |
| House Advantage | 22.33% | 22.85% | |
| Hit Frequency | 3.72% | .45% | |
| Probability of top payout | 22,100 to 1 | 22,100 to 1 | |
| Top payout average ($1 wager) | $4,000 | $5,000 |
Note that the payouts are listed as odds-for-1 which means the original wager is not returned. With a house advantage of 22% you should stay far away from this game unless the jackpot is very, very high.
Envy Bonus Payout
If you place a wager on the progressive side bet and another player seated at the table has AKQ suited (a mini-royal), you are eligible for the envy bonus payout. Here are a few rules to be aware of:
- Players with AKQ suited are paid according to the pay table and are not eligible to receive their own envy bonus.
- Dealer with AKQ suited does not trigger the envy bonus.
- If you are playing multiple hands and hit a mini royal, the other hands are eligible for the envy bonus. (the hands are considered independent of each other)
Prime
Prime is an optional side bet that was invented by Derek Webb, the same man who invented three card poker. To play you must put a wager on the prime betting spot, ante/play and/or pair plus as required by the casino. If all three of your cards are the same color or your cards and the dealer's cards are all the same color, you win.
| Hand | Pay Table 1 |
|---|---|
| Your three cards and the dealer's three cards are all the same color | 4 to 1 |
| Your three card hand is the same color | 3 to 1 |
| House Advantage | 3.62% |
If your three cards are not the same color, the prime bet is lost and collected by the dealer. The ante/play and pair plus games are played out as usual.
The house advantage on prime is 3.62%... not too bad for a side bet.
| Rank | Casino | Sign Up Bonus | Bonus Code | Full Pay Games | Visit Casino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% up to $/€/£ 250 | Ante/Play Pair Plus | ||||
| €200 Free or 200 Free Spins | Ante/Play Pair Plus |
This three-card variant of poker saw the light in America in 1994. Its inventor Derek Webb thought that combining the excitement of playing poker with a certain amount of speed would make three-card poker a great casino game. Although the game has not significantly penetrated the world of gambling, it nevertheless meets the basic preconditions for a successful game.
Three-card poker has easy rules that, as we will show, can be learnt by virtually anyone. The game also has very generous payout ratios that attract players to the table, and it also has a house edge high enough to be attractive for casinos.
How To 3 Card Poker
Rules of the Three Card Poker
The game is very similar to poker. It is played with a deck of 52 two cards, and most poker hand ratings are used. You can also play this poker variation in two modes according to your bets. First of all, you can bet Ante and Play – in which case you are playing against the dealer. The second bet is called PairPlus and the player bets on the final hand combination, just like in video poker.
At the beginning of the game round, the player decides whether to bet an Ante or a PairPlus bet. Then the dealer deals three cards to everyone at the table, including himself. Players now have the opportunity to see their cards.
No one sees the dealer’s cards. Those players who bet on Ante can now either raise or fold cards. If the player does fold, his bet will, of course, be void. If the player raises, he/she places a bet of the same amount as the Ante as the Play bet.
Once all players have played, the dealer’s cards are turned over. In order for a dealer to qualify for the game, his hand must be at least Queen high. If the dealer does not qualify for the game, Ante bets are paid out 1:1 and Play bets are pushed.
If the dealer qualifies, his cards are compared to the player’s cards and whoever has the higher hand wins. If a player wins, both his Ante and Play bets are paid out 1:1. If it’s a tie, both bets are push, and if the dealer wins, the player loses both bets. If a player has a hand of at least Straight and higher, he/she receives the Ante bonus, regardless of the dealer’s hand.
If a player places a PairPlus bet and gets a winning combination, he/she is paid the amount according to the payout ratio in the table.
3 Card Poker Tips And Tricks
| Hand | PairPlus | Ante Bonus |
| Straight Flush | 40 to 1 | 5 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 30 to 1 | 4 to 1 |
| Straight | 6 to 1 | 1 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 1 | 0 |
| Pair | 1 to 1 | 0 |
The Optimal Strategy for Three-card Poker
The optimal strategy is quite easy, with three card poker. First of all, it is recommended to bet only Ante and therefore Play bet. The PairPlus bet has a significantly higher house edge, as much as 7.28%. Many players may argue that it is in the PairPlus bet that offers high payouts. But the house edge is the house edge, and the player will lose more in the long run.
There is a very simple strategy for an Ante / Play bet. The key is the value Q, 6, 4. If you have at least such a strong hand, the player is mathematically more advantageous. Otherwise, it is better to fold the cards. The probability of Q, 6, 4 or higher is 69.59%. If you play according to this strategy, the house edge for Ante bet is 3.37%.
House edge calculation for individual bets
Return to player for PairPlus bet
| Hand | Payout | Combinations | Probability | Return |
| Straight Flush | 40 | 48 | 0,217% | 8,689% |
| Three of a kind | 30 | 52 | 0,235% | 7,059% |
| Straight | 6 | 720 | 3,258% | 19,548% |
| Flush | 3 | 1096 | 4,959% | 14,778% |
| Pair | 1 | 3744 | 16,941% | 16,941% |
| Everything else | -1 | 16440 | 74,390% | -74,390% |
| Sum | 22100 | 100% | –7,28 % |
Return to player for the Ante bet
Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks For Beginners
| Win | Combinations | Probability | Return to Player |
| 7 | 617 044 | 0,152% | 1,061% |
| 6 | 931 972 | 0,229% | 1,373% |
| 5 | 289 104 | 0,071% | 0,355% |
| 3 | 8 976 452 | 2,205% | 6,614% |
| 2 | 91 100 695 | 22,374% | 44,748% |
| 1 | 80 955 780 | 19,882% | 19,882% |
| 0 | 249 216 | 0,062% | 0,000% |
| -1 | 132 923 304 | 32,646% | -32,646% |
| -2 | 91 126 832 | 22,381% | -44,762% |
| Sum | 407 170 400 | 100% | -3,73% |
Three Card Poker Tips And Tricks To Play
In conclusion, we should mention again that the calculated return and thus also the advantage of the casino are valid only in the case of playing according to the optimal strategy. So play at Q, 6, 4 and more.