3 Card Poker at the Online Casino
Poker games have been around for centuries. They have changed again and again over the course of time. That is why today there are a multitude of different variations. Especially in the online casino you become aware of the variety. If you are looking for poker games, the list is very extensive. Among them are Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild and of course Texas Hold’em. Casino Hold’em Poker is probably the most popular of the poker games. After online poker caused a real boom for a while, the offer is also so extensive. There were even online casinos that specialised in the card games.
Poker games are an important part of the online casino. There are many games even in the live casino. A real croupier deals the cards there and runs the game. It feels like you are sitting at the gaming table in a real casino. Since there are so many variations, it is not surprising that new ones are constantly coming onto the market. In 1994, another new poker variation was introduced. Derek Webb introduced 3 Card Poker to the public. At first, however, it did not look as if many players were enthusiastic about it. The game was not really accepted and it took a long time for it to spread across the USA to the casinos. In our guide you will find everything you need to know about the game of 3 Card Poker and how you can play it online.
Popularity of 3 Card Poker
The game is now a must in every online casino. You can play it on the poker machine but also in the live casino. A round of 3 Card Poker is played much faster than any of the other card games. That’s what makes it so attractive to players in the online casino. For example, if you play via the browser in the mobile casino, you don’t want to spend a long time with just one game round. There are a few more reasons why 3 Card Poker is so popular.
- The game is easy to understand and can be played by anyone.
- The house edge is not very high, so you have good chances of winning.
- There are easy strategies you can learn to improve your chances of winning.
- You can play it conveniently anytime and anywhere.
- Two game variations can be played with only one hand.
Special card combinations in 3 Card Poker
Even if you already know poker, you need to learn the special card combinations. They differ from a classic poker hand. However, many of the combinations are easier to remember if you have already played a poker game or two. We have compiled the most important poker hands. We start with the highest value.
- Straight Flush
This is three cards of the same suit in a consecutive order, such as hearts 7, 8, 9 or diamonds 5, 6, 7. - Three of a kind
The value of all three cards is the same (example: 9 of hearts, 9 of diamonds, 9 of spades). - Straight
If the order of the cards is consecutive but the suit of all the cards is different, you have a straight. An example of this would be the cards 7 of Diamonds, 8 of Hearts and 9 of Spades. - Flush
When your hand shows three cards of the same suit but the order is not consecutive. This would be the case, for example, with 4 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts and 10 of Hearts. - Pair
Here only two cards in your hand are decisive. Both cards have the same value with different suits. The third card is not relevant and is the substitute card that does not bring you the win. An example of a pair would be a 10 of hearts and 10 of diamonds, with the substitute card being a 7 of spades. - High Card
It may happen that neither you nor the dealer have one of the above card combinations. In this case, the player with the highest card in his hand wins. But the dealer must have at least a queen. Anything less than that does not count as the highest card against you.
If you have played poker before, you will have noticed that there is no such thing as a full house. The combinations of the hand are a bit more complicated with three cards and a full house is simply not possible. With the three cards, a straight is also more difficult to achieve than a flush and is therefore better valued. Just as the three of a kind has a high value because the probability of getting it is lower.
Online 3 Card Poker Game Guide
There is a lot you need to know about the card game before you start. It is different from regular poker, so don’t get confused if you have played poker often before. Make sure it is labelled as 3 Card Poker.
The game is played with only one pack of cards, as everyone is dealt only three cards. The dealer lays his cards face up in front of him. On the playing field, the spaces for the cards are already marked. You will also find such markings on your side of the table. There you can lay your cards face up in the game. Two marks can be found to place bets, one for Pair Plus and one for Ante. When you play on the internet, you will be shown the payout tables for the bets. Before you start a game, the minimum and maximum bets are also displayed. This is to help you avoid accidentally playing at a table where the stakes exceed your limit.
We explained at the beginning that there are two types of games you can play with one hand. These are Ante and Pairs Plus, which we will now discuss in more detail in the gameplay.
Ante in 3 Card Poker
On the one hand, there is the ante game, which you can choose by placing your bet in the designated field.
- You have to place a bet. There is a special field for this type of game. You can choose one game or you have to place a bet on both.
- The croupier deals three cards face down to the player and himself.
- You can look at your cards and decide whether to play or fold. If you play, your bet must be equal to the ante bet. You may not bet more or less than you originally did. If you decide to fold, you also call it a “fold”. In this case, your ante bet is gone and your cards are taken back.
- Let’s assume that you have decided to continue playing. In this case, the dealer shows his cards face up in front of him.
- The dealer must reveal a combination of cards in front of him. If he does not have any, then at least a high card game is necessary. So there must be at least one queen in front of him. If there is no combination and the dealer’s highest card is a jack or lower, then you get paid the winning odds for your bet.
- You also receive your winnings according to the odds if your hand has a higher value than the dealer’s hand.
- If the dealer’s cards are better and you lose, then your bets are also gone.
- In rare cases, there is an exact tie. In this case, there is a push and your bet remains for the next hand.
You can also get a bonus when playing ante. This does not involve playing against the dealer. You only have to have one of the combinations in your hand to receive a bonus payment. The bonus is independent of a win or loss against the dealer. The following bonus winnings are paid out in this case:
- Straight Flush 5:1
- Three of a kind 4:1
- Straight 1:1
A little luck with the hand can pay off in any case. In this case, however, it is really only chance that is decisive.
Pairs Plus in 3 Card Poker
The second game variation is Pairs Plus. You can play it alone or at the same time as the ante game.
- You have to place your bet in the field provided for this purpose.
- The cards are then dealt. The dealer places the three cards face down in front of everyone.
- If you have chosen to play Pairs Plus only, you do not need to do anything else. If you choose to play ante at the same time, you must follow the steps as described above.
- The dealer’s cards are not relevant in Pairs Plus. It only depends on whether you have a pair or a better combination in your hand.
In Pairs Plus at 3 Card Poker, the paytable for your hand is displayed each time. In general, the combinations will pay out as follows:
- Straight Flush 40:1
- Three of a kind 30:1
- Straight 6:1
- Flush 3:1
- Pair 1:1
The high card is not relevant in the game, as you must have at least one pair.
