Three Card Poker (Poker Three) Strategy

Three Card Poker is a very simple and fun game to play, but even though it is widely available at many live and online casinos, many casino players are unaware of how to play Three Card Poker effectively.

To begin play, simply place an ante in the appropriate location on the table and click the "Deal" button. The ante can be any amount that you like within the minimum and maximum requirements of the table. However in Three Card Poker in order to win you must place a secondary bet (raise) that is equal to the size of the ante. So your bankroll and the limits you play are a little different to a game such as Blackjack. If you usually play $10 Blackjack then you should probably play a $5 ante in Three Card Poker since you will have to match your ante to win. If you don't adjust your ante bet size then you may be uncomfortable with the size of the variance you experience in Three Card Poker and it will put pressure on your bankroll.

Once you click the "Deal" button you will be dealt three cards. These are the cards you must play – there are no other community cards and you can't discard them. You must base your decision to continue on these cards alone. Optimal strategy is to raise with at least Q64 and fold anything less. The reason for this is based on millions of computer simulations to determine that statistically Q64 is a very slight winning hand whereas Q63 is a very slight losing hand over the long term. Therefore Q64 is the borderline point to raise as you are statistically a favorite to win the hand. Playing with optimal strategy Three Card Poker had a house edge of 3.37% using a standard payout table.

In order for the dealer to qualify he needs at least Queen-high, and although matching the dealer's strategy of raising with Queen-high is acceptable, it does increase the house edge slightly to 3.45%. If you are feeling a bit crazy and want to raise blindly regardless of your cards then you increase the house edge to a whopping 7.65%.

Three Card Poker also offers a nice side bet option called "PairsPlus". Most side bets in casinos are sucker bets in that they have a huge house edge to play. However at most online casinos, Three Card Poker is one of the exceptions to the rule. The PairsPlus side bet offers a house edge of only 2.32% using a standard payout table, so it actually becomes a very viable side bet option to play. Many players even like to simply play the side bet only, which although a little boring, is quite acceptable since the house edge is less than the main game. Many online players use the side bet option to clear the wagering requirements of bonuses, since Three Card Poker is often an allowable game, and the side bet option is a fast way to clear the requirements with minimal risk. Hit a Straight Flush or a Three of a Kind and you'll receive a very nice payout!

Three Card Poker is a great game to play and by applying the correct strategy you will give yourself the best chance of profit!

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