It Pays to Play
Three card poker a smart alternative to stud poker
In recent years, three card poker has become increasingly popular. Many players view it as a superior alternative to Caribbean stud poker because you get paid on strong hands even if the dealer doesn't qualify. Caribbean stud is a great game, but it's frustrating when you get a Full House or 4-of-a-kind and the dealer has nothing--you don't get the big payout that you deserve.
There’s a secret to giving your self a chance to win at three card poker. You should raise your bet when you have Queen-6-4 or better. Playing with a Queen-6-4 or better has been mathematically proven to be the best strategy for winning at 3-card poker consistently.
Three Card Poker is easy to learn and simple to play. Let's say you are at a $5 table. Place a $5 chip on "ante." Check your cards. If your hand beats Queen-6-4, place another $5 chip on "play", otherwise fold.
There is one other key to maximizing your chances of winning: Pick a game with a good pay table. In addition to ante and play, pair plus gives the player one more betting option. Generally speaking, good games will pay 4-to-1 on your pair plus bet when you hit a Flush. Other games pay only 3-to-1.
The pair plus part of the game at full payout gives the house an advantage of less than 3 ½ percent. That makes the game as attractive as any table poker game you can find. You should get a pay hand of some sort about 25 percent of the time. Most casinos 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.
In ante and play, you are playing against the dealer. After examining your three poker cards, and estimating the probability of beating the dealer, you must decide whether to fold or play.
Suddenly, Strategy Entered
If you have a winning poker hand, such as a pair, three-of-a-kind, a flush, or a straight, you should definitely play. Your odds of winning ante and play are very high when you hold one of these winning poker hands.
If you do not have a winning poker hand, you should play anyway if you have a hand of Queen-6-4 or better. Remember that poker hands are ranked according to the highest card. The second card and than the third, are examined only to break a tie.
Comments
win big
Posted by Beverly Reid | September 29, 2008 16:43 | Permalink