Three Card Poker is established as one of the most popular online casino games. It’s relatively simple rules and exciting nature has ensured that it has a presence on virtually all online casinos. Three Card Poker is ideal for beginners and also offers the prospect of some very nice returns.
Three Card Poker is a variation on the original game of Poker. It has proved ideal for the transition to online gambling on the Internet. Modern variations include ‘Prime Three Card Poker’ where the Prime wager can be placed before the cards are dealt and pays on the colour of the player’s cards. Another variation is 'Six Card Bonus' in which the players are paid out based on the best five-card hand that can be made using any combination of their three cards and the dealer's three cards.
The history of Poker can be traced back around 400 years to a number of European card games. The most popular belief is that French soldiers adopted a five-card game called “As Nas” from their Persian allies during the 17th century. They modified the rules by introducing some bluffing and changed the name to ‘Poque’. French settlers then took this version to the Louisiana Territory where it became known as ‘Poker’.
All Three Card Poker tables offer two games, ‘Pair Plus’ and ‘Ante and Play’. In most casinos, players can choose to play one version or both games during any round of Three Card Poker. The Pair Plus wager is paid on a pay scale basis that the player hand will be a pair or better. The Ante and Play wagers play in competition on the player hand against the dealer hand. After all Ante and Pair Plus wagers are placed, three cards are dealt to each player and also to the dealer.
However, experts believe that Three Card Poker was not derived from Poker at all but traces back to a four-card game played in the Renaissance called ‘Primero’. This game developed in Elizabethan Britain to become a three-card game called ‘Brag’. This game remained popular in England into the 20th century and is thought to be the inspiration for British professional poker player Derek Webb to create a new casino table game in the 1990’s. This would eventually become known as “Three Card Poker.”
The house will have an average advantage of 3.5% over the other players, but the dealer needs a Queen or higher to qualify. You will have to make the decision to either bet or fold. If you are not confident that you have a chance in winning the hand, folding is clearly the most sensible option. Remember you are not in competition with the other players in Three Card Poker. You only need to focus on beating the dealer. A general rule is that a hand lower than a Queen, Six and Three is not sufficient to justify a bet.
Aggressive play is never the best strategy in Three Card Poker. You should be prepared to play conservatively to avoid being tempted into betting too heavily on low value hands. It also pays to give yourself regular breaks to assess your situation. Three Card Poker is a fast moving game and it is easy to get frustrated if things start to go against you. A few minutes away from the table will allow you to gather your thoughts and return with a fresh outlook on the game.
Three card poker, despite being relatively new, is favored by a lot of people. This is because you have a great chance of winningagainst the house compared to other variants of poker. One can choose between a bet with frequent payoutsor a bet with a maximum of 40 the bet.