Free Online Casino Games: Three Card Poker Game

Derek Webb came up with the idea for the casino version of 3 Card Poker game in 1994, and he was granted a patent in 1997. Webb’s objective was to develop an understanding of poker that could compete for pace with other table games. It was vitally crucial to Webb that the game’s regulations were straightforward, that the payouts were generous enough to entice players, and that the house advantage was substantial enough to encourage casino owners to take part in the game. There was interest from casinos in adopting the manner of play.

Webb launched a business venture known as Prime Table Games to penetrate the gaming markets in the United States and the United Kingdom. The British Casino Association, now known as the National Casino Industry Forum (NCiF), suggested that Webb first gain some experience in the United States. Because the United Kingdom had regulations against these types of table games and their enforcement, it was not strong enough to convince regulators to make significant changes to its rules and regulations for a new game. Webb persuaded regulators to change the rules and regulations for his casino game by gaining experience in the United States.

After Webb had unsuccessful sales presentations with casino owners in Reno, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City, the game’s early adopter was Barry Morris, vice president of the Grand Casino Gulfport in Mississippi. Webb had pitched the casino game to casino owners in all three cities previously. A significant component of the arrangement that Webb proposed to Morris was that he would personally stand on the gaming floor to instruct the dealers and monitor the action to ensure that the casino game was being played appropriately. In 2002, changes to online gambling laws in the UK made it possible for Three Card Poker to be introduced.

After Prime Table Games ceased marketing Three Card Poker in 1999, Shuffle Master became the new owner of the game’s rights outside the British Isles. Since then, Shuffle Master has continued to distribute the game. The sale was prompted by a lawsuit filed that year in US federal court by Progressive Gaming International Corporation (PGIC), which owned Caribbean Poker at the time. The lawsuit alleged that PGIC infringed on a patent, and as part of the purchase, Shuffle Master agreed to defend PGIC in that litigation. Later, in 2007, Prime Table Games presented evidence in a countersuit alleging the 1999 PGIC case was founded on invalid patent claims; PGIC eventually settled for $20 million. In addition, Prime Table Games sued Shuffle Master in 2008, alleging, among other things, that Shuffle Master had secret knowledge that PGIC’s claims were incorrect before the 1999 purchase; the case was eventually resolved for more than $2 million.

A new variant of poker is gradually arriving at the most important casino; it is 3-card poker, a new casino poker game that is more exciting and faster than what we are used to seeing. But, what does this new variant of poker offer us? How do you play 3 card poker online? And most importantly, what similarities does it have with Texas Holdem Poker, the most played variant in the world?

Here is everything you need to know about 3-card poker :

New Game: 3 Card Poker

The new 3-card poker game is a new variant of casino poker that is becoming very popular among poker fans; due to its attractiveness and speed, this poker variant tries to beat the dealer with each combination of cards that they distribute to us, being able to bet and withdraw or bet and double our bet if we think we can beat the dealer and his hand.

This new online casino game has similarities with the well-known Caribbean poker. Still, its most important peculiarity is to play with 3 cards instead of 5, which means that its rules are modified to adapt to this new style of online casino game you can find in your casino. Favorite.

Normally, 3-card poker is available at most online poker rooms, and you can find it on other platforms if your room does not have it. Although it may not seem like it, these websites usually offer an excellent general offer of games, although people do not know them precisely for their poker games. Here is a good review of Botemania if you want to know more about it.

3 card poker rules

The rules of 3 card poker strategy could not be more straightforward; your game consists of beating the dealer in each combination you want to play so that the online casino game sequence would be:

• The player and the dealer places bets (of the amount of the table he has selected) to receive cards and start playing.
• The player is dealt three cards face down, and the dealer is dealt another 3, so he decides if he wants to play his hand or thinks it’s too bad and decides to fold.
• If you decide to fold, you lose the main bet and must bet again to receive three cards in a new game.
• If he decides to play, the player makes a second bet by doubling his initial bet; with this action, his hand plays against the dealers.
• They both show their cards, and the winner is decided.

As we can see, the sequence is straightforward, but you have to know the specific rules of the confrontation of moves to know if our hand is the winner, there is a tie, it is a loser, or there is simply no game.

How to beat the bank

Being a casino game that can be played for real money, the most important purpose of the game is to beat the bank with plays and thus earn money with it, so the most important thing is to know the specific rules of when we are going to beat the bank with our play.

When you make the second bet to play your hand, both hands are uncovered and compared; for the dealers hand to play, at least one of the Banker’s three cards has to be a Queen or higher or has to have some type of value play, such as pair, straight, etc., so that your play counts, with which:

• You play your cards hand with play, and the bank has only low cards, no queen or better, and no play – You win, but they double the initial bet, and they return the bet to you to play.
•  You play your cards hand with play, and the bank has a queen or higher card and no additional play – You win, they double your initial bet, and they double your bet to play.
• You play your cards hand with play, and the bank has play – They are compared, and if your play is superior to the bank – You win; they double your initial bet, and they double your ante bet to play.
• You play your cards hand with play, and the bank has play – They compare, and your hand is lower than the bank – You lose the initial bet and the bet to play.
• You play your cards hand with a move, and the bank has a move – They are compared, and your move is the same as the bank – Draw, they return the initial bet and the bet to play.

Play ranking

In 3-card poker strategy, you must know their ranking of moves to understand how to get the valid moves to win against the bank; from best to worst move, they are stipulated as follows:

•  Royal Flush – Three cards of the same suit that make a straight to Ace High. ace of spades, spades, queen of spades
• Straight Flush – Three cards in sequence of the same suit 
• Trio  – Three cards with the same value of clubs
• Straight – Three cards in sequence of different suits – two hearts, three diamonds, four hearts
• Flush  – Three cards of the same suit, hearts, two hearts, ace of hearts
• Pair – Two cards of the same value. 5 spades k spades K of Clubs

Additional bonus to the game

The mechanics of winning or losing is straightforward, and it may seem somewhat monotonous with payments of double the amount wagered, but nothing could be further from the truth; the game has a series of additional bonuses to make it more interesting, where the best plays will be rewarded with additional bonuses to your bets, multipliers to your bets based on the hand you manage to play and win.

The bonuses are:

•  Straight Flush – Payout 5 x 1
• Trio – Payment 4 x 1
• Straight – payout 1 x 1

There is another type of bet, called Pair or more, this type of bet is made before the cards are dealt; if you play that you win with a pair or better, your victory will be paid with an improved table:

• Royal Flush – Payout 100 x 1
•  Straight Flush – Payout 35 x 1
• Trio  – Payout 33 x 1
• Climb to – Payment 6 x 1
• Color  – Payment 4 x 1
• Couple – Payment 1 x 1

3 Card Poker vs. Texas Holdem

3-card poker has similarities with Texas Holdem, both in the way of playing and in the way of approaching the game; However, its rules are very different in one, it is played exclusively against rivals, and in this one, it is played exclusively against the bank.

When playing 3 Card Poker, just like with Texas Holdem Poker, you will need to keep in mind:

1. Bank management: You must at all times have adequate bank management, as is recommended when playing poker; since every game has its share of variance with ups and downs of money, you will also have to play at the level that you see fit and only climb levels when you have enough competition and the right bank.
2. Experience and improvement: As you gain experience, you will have to learn which are the best plays to go with bets and when it is better to withdraw and wait for a better hand; the calculation of statistical probabilities and their handling and ease will be essential to advance in this play.
3. Constant study: Experience will always be a degree in this game, which does not mean that we have to improve day by day in our game, consult, review and study all the material on 3-card poker that falls into your hands to reach the perfection as a player, be it books, articles or videos.
4. Do not neglect the mental aspect: Knowing how to control your emotions will greatly help you not to suffer in bad streaks and not overestimate yourself in good ones; consult our poker psychology section for more information.

Author: Varuun Singhan