 Ask the Wizard: |
Three Card Poker |
At the Borgata casino in Atlantic City, I noticed a new Pair Plus pay table.
100-1 Mini Royal, 50-1 Straight Flush, 40-1 Three of a kind, 6-1 Straight, 3-1 flush, 1-1
pair. What is the house edge for this pay table?
— Pete Braff from Long Beach
The house edge under that pay table is a comparatively low 1.85%. Kudos to the Borgata, assuming your information is correct.
Based on viewer feedback, the Borgata lowered the win on a three of a kind to 30 to 1 sometime during 2008.
July 21, 2008
On your site you show the difference in house advantage for Three
Card Poker with the Mini-Royal payout on the Pair Plus bet. At a local Casino here in Arizona the Mini-Royal plays on the Ante Bonus instead of the Pair Plus. The Ante Bonus pays as follows, 3 of a kind 6 to 1, straight flush 8 to 1, mini royal 50 to 1. What is the change in House Advantage on the Ante and Play with this pay table?
Thanks, Jesse from Scottsdale
I’ve never seen that before; thanks for the information. The house edge on the ante bet, with those ante bonuses, is 4.75%. January 13, 2008
When using a five dollar match play coupon in Three Card Poker, would the optimal strategy change on the Ante/Play portion, based on the following assumptions? The $5 match play must be placed only on the ante bet. Also, in Washington State, the match play coupon has "no monetary value," and thus is not counted when determining how much must be bet on the play portion. Thus, a $5 bet on the ante with a match play requires a $5 bet on the play portion, not a $10 bet. Thank you. – Richard from Bremerton, WA
I assume if the dealer doesn’t qualify, then the player wins $10. In this case, the player should always raise. According to my calculations, the value of this coupon is $2.57. September 30, 2007
With regards to your California Three Card Poker section, there is a casino in Oceanside that offers the game with similar rules. The casino shows one card, but in order to win your ante bet the dealer hand does not have to beat the player's hand. What is the house edge in this game? – Joshua K. from Oceanside
That rule change is worth 2.49% in the player's favor, lowering the house edge from 4.30% to 1.80%. The subraction is not exactly 2.5% less, due to rounding. September 1, 2007
When playing Three Card Poker, and spotting a dealer card, I am aware the edge is 3.48%, played properly. However, the game I play has the 1, 3, 4 Ante Bonus table. I am curious as to the effect this has on my edge over the game, as well as my edge if I only identify ace/paint/non-paint.
p.s. I only play this game because of your book and when one of my sloppy blackjack dealers is dealing Three Card Poker. First time I played I got a straight flush, and the reaction from the table "experts" tearing into me for not playing pair plus was worth the 40 to 1 bet I didn't win. Ignorance is bliss I suppose. – Brock W. from Bible Hill, N.S.
Thank you for buying my book. I heard somebody out there bought a copy. The difference in house edge between the usual 1/4/5 and the 1/3/4 pay tables is 0.46%. So that would lower the player advantage from 3.48% to 3.02% if you can tell the dealer's rank exactly, and 1.95% if you can only tell paint/no paint. I’ve suffered in silence the Pairplus lecture many times, so I know how you feel. July 25, 2007
I went to Vegas last month and played Three Card Poker for the first time. I got a straight flush, and was so excited to win that I didn't notice that the dealer only paid out 20 to 1 instead of 40 to 1. I lost a few hands and left the table to go cash in, then realized what had happened. My question is, if I notice an error in the future, what should I do? I'm assuming after I left the table it was way too late, but what is the rule if I'm still at the table? If I don't point out an error before the next hand begins, is it too late? – Scott from San Diego
Ideally, you should challenge the hand before it is over, while it is still easy to run back the cards. It doesn’t hurt to ask later than that, but you are not entitled to anything. This is getting outside my area of expertise, but the decision whether or not to review the tape would likely depend on the amount of money involved and your value as a player. July 17, 2007
Why does the dealer have an advantage in Three Card Poker? First, it is three random cards vs. three random cards. Second, even if the dealer beats you, he has to qualify, so wouldn't that give YOU the player the advantage? I know, it's stupid but my brain can't comprehend. — Chris from Coon Rapids
Much as in blackjack, the dealer has the advantage because he gets to act last. If both the player and dealer in blackjack bust, the player loses. In Three Card Poker, if both the player and dealer have lousy hands, the player will fold first, and lose. June 2, 2007
As a dealer, I can help with the Three Card Poker positioning of the toke bet question. A smart dealer will position the bet between the pair plus and ante spots and then can take advantage of either bet winning. Shhhhhhhhhh, don’t tell on me. – Name withheld from Niagara Falls
Three Card Poker toking: If a player tokes on the ANTE bet, but does not toke on the dealer's play bet, then the toke bet is technically "surrendered," - just as if the player had refused to make his own PLAY bet to play out the hand, technically. However, most dealers ignore the absence of a matching PLAY dealer's bet, and are loath to petition a generous player for fear of appearing selfish, so just pay the ANTE dealer's bet. Of course, the PLAYER must ALWAYS make a PLAY bet to match his ANTE bet if he wants to play out his Three Card Poker hand. Is there an unfair dealer's toke edge to this practice, or is it similar to surrendering after double down for less? I think it's unimportant, as since the player's hand is active, then the toke is active, and the risk versus reward are simply cut in half for both the dealer and the house, - no harm done. The wizard's view would be GREATLY appreciated by this dealer. Regards, Dan from Las Vegas
You're right. If the player makes an ante bet for the dealer then he doesn't seem required to match it with a raise bet if he raises his own bet. The optimal strategy on the tip is to raise with K/Q/10 or better. To keep it simple, this is almost the same as ace high. Anything less and the raise portion of the tip is a bad bet. Following this strategy will result in an advantage of 26.09% on the combined tip bets.
January 18, 2007
Hi, Wizard. The casino here allows players to take over another player's hand in Three Card Poker if he wishes to fold. The player taking over the hand must put up the play bet himself. Should I take over his hand if I know that one of the dealer's cards is 2 to J (low rank card)? What is the player edge? Thanks for your reply. - James from Genting, Malaysia
Yes, you should. If you see the dealer has a 2 to jack the odds favor raising on anything. Using this strategy does result in a player advantage. I get into the details in my book Gambling 102.
December 26, 2006
I deal 3 Card Poker and I like to play my tip bets on the ante. Will I win more money for myself on the ante or should I be going for the long shot on the pairs plus bet? Thanks! – Tim from Deadwood
If you can trust the player to make the raise bet when he raises his own bet then you should put the tip on the ante. However, if the player will never make the raise bet for you, then the tip would carry a 10.11% house edge, making the Pairplus the much better bet.
October 4, 2006
I have begun playing 3-card guts online for play money (they do offer live games). My question is....
Where can I find a guide for what would be a medium starting hand in a 10 handed game...9 handed..8 handed , and so on. The hand rankings are the same as three card poker.
I have found the probabilities for three card poker on your site.
But I do not know how to go deeper to find the medium expected hand.
Can you help? – Annie from Prior Lake
Following is the median high hand according to the number of players. This is based on an assumption of independence between hands, which is not the case, but the table should still be a very close estimate.
| Median Hand in Guts |
| Players |
Median Hand |
| 1 | K,10,2 |
| 2 | A,Q,8 |
| 3 | 5,5,K |
| 4 | 9,9,7 |
| 5 | J,J,Q |
| 6 | K,K,5 |
| 7 | A,A,7 |
| 8 | 8,5,3 flush |
| 9 | 10,8,6 flush |
| 10 | J,10,6 flush |
June 9, 2006
Last night, a fellow player at a 3-Card Poker table
dropped his cards on the floor. After the cards were dealt, he had picked them up and was opening them up with one hand while showing them to his son who was a "spectator" behind him. Somehow he fumbled them and all 3 fell to the floor. I had already looked at my two hands ( a flush and a straight!) and placed my bets. The floorman told everyone all their hands were "dead". When I asked for the supervisor, he came over, thought about it for a few seconds, and also agreed it was a "dead" hand. Is this the standard rule on this type of occurance? Should all hands have been disqualified, or just the offender's (who, by the way, had a Q,6,5). I was betting $10 per spot, so my loss was $150 in winnings (I am assuming that I beat the dealer - he never did show his cards). Should I have asked for a copy of the written rule on this? Should I have not given in after the supervisor's ruling?
- Linda from Atlantic City
I forwarded this story to Brian, who is a former gaming regulator and current operator. Here is what he wrote.
All of the table limit signs usually have the caveat "management decision is final" - not much comfort to the player, but they'll fall back on this for justification. In the scenario described, I would have allowed the hand to continue especially if all of the cards were already out. If I had concerns, I would change the deck out after the hand. Many casinos won't allow 3CP players to even look at their hands until all cards are dealt. This was cutting into my hands per hour so I changed the procedures. Since the potential appeasement payout for a person that receives a good hand and then the shuffler dies is relatively small, I'm willing to take the risk. In Caribbean Stud, no one touches the cards until they are all on the table.
April 19, 2006
If you have a sloppy Three Card Poker dealer who shows
one of their cards, how does this change the house
advantage? For instance, you are holding a Q-8-6 and you see
that the dealer is holding a Queen or higher, the player
would most likely fold the hand thereby affecting basic
strategy and the house advantage.
If the dealer exposes one of his cards, which
happens frequently, the player has a 3.48% advantage if
the information is used properly. I explain the proper
strategy in my book Gambling
102. However, to answer your question, you would fold
Q86 against a queen. Sept.
4, 2005
What is the standard deviation on the Ante & Play
bets in Three Card Poker?
1.64 Jan. 16,
2005
I'm a croupier working in a UK casino and just thought
I'd point out that our version of Three Card Poker has a
slightly different paytable than any of the ones listed on
your page.. We pay 35-1 for a straight flush, and 33-1 for
three of a kind (then 6-1, 4-1 and 1-1 for the other 3). -
Richard T.
The house edge of that pay table is 2.70%.
Jan. 16, 2005
Assume there are 7 players plus the dealer in a game
of Three Card Poker and that the Players only wager the BET
if they have Queen/Six/Four or better. Let's assume that I
do not have Queen/Six/Four but delay in making my decision
until the other six players have made their bets and assume
I notice that the other 6 players all wager the BET on the
hand. Are my chances significantly improved that the dealer
will not Qualify - so that I should wager the BET?
You sure make a lot of assumptions. Yes, if you
see the other six players raise then there are probably a
disproportionate number of kings and aces out of the
deck. That would leave the remaining deck rich in smaller
cards, making it more likely the dealer will not qualify.
So if you had a hand just under Q64 and everyone raised
then it would make sense to raise also. However, I have
never studied at exactly what point you should. You could
improve your odds much more by switching to a game with a
lesser house edge. Nov. 28,
2004
First off, I love your site. I occasionally play Three
Card Poker at Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, IL. They have
a Pairs Plus Pay Table that isn't listed in your Three Card
Section:
Pair 1:1
Flush 3:1
Straight 6:1
Three of a Kind 30:1
Straight Flush 50:1
Thanks. This pay table has a house edge of
5.10%. May 30, 2004
Hi wizard - thanks for a great site! The basic Three
Card Poker strategy is to play Q-6-4 or better to minimize
the house edge. But what is the best strategy to minimize
the element of risk (given '5-4-1' rules)? Your site reads
that playing Q-6-3 loses 1.00255 units; but then betting
that hand will dilute the element of risk, since the bet is
suffering a house advantage of only 0.255% (which is less
than the 2.01% element of risk).
You're welcome. To minimize the element of risk
you should raise until the point where the expected value
of raising is less than the element of risk for the
entire game. The expected loss by raising on Q62 is
1.24% and on Q54 is 2.10% to 2.15% (depending on how
the cards are suited). So, to minimize the element of risk
you should raise on Q62 or higher.
April 22, 2004
Is there an optimal strategy for the amount of the
Pair Plus bet in relationship to the Ante? (i.e. should the
Pair Plus bet be 2x, 5x or some other increment of the ante
to maximize potential return?)
Bet 100% on the Ante, because the ante has the
lower element of risk. March 6,
2004
Good Day. May I say that I have thoroughly enjoyed
looking through your web site. Can the house advantage on
any particular game be affected by the Limit/Maximum being
too high (i.e. over $5000 on the pair plus), especially with
three card poker?
Best regards, John (London, England)
Thank you. No, the house edge is not affected by
the table minimum and maximum. The greater the spread
between minimum and maximum bet the greater the
volatility, but in the long run results will keep getting
closer to the house edge. Some people incorrectly believe
that setting a maximum bet increases the house edge, but
it does not. March 6,
2004
What is the optimum ratio between the Pairplus and
Ante bet in Three Card Poker? - Mark Snyder from
Jacksonville, Florida
100% Ante and 0% Pairplus. The reason is the
Ante bet has a lower element
of risk. The house edge is defined as the ratio of
the expected loss to the initial wager. The element of
risk is defined as the ratio of the expected loss to the
average total wager. Although the Pairplus has the lower
house edge, I believe when comparing one game against
another the element of risk should be used. The element
of risk on the Pairplus is the same as the house edge,
2.32%, and on the Ante bet the element of risk is 2.01%,
assuming full pay rules. Casinos that offer less than
full pay take much more from the Pairplus bet, making the
Ante even better by comparison. So don't waste any money
on the Pairplus, although the other players will think
you're crazy as a loon. May 26,
2003
What are the odds of getting the same hand as the
dealer in Three Card Poker, and how did you got your answer.
Sincerely, Darcy J. Ahenakew
The probability is about 1 in 1 in 903.76 but
the solution is too involved to explain.
March 7, 2003
Hi, I just have a general question. It is about the
Poker Table Games. Why is it that almost every casino
carries "Let it Ride", "Caribbean Stud Poker", and "3 card
poker"? Some of those other Poker games I was reading about
on your website sound cool, but they aren't around at the
Atlantic City locations. Is it because the above games are
more popular, or just because the casino makes more money on
them? Just wondering since Bally's and Caesars in Atlantic
City are testing the Boston 5 Poker game, and I like that
game the best so far. i hope they keep it there. It is nice
when the dealer doesn't have to qualify (the reason why I
try to avoid Caribbean stud poker) Thanks for your time, Joe
Ultimately, the games that you see in the casinos
are the ones that make the most money for the casinos. For
a game to make money, the players have to like it. So
these games you mention are what players find the most
fun. It also helps that they are owned by big gaming
companies that have the resources to get them out there
in the first place. March 7,
2003
Playing 3 Card Poker and using a Shufflemaster, I
received 2 consecutive hands with the same cards, same suit
(from the same deck). I was sitting at first base, so these
were the first cards out both times. What are the odds of
this occurring on consecutive hands? - Larry from
Silverdale, Washington
There are combin(52,3) = 22,100 ways to arrange 3
cards out of 52. So the probability of any given hand exactly
matching the previous one is 1 in 22,100.
Why is a straight a higher hand than a flush in the
new casino game 3 card poker? - Joe from Sloatsburg,
USA
The probability of a straight is less than a
flush with 3 cards. The number of ways to form a flush is
4*(combin(13,3)-12) = 1,096. The number of ways to form a
straight is 12*(43-4) = 720.
Sept. 24, 2002
In your Table of probabilities in Three Card Poker you
state the number of combinations as 9720 for Queen to Ace
high and Jack high or less as 6720. I'm trying to calculate
these probabilities myself and have failed to do so. I would
be obliged if I you could let me see your calculations. Much
obliged. - Paul Wood from Bradford, England
The probability of any hand less than a pair is
the product of the number of ways to pick 3 different
ranks out of 13, less 12 for the consecutive ranks that
result in a straight, and the number of ways to pick a
suit 3 different times, less 4 for picking the same suit
each time. So the total combinations for ace-high or less
is (combin(13,3)-12)*(43-4) = 16,440.
Now let's look at the combinations for a jack high or
less. We have omitted 3 ranks so there are 3 ranks to
choose from among 10. However, 8 of these combinations
result in a straight (2/3/4 to 9/10/J). Again there are
43-4 ways to pick the suits. So the total
combinations is (combin(10,3)-8)*( 43-4) =
6,720. The total combinations for Q-A high is simply
16,440-6,720=9,720. For an explanation of the combin
function please see my probabilities
in poker section. Aug. 4,
2002
When playing Three Card Poker what is the optimal
ratio of the Pairplus bet to the ante/play bet? (Since if
you have a Q/6/4 or better but no-pair and the dealer does
not qualify - you lose the Pairplus bet but win the Ante. In
this case a equal bet on both with be a push - but doubling
the Pairplus bet on the Ante - would give you a win of the
Pairplus bet amount) - Arthur Bocian from West Orange, New
Jersey
The optimal ratio is to bet 100% on the ante and
0% on the Pairplus. Assuming full pay rules the element
of risk is 2.01% on the Ante and 3.37% on Pairplus. Your
goal should be to minimize the element or risk as much as
possible. Be warned that every other player will bet on
the Pairplus and will ridicule those who don't go along.
Once I bet $50 on the Ante only and got a straight flush,
which would have paid $2,000 on the Pairplus. The other
players had a good laugh at my expense but I had no
regrets. June 28,
2002
In Three Card Poker which is the better bet, the
Pairplus or the Ante & Play? - Mark Snyder from
Jacksonville, Florida
I asked this very question on one of my homework
assignments for my casino math class at UNLV. Although
the house edge is generally higher on the Ante, it is
the better bet. The reason is that it has a
lower element of risk (the ratio of
expected loss to the total amount bet).
May 8, 2002
Wizard -What is the advantage in Three Card Poker in
playing two hands versus one, if there is one? Some casinos
allow you to play two, playing the first hand before looking
at and making a decision on the second hand. Some casinos
will only let you play the second hand blind, which I'm sure
is no advantage to the player. Thank you - Ruby DeVos from
Tacoma, USA
Good question. In Stanley Ko's booklet
"Mastering Three Card Poker", he says that if you had
a concealed computer to take maximum advantage of the
information then seeing the first hand would lower the
house edge from 3.37% to 3.31% on the second hand. Even
if you could see all seven hands at the table the house
edge would still be 2.32%. Mar.
6, 2002
Wizard, I have just read an article on another site
that was talking about Three Card Poker. The author called
the "Pair Plus " bet a sucker bet ,compared to the "ante"
bet. Of the two bets , I thought the "ante" bet was more of
a sucker bet because of its higher house edge. Also, what is
the element of risk in Three Card Poker , compared to Let it
Ride , assuming the player is starting with $5 bets in the
three betting circles for Let It Ride, and $5 in the Pair
plus and ante bet in Three Card Poker? - Eddie Garrett from
West Memphis, Arkansas
Good question. In full play Three Card Poker the
house edge on Pairplus is 2.32% and on Ante & Play is
3.37%. However, the element of risk on Pairplus is still
2.32% while in Ante & Play it is 2.01%. I believe if
comparing one game to another the element of risk is more
appropriate. In other words, comparing the expected loss
to the total amount bet. In this case, Ante & Play has
the lower element of risk and is thus the better bet. So
I would disagree with the writer of the article you
mention. According to my house
edge index the element of risk in Let it Ride is
2.85% higher than that of Ante & Play.
Feb. 11, 2002
My question is a very basic one. Are the odds for
slots and the payoff tables for games like Caribbean Poker,
Three Card Poker and Let It Ride typically lowered on board
the cruise ships from major cruise lines? - Paul Robinson
from Novi, Michigan
I'm not sure. The only cruise I ever took was
from Florida to the Bahamas and it only lasted about
eight hours. This was before I started this web site
so I didn't pay close attention to the rules. However, I
do recall that the blackjack rules were stingy, and that
I lost a lot! Other things I have read corroborate that
cruise ships casinos are tight. After all, where else can
you play? However, the games you mention already have
rather high house edges so perhaps they won't mess with
them. I also know that Caribbean Stud Poker has a more
generous paytable in Europe and Africa, so maybe they use
that one. Jan. 15,
2002
What is the probability of getting two identical
straight flushes (in both ranks and suit) two hands in a row
in Three Card Poker? - Ralph Harpster
The probability of getting a straight flush on
the first hand is 4*12/combin(52,3) = 48/22,100 =~ 0.0022.
The probability that the next hand will be exactly the
same is 1/22,100. So the answer is (48/22,100)*(1/22,100) =
48/488,410,000, or 1 in 10,175,208. This is a 1.37 more
likely than hitting a 6/49 lottery, which has a
probability of 1 in 13,983,816.
Jan. 15, 2002
I was playing 3 card poker at the Venetian this
weekend and a friend of mine drew 3 Queens in the same suit
in 2 consecutively dealt hands. Was very curious as to what
the odds are of that happening? - Bruce Keene from
Williston, Vermont
The probability of getting three queens in one
hand is combin(4,3)/combin(52,3) = 0.000181. The
probability of doing it twice in a row is
0.0001812, or 1 in 30,525,625. The probability
of them being the same three suits both times is
0.0001812/4, or 1 in 122,102,500. [Bluejay
notes: The odds of hitting the Megabucks slot jackpot are
only about 1 in 50 million!]
Nov. 23, 2001
In Three Card Poker would it be prudent to increase
your bet after say 5 or 6 losses? I know the Martingale
system is bad news but since in Three Card Poker you have
bonus payouts for better hands I thought it might be worth a
chance. Please think about this for a minute before you
answer. - John Cameron from Crestwood, Illinois
In the long run it doesn't matter what you do.
As I have said numerous times, measured by long term
results, all betting systems are equally worthless.
Systems in which you chase loses with bigger bets
increase the probability of a modest short term win but
at the cost of even bigger losses when your luck is at
it's worst. June 29,
2001
Ever wonder why Three Card Poker is not available
online? - Bob Beck from Houston, Texas
It is still not as popular as Let it Ride and
Caribbean Stud. I speculate that the software developers
either don't understand it or don't think it is popular
enough. However, I get asked about Three Card Poker online
all the time. The first online casino to offer the game
is going to be very glad they did, I
predict. (p.s. Since this question was published Three Card Poker became available at most Internet casinos) Nov. 11, 2000
First, let me congratulate you on your great website.
I tell everyone I know that if they are going to gamble to
make sure that they visit your site first! My question is on
Three Card Poker ante & play. If you know one of the
dealer's three cards how should you change your basic
strategy and could you obtain an advantage over the house
and by how much? -- G.M. from Monmouth County, New Jersey
Are you friends with Brian Widdowson (see
above)? In "Mastering the Game of Three Card Poker" by
Stanley Ko, a section is devoted to this topic. He
explains when to raise and fold on a queen high hand,
based on the cards of other players you are able to see.
According to Ko, if you had perfect knowledge of all cards
in a seven-player game and could make perfect use of this
information it would cut the house edge from 3.37% to
2.32%. You can find this booklet at the Gambler's
Book Club. Thanks for the compliment on my
site. Nov. 11, 2000
What online casinos have Three Card Poker to bet on?
ñ Stacy from the USA
None that I know of have Three Card
Poker. Sept. 10, 2000
How is the house edge derived in Three Card Poker
(ante/play bet)?? I haven't played yet, but my guess is that
the edge comes from the fact that the player must decide
whether to fold before the dealer. If the player folds and
the dealer does not qualify, does the player get paid on the
ante anyway?? Otherwise, it would seem an even game (which
is obviously not the case). Thanks in advance. ñ T.T.
from Clarkston, Michigan
The house edge lies in the rule that if the
player folds he loses, even if the dealer doesn't
qualify. Sept. 3,
2000
Do any of the online casinos offer three card
poker? ñ Bill from Birmingham, Alabama
I don't think so. I have never seen it
myself. July 9, 2000
How do you go about working out the separate
probabilities for getting: (1) queen high, (2) king high,
and (3) ace high in three card poker? - Paul
Goodchild
I'll just work out the king high first and
briefly show the formula for the other two. The
probability will be the number of king high hands divided
by the total number of hands. The number of ranks less
than king is 11. The king high hand must have 2
different of these ranks. The number of ways to arrange 2
out of 11 is combin(11,2) = 55. However, one of these
combinations is king-queen-jack, resulting in a straight,
so subtracting that combination there are 54 left that do
not form a straight. Next there are 4 suits for each
rank, or 43=64 possible combinations of suits.
However, 4 of these 64 result in a flush so there are
64-4=60 combinations of suits left. So the total number
of king high combinations is 54*60 = 3,240. There are a
total of combin(52,3)=22,100 to arrange 3 cards out of 52.
So the probability of forming a king high is 3,240/22,100 =
0.1466063 .
The probability for ace high is:
(combin(12,2)-2)*(43-4)/combin(52,3)=0.1737557.
Note the -2 instead of -1 because of both the a-2-3 and
q-k-a straights.
The probability for queen high is:
(combin(10,2)-1)*(43-4)/combin(52,3)=0.119457.
June 10, 2000
I noticed on your page for three card poker you
advise to stay with Q/6/4. A dealer in Tunica told me Q/J.
Why the difference and is the Q/6/4 suggestion based on
actual computer generated odds? Seems a pretty good game
with low house odds, no skill involved. What do you think? -
Weintraut from ?
I have no doubt that Q64 is the optimal
strategy for three card poker. Stanley Ko independently
came up with the same advice. This strategy is based on a
computer program which analyzes all 22,100 possible
combinations of the player's three cards and for each one
the remaining 18,424 possible combinations of the dealer's
three cards. If you follow the dealer's strategy you will
be folding on some hands which have an expected return of
more than -1 (the return by folding). Overall, however,
it shoudn't make a big difference. For a game of little
skill three card poker is actually not that bad when
comparing the house edge to most other games.
Mar. 25, 2000
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