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Table Games 3 Card Poker Strategy...help

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by DonnyC, Sep 7, 2012.

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  1. DonnyC

    DonnyC VIP Whale

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    Hey all,

    3 card poker is a game that I enjoy, but you need a bit of a bank roll to be able to enjoy it.

    I have a question about strategy:

    I will start by saying that it is my basic understanding that whenever a casino offers a side bet (as in BJ) there can be good money made there, but the only reason the casino offers that bet is because the odds are better on it for the casino!

    In 3 card poker is the same the same for the 'pairs plus' bet? I want odds not 'well I've done this and this happened'...looking for real evidence.


    I will explain why I ask and what I have done, but realize that me - doing this only a few times can come away with a perception that is way different that real odds.

    In the past I have done both, played the pairs plus and other times not played it. I play long enough that usually (in one of my sessions I will see a 3 of a kind - may hand). However, I have had times where I have got 3 of a kind and still been at a loss (betting pairs plus) and times where I have got 3 of a kind (not betting pairs plus and walked away with a profit.

    When not playing pairs plus you end up winning on bets where the dealer 'doesn't qualify' but you still play. In those situations playing pairs plus you would have pushed.

    Granted there are going to be times that you end up getting a paid hand (better than pairs where you would have won on pairs plus) but do the odds dictate that it is a good bet or that you come out under because it pays out less often even though it pays more?
     
  2. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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  3. Carole

    Carole Low-Roller

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    I play this game when in Vegas. I am not a big bettor but one thing I do is make my ante bet twice the pairs plus bet. That way if I win the hand and do not get the pairs plus I break even.
     
  4. DonnyC

    DonnyC VIP Whale

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    That's one way of looking at it, and I understand what you are saying but from what I am hearing that is not the best. (I understand that the strategy you are employing allows you to play the Pair Plus without the loss if it doesn't hit. But you are still loosing. That extra 1 unit you are putting on the Ante does cover you in how you suggest, but you would win more (mathematically) if you took down your pairs plus bet and put the 3 units on the ante...I think. But again you are doing it to 'hedge' your pairs plus bet.
     
  5. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    Donny...

    I love 3-card... yeah, it's house-edge 'carnival game', but it's perfect when you've had too much to drink, or you're just too tired to put in the work of playing proper blackjack with a count.

    The 'pair-plus' is a sucker bet... but I always play it... why? I don't want to hit trips or a stright-fluch and not have a bet out there!

    What I have found, however, is the most profitable way to play is $10 on the ante and $5 on the pair-plus.

    The vast majority of pair-plus wins are due to a pair only. Since that pays even money, as do the ante and play bets, putting the extra on the ante actually nets you more cash on wins than the pair-plus will over the course of a few dozen hands (or more).

    Think of 24 hands this way (betting $5 PP & $10 ante):
    8 hands with less than Q-6-4...fold for a $15 loss - (-120)
    12 hands with Q-6-4 thru A-K-J... winning $15 eight times and losing $25 four times - (+20)
    2 hands with a pair only...winning $25 both times (+50)
    1 hand of flush/straight (+40 avg)
    1 hand with a pair that loses to the dealer (-15)
    Total effect - $25 loss
    Now, if you played those same hands with $5 on both the PP & ante:
    8 hands with less than Q-6-4...fold for a $10 loss - (-80)
    12 hands with Q-6-4 thru A-K-J... winning $5 eight times and losing $15 four times - (-20)
    2 hands with a pair only...winning $15 both times (+30)
    1 hand of flush/straight (+30 avg)
    1 hand with a pair that loses to the dealer (-5)
    Total effect - $75 loss

    Obviously, there's no guarantee that the hands would fall out that way, but that example makes the point.
     
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  6. dunebug81

    dunebug81 VIP Whale

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    I like this game as well. Typically I play 5x my pair plus on the ante/play bets. So $5/$25/$25 or $10/$50/$50. Playing a total avg of 8x-9x times (if the game is gojng well I'll play 80% or so of the hands) of the pair plus seems to work for me. When I do play this I typically will have a set amount if hands to play then get up. Depending on time and bank roll Ill sit down for 30 hands. The tables that have the $1 progressive make keeping track easy as I ask for $30 in singles.

    I don't play the 6 card bonus tables at CET as the 3OAK or better just doesn't hit often enough.
     
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