Microgaming describes their Three Card Poker as two games in one. By that they mean players can wager on two different things each hand. The first wager is placed in the Ante circle on the table. Cards are dealt. Now, players are given the chance to either fold, or "raise the bet" by placing an additional bet in the play circle. Three Card Poker is another popular variation of Poker that gained in popularity when state of Nevada allowed legalized gambling in 1931. Three Card Poker became very popular as it made it more interesting for the players to switch from game to game. Some casinos started to offer jackpot bonuses for a certain number of games played at Three Card Poker tables, to encourage people to play.
The main root of the game is that you are able to play two games in one. If you understand this then you are half way there to winning money when playing this game. The two games of Three Card Poker are the Ante and the Pairs Plus. It is a form of Stud Poker that gives the opportunity to bet three ways and four ways to win a hand. A player can play against the dealer or just bet his own hand. The reason that the game is named Three Card Poker is that initially three cards are dealt to the dealer and the player or players. Pair Plus is a simple bet on the cards that will pay out according to hands of pairs or better. Ante and Play involves the player placing an ante bet before receiving his cards. He can then choose to fold his cards and lose the bet or increase by placing another bet equal or higher to the ante bet if he thinks he has a good hand. In order for the dealer to qualify to play he must have a hand equal to a Queen or higher. If the dealer does not qualify then the player automatically wins. In simple terms look at it as trying to get a better hand than the dealer which is the ante bet and the extra optional bet ( pair plus) is trying to get a pair or higher. If you look at the game in this simple manner then you are already halfway to your winning strategy.
Once you understand the basics of the game then to a certain extent you need to rely on luck to help you win. If playing at an online casino, the cards are generated by a random number generator so then even if you believe in card counting or some such idea it is not relevant. The way the cards fall is totally random. At land based casinos, the cards are shuffled regularly and there is no chance of cards being changed or tampered with. So in order to do well and try and win lots of money with Three Card Poker, you have to learn and understand the game. Understand the betting structure and check what the house advantages are.
After studying the game and how it works you will be able to make sensible judgments on how you want to structure your bets. Most casinos will allow you to make unequal bets on the Pair Plus and the Ante and this is recommended. A conservative bet would be for example $1 on the pair Plus and $2 on the Ante/ Play bet. A more aggressive bet would be to equal the bets or make more of a difference between the Pair Plus and the Ante/play bet. As you become more experienced at the game, you can take more chances as you know what to look for in a hand that is dealt to you. The basic rule to remember is that if you have a Queen, Six and four and anything higher, then play or raise. If you have lower than this hand then don't play or fold.
It is recommended to practice the game before you try and play it. Most online casinos offer practice games that you can have a go at, and these do not cost anything. Once you are comfortable with your game, you can graduate to playing real games with real money bets. It is not recommended to jump in at the deep end and bet large amounts of money if you are a novice player. Spend some time studying a real game and see how others play. Three card Poker games can be viewed at land casinos and also on Poker websites.
Read up about the game and the casino you are playing at before you embark on a game. Know what you are letting yourself into. Each casino will have different rules and regulations and these must be very clear in your mind before you start playing. You don't want to be in the middle of a game and discover some aspect that you were not aware of which could upset your game and you concentration. Play the game with common sense and make sure you are clear in your head what your tactics are before you start playing. Don't change your tricks in the middle of the game even if you are winning really well or losing.
Make sure you have set yourself an amount that you are willing to play with before you start the game. Divide up the amount according to the number of games you are intending to play and the bets you want to place. Once you have decided on this plan of action, stick to it. If you are winning, do not put your winnings back into the pot, it can only cause confusion for you and you cannot keep track of how much you have spent. Any game played involved common sense and discipline so you must learn to think before you play and discipline yourself to how long and how much you are willing to play for.
