3 card poker

[carlo]

At one time I thought 3- card poker was exciting but by sitting down and seeing the odds on the various payoffs(thanks to 2+2) I realized it is a monster sucker play. One play which I can see is stacked against the player is the fact that the dealer needs a Q or higher for the player to be paid off(1:1). Otherwise there is no play and is a push.

For those who do this type of thing my question is what is the house edge only on this play as the player could be beating the house(i.e. 10 high vs 9 high) but not be paid off. All efforts appreciated. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

regards,
carlo

[gaming_mouse]

carlo,

Do you mean: How often is the player ahead when the house has less than a Q high?

Also, out of curiosity, what happens if the house does not have Q high but is still beating the player?

gm

[carlo]

I'm not sure what I mean /images/graemlins/blush.gif but the game states that the house can only play if it has a Q or better--therefore if the player has 2-A's and the house only has a 10 high it's a push. The house can only lose if it has a Q high or better.

There are 3 betting areas in 3- card poker. One can place a bet on the player getting a pair and he will be paid(1:1) no matter what the dealer has.

Then there is the bet we are talking about--like BJ the player will place another bet against the house and after he sees his cards he must back thet bet up or lose his initial ante. Therefore bet $10 and after seeing your hand you must back this up with another $10 or lose your original ante of $10. The dealer then shows his cards and what becomes a $20 bet is a winner or loser but the dealer only plays this hand(must play) if he has a Q high or better. If the player previous to this decides not to play before the dealer shows he will lose his original ante($10) whether the dealer has a Q high or not.

If the house has a 10 high and the player added the extra wager this is a push. If the house has a 10 high but the player does not add the other back-up bet the player automatically loses $10 before the dealer shows.

I'm confused /images/graemlins/confused.gif-- it's a favorite at casinos but it HAS to be a poor play. I wonder what the numbers would show. I stand to be corrected on this but I may have seen that the house has somethin like a 5% edge in this game My instinct says its much higher.

This question is about one specific aspect of the game as the pairs or higher circle also pays off flushes, straights at odds of 1:1,4:1,etc.

regards,
carlo

[gaming_mouse]

Carlo,

I'm sorry, but it is still not clear to me what you mean by "This question is about one specific aspect of the game." What specific aspect?

Be very clear. Say something like: The player has a pair or better. He backs up his bet. What percent of the time will the dealer both qualify (with a Q high or better) and still lose to the player?

I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but please be that specific in your question.

gm

[LockForward]

The house advantage depends upon the pay table.

[carlo]

I am realllly sorry but appreciate your effort.

1)player bets $10 and receives 3 cards
2)for player to continue he must place another $10 bet.(example of a A,K high)or folds and loses his original ante($10)
3) wager is now $20 or player loses $10
4) The dealer does nothing to win the folded $10(great advantage)
5) We now have a $20 wager and the dealers pays off $10 if he has less than a Q high and loses to the player but the second $10 bet is a push.
6) If the dealer has a Q or higher then the whole $20 is at risk and goes to the higher hand.

My Question:

Statistically, if the player plays as the house but only enters with Q,J high or better who wins the money over 17 trillion hands or better yet what is the edge to the house? This should be stated in $'s won as if things were equal the player would obviously win as he only enters with a Q,J but the dealer must enter with a Q. But hte fact that the player loses $10 if he doesn't enter skews the game the other way.

clear as mud -but thanks for the effort. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

regards

carlo

[LockForward]

Again, the house edge depends upon the pay table, as not all games pay off the same on both the pair plus bet and the ante bet.
Optimally the player should raise with Q/6/4 or better, no matter the pay table.

More on three card poker (http://wizardofodds.com/games/threecardpoker.html)

[carlo]

Only looking at heads up not the 30:1 on trips or 40:1 on straight flush or other odds. Note these payoffs at apprx 1/12 the the odds. i.e. Hold A as first card--odds on hitting an A on the second card is 3/51= 16:1. Getting the 3rd A is 2/50= 24:1. Odds on getting three of a kind is 1/16*1/24=1/384 which is 383:1. Payoff is 30:1. Such a deal!! /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

regards,
carlo

[gaming_mouse]

carlo,

computing this by hand would be a pain. the easiest thing to do is run a simulation. however, i found some information that answers your question with a google search, which came up with this link (http://wizardofodds.com/games/threecardpoker.html) :

[ QUOTE ]

Optimal strategy in ante and play is to raise if you have a queen/6/4 (that is a queen, 6, and 4 all in the same hand) or greater, regardless of the bonus pay table. Overall the player stands to lose 8.66% of the original wager but win 5.29% on the bonus.

...

If you want to know why queen/6/4 is the borderline hand it is because if you raise on queen/6/3 you can expect to lose 1.00255 units, more than the 1 unit by folding. However if you raise on queen/6/4 the expected loss is .993378, less than the 1 unit by folding.

I have been asked several times about the strategy of raising on any queen or better, in other words mimicing the dealer. This is not a bad strategy but you will lose more with it than the optimal strategy above. The house edge playing the mimic the dealer strategy is 3.45%. Raising on everything, or playing blind, results in a house edge of 7.65%.


[/ QUOTE ]

[carlo]

Mouse,
Thanks much-really appreciate it. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

regards,
carlo