Vegas Three Card Rummy

Introduction

Vegas Three Card Rummy is a unique poker variation available in various online casinos that utilize Cryptologic as well as Real Time Gaming software. While the gameplay closely resembles that of Three Card Poker, the scoring system is distinctly different and there is no ante bonus involved. Furthermore, the raise bet can yield up to 4 to 1 for premium hands.

Rules

1. The game is conducted with a single standard 52-card deck.
2. In this game, cards are valued based on their standard poker ranking, although aces are always treated as low.
3. The goal is to achieve a score that is lower than that of the dealer.
4. The round begins with the player placing an ante bet along with an optional bonus wager.
5. Both the player and the dealer will receive a set of three cards, with the dealer's cards being dealt face down. The values of both hands will be assessed according to the scoring criteria provided below. In situations where a hand can be valued in multiple ways, the lesser total will be applied.

• A single ace is counted as 1 point, while cards numbered 2 through 10 are valued according to their pip value, and face cards carry a value of 10 points.
• Hands consisting of pairs, three of a kind, or runs containing at least two suited cards are evaluated at zero points.

After inspecting their hand, the player can choose to either raise or fold. If opting to raise, the player must place an additional bet that matches their initial ante.

The dealer will turn over his cards.

For the dealer to qualify, their total must be 20 points or lower. If the dealer does not meet this qualification, all remaining ante bets will win at even money, while raise bets will be considered a push.

When the dealer qualifies, the player's total and the dealer's total will be compared; the hand with the lower total wins.

If the player achieves the lower total, the ante pays out at even money, while the raise pays according to the indicated table. Conversely, if the dealer has the lower total, both the ante and raise will be lost. In case of a tie, the result will be a push.

Payouts for the bonus bet are determined according to the table below.

In the illustration, I wagered $25 on both the ante and bonus bets, and an additional $25 on the raise bet. Having achieved a three of a kind results in a score of 0. The dealer's suited ten-jack combination scores 0 points with a singleton 5 contributing 5 points, giving a total of 5. My score of 0 prevails over the dealer's 5, resulting in winnings of 1 to 1 or $25 on the ante, 4 to 1 or $100 on the raise, plus 25 to 1 or $625 on the bonus bet, culminating in a total win of $750.

If any of these guidelines were unclear, please refer to the detailed expressions at Bovada .

Ante Bet Analysis

The table below outlines the potential results for the ante bet based on optimal strategies for players. The house edge calculated in the bottom right cell is 3.23%.

The player will typically choose to raise 67.38% of the time, resulting in an average wager of 1.6738 units. element of risk is thus 3.2337%/1.6738 = 1.93%.

Bonus Bet Analysis

The subsequent table illustrates the potential outcomes associated with the bonus bet. The house edge indicated in the lower right cell is 3.46%.

The bonus bet consistently remains at one unit, making the associated risk equivalent to the house edge of 3.54%.

Strategy

Regarding the ante bet, the player should align their folding threshold with that of the dealer, raising when they have 20 points or fewer and folding when reaching 21 points or above.

From my perspective, when comparing different bets, it is essential to consider the element of risk, calculated at 1.96% for the ante and 3.46% for the bonus bet. Thus, the ante bet presents a more favorable option between the two.

Written by: Michael Shackleford