Tri Card Poker Guide

Anyone who’s ever played poker knows it’s a brilliant way to pass the evening with a few coldies and some good buddies. But what do you do when you’re on your own with only a short block of time to spare, and you’re really in the mood to divvy up some cards?

Easy peasy. You use your Joe Fortune login to play online Tri Card poker. It’s exactly why Derek Webb, of the US of A, invented it back in 1997. He wanted to give poker players an easier, faster way to enjoy a poker game without logistics hurdles and complex rules of play. Thanks to Mr. Webb (no doubt his mates call him Dezza), online Tri Card poker is here to give you a poker fix at the speed and simplicity of a regular table game, along with even more opportunities to get paid in every round.

If fast and profitable sounds like your sort of game, join Joe Fortune and deposit now. Then head to the Joe Fortune Table Games section, because it’s time to get up to speed on one of the best Joe Fortune table games out there.

Tri Card Poker Rules

Tri Card poker may have poker in its name, but really, this game is its own type of beast. There are no typical poker moves like holding back some cards while drawing for others. Instead, the focus is only on the 3 cards in your hands.

To initiate the game, you have to make an ante bet. That’s your starting wager. At the same time, you can choose to make a Pair Plus bet. The Pair Plus bet means you’re betting that your three cards will show a pair of 2s or better. It would also make for a great bra shop name. How about Pair Plus Betty? Always thinking, I am.

Here’s how the game is played:

1. Place your ante wager and/or your Pair Plus bet
2. Receive three cards face up (Dealer gets 3 cards face down)
3. Decide if you want to raise by doubling your ante or fold and forfeit your original bet
4. If you choose to raise and play, you get to face the Dealer with your three cards.

Just like most Joe Fortune table games based on poker, whoever has the highest hand wins – but! – in online Tri Card Poker, the Dealer must qualify with a Queen-high or better. These are the scenarios that can take place:

• The Dealer does not qualify. In this case, you get 1:1 for your ante and your raise is returned as a push. Not amazing, but not the worst thing.
• The Dealer qualifies and your hand is better. Congrats – you just got 1:1 on your ante and your raise, and mad respect from anyone else watching.
• The Dealer qualifies and their hand was better than yours. That means you lost the round.
• The Dealer qualifies and they have the same hand as you. It’s unlikely to occur, but it prompts a push, and all of your bets are returned pronto.

What comes next is truly what makes online Tri Card poker stand out from other Joe Fortune table games. Even if the Dealer doesn’t qualify, you still get paid based on the poker ranking of the three cards in your hand.

So let’s say you have 3 of a kind in your hand and the Dealer qualifies with a higher ranking straight flush. The dealer may have won the round for your ante and raise, but you still win 4:1 for having 3 of a kind.

Then on top of that you get paid again if you opted into the Pair Plus bet and your three cards show a pair or better. In the case above, with 3 of a kind, that means another 30:1. That’s regardless of what the Dealer’s hand shows. Dealer be damned – this game is all about you, my friend.

Tri Card Poker Odds

Now is a decent time to go over the payout odds in online Tri Card poker. Remember, there are two crucial points in each round: your Ante Bonus, and your Pair Plus.

Ante Bonus

Pair Plus Side Bet

You may have noticed the ranks look slightly different in this chart. The whole “three card” thing in online Tri Card poker forces some hands to change, and others to be more difficult than a traditional 5-card hand.

Tri Card Poker Hand Rankings

Since you only have three cards, a 4 of a kind now becomes 3 of a kind. That’s now the second best hand (instead of being one of the lowest, like in regular poker). What’s also different is that a Straight outranks a Flush, and a Straight Flush replaces a Royal Flush for the best rank.

Now that you know how the hands are ranked, you’re probably wondering what you might do to maximize your winning potential. Luckily for us, online Tri Card poker strategy is just as easy as playing the game itself.

Tri Card Poker Strategy

Since there isn’t a ton of steps or decisions in three card poker, many players prefer to raise on every hand every time, no stuffing about. Doing this increases the house edge from 3% (pretty good for poker) to 7% (pretty damn high). You might have a fun and carefree experience using this strategy, but if you prefer to do just a smidge more in the game, you could avoid looking like a young sprout and play the game with better odds.

Most experienced players will only play (or raise on) hands that are Queen, 6, and 4 or higher (called the Q-6-4). This basic principle still makes the game incredibly easy, but now the house edge is only 2-3%, or right where it should be.

Long story short: online Tri Card poker is a bloody great way to play Joe Fortune table games quickly, simply, and profitably. All you need is a Joe Fortune login to open up the game, get your cards happening, and face the Dealer. And remember, winning isn’t everything (it’s just most things): even if the Dealer beats your hand, the payouts could still be yours. Now that’s a good deal.