3 Card Poker Variations
Here we’ll look at a few of the variants, starting with Teen Pati.
Teen Patti
An interesting variation to be aware of is the Indian version of 3 card known as Teen Patti (also known as Teen Pathi or Flash). The main difference between this version and casino 3 card poker is that Teen Patti is played against other players rather than a dealer. It’s been a highly popular form of the game in India for many years.
This variant works best (for gambling purposes) when played with between four and seven players, with an objective of either betting in a way that makes your opponents fold (ie bluffing), or betting because you have a great winning hand.
Hand rankings and the betting process are explained on the Wikipedia Teen Patti page, while the strategies and winning techniques of Flash are similar to those shown above in the best playing strategies section.
Online Teen Patti
It’s clear that Teen Patti has been played for hundreds of years on the streets of India, so it won’t be a surprise to know that online versions are available. They’re becoming highly popular with Indian and other Asian region families, who are increasingly being drawn to the ease of playing online games.
For Indian players who want to play online one of the best options will be the fast growing Junglee TeenPatti, however there are plenty of 3 card poker casinos that cater more for western players but which also accept Indian registrations.
Mini Flush
Also popular across the Indian subcontinent is another version of 3 Card Poker known as Mini Flush. They’re essentially highly similar, and the main difference between Mini Flush and its better known counterpart is in the betting.
Mini Flush Bonus Bets
In Mini Flush there are two optional bonus bets that can be placed alongside the main ante bet – a High bet, and a Low bet. You win the High bet by getting a high hand ( flush upwards) and the Low bet from a low hand starting from a maximum of a 9. Just as in 3 Card, you’ll be paid out on High and Low bets irrelevant of what happens in the main ante game.
Mini Flush ‘High’ Bet Payouts
• Pair: Push (No win, the original bet is returned)
• Flush: 2 to 1
• Straight: 4 to 1
• Straight Flush: 75 to 1
• Three of a Kind: 100 to 1
Mini Flush ‘Low’ Bet Payouts
• Highest Card 10: Push
• Highest Card 9: 1 to 1
• Highest Card 8: 2 to 1
• Highest Card 7: 4 to 1
• Highest Card 6: 15 to 1
• Highest Card 5: 50 to 1
There are some drawbacks which will become apparent from these payout tables.
1. There is no payout for a pair.
2. Payouts for flushes and straights may be lower than in standard 3 Card (make sure you check the rules before playing).
3. The bonus bet effectively entails you placing double the money (ie on High and Low, rather than just on one bonus overall).
4. Some operators of Mini Flush will force you to double your initial ante if you want to continue playing after the flop of your 3 cards and to see the dealers hand.
Ultimate Three Card Poker
This is a version of 3 card which you may also see named as Face Up. The key aspect of Ultimate/Face Up is that the dealer only reveals one card in each head to head game rather than all three. Standard rules generally apply, but the big difference is in the betting process.
In an Ultimate game you need to make an additional blind bet that’s the equivalent of your Ante. Of course you can choose to make a pair plus bet too.
If you show at least a pair in your 3 card hand, you can make an additional bet of up to three times the ante instead of the normal double. Clearly this 3 times bet is allowed because you can only see one dealer card. Anything less than a pair, and you can only double up on a bet as in standard games.
The blind bet is a loser if lower than the dealers, a winner if higher, and a push if your hand is lower than a flush.
From a house edge perspective this version offers roughly the same winning chance in percentage terms, but of course there are some additional elements thrown in that could increase the volatility. You’ll need to take the extra risks into account and it’s suggested that you fold any hand lower then J-7-4. Also be wary of raising the full 3 times your wager unless you’re holding at least a pair.
Bets on the pair plus in this game can be worthwhile. With higher odds payouts the house edge sees a reduction to just over 2%.
Three Card Slots
I found this slots version of 3 card at the William Hill online casino. It’s a unique slots game based firmly on the card game version we know and love. William Hill offer the option of either playing it for cash or for free.
The slot features both Hold and Nudge options which help improve on potential winning line combinations. Each reel is made up of symbols showing all 52 cards in the deck. Operation is straightforward – select your stake, press the spin buttons, and stop each reel individually to stop it spinning. You’re obviously trying to line up a good 3 card hand on the win line.
Holds are awarded randomly and can be applied across any of the reels, nudges are awarded when a 4th reel to the right of the normal winning three stops on the same number as any of those three. When this happens you get one free nudge. If the number matches and the suit matches, you get two nudges.
Seems like a good option to me for any players who are also keen on slots. I think this one would work well as the subject of an online slots tournament. Sadly as we’ve seen before , it’s hard to find 3 card tournaments though playing a 3 card type game in a slots tourney could be a good alternative.
Three Card 21 “n” Done
This variation of the game has only recently been introduced to Nevada casinos, and it may not be long before we see it in the online casinos game list.
21 n Done is part blackjack and part 3 card, providing an interesting variation for of sets of fans. It pays good odds on strong hands of 3 cards, but if you land a weakish hand that totals over 21 you’re able to split it into three separate hands.
It takes a bit of concentration to get your head around the rules at first.
Each round begins by players placing two bets – one for the standard 3 hand and another for the 21 bonus game. Three cards are then dealt to each player, with payouts for the 21 bonus as follows:
21 total: 1 to 1
Pair: 1 to 1
Flush: 3 to 2
Straight: 2 to 1
Trips: 5 to 1
Straight Flush: 15 to 1
3 Card Royal: 50 to 1
3 Card Royal in Diamonds: 200 to 1
If your hand shows a total of 21 after the deal, you’ll collect on the bonus wager plus be paid at evens on the Three Card 21 bet too.
Now we move to the bit where blackjack comes into play.
If the dealer is showing an ace, each player has the option to buy insurance which pays out 2 to 1 (just like normal). If the dealer does have blackjack then all insurance bets are paid out.
If the dealer does not show blackjack and the player shows a total that’s more than 21 there are two options for the player – they can either surrender the hand and lose half of their three card wager amount in the process, or they make two additional bets of the same amount, splitting the three card hand into three distinct blackjack hands.
Some additional rules to note:
- If a player has an ace it can be counted as 11 to take the hand count to over 21
- If a player has a pair – irrelevant of whether the total count is over 21 – their 3 cards can be used to make 3 blackjack hands. Note that this is not a forced decision, you could still just hold the hand you have and stand or draw another card.
In any round where hands are split, each hand plays like a normal blackjack hand except for any hand total of 21 is paid 1 to 1 automatically plus pairs cannot be split twice.
All in all, if you find 21 n Done on the games list wherever you’re playing it’ll be worth taking a second look. The odds should be more in your favour provided you play optimal general strategy.
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