Poker Games Online

by J. Phillip Vogel

Let’s explore 3 Poker Games Online along with strategies for CyberStud, Pursuit and Tri-Card.

Poker Games online are all the rage.  But before Texas Hold ‘Em dominated the gambling scene, games like Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride and Three Card Poker enthralled traditional casino goers.  It’s not surprising, then, that each of these games found a warm reception and are included in the Learn Poker Games program. 
Let’s take a look at the basic rules and strategies for three of several of the net’s most popular poker games online. 

Poker Games Online: CyberStud
aka: Caribbean Stud Poker
This is a popular form of a poker game online that was developed over a decade ago. Cyberstud has taken a front row seat and comes in 2 versions online, but that may not necessarily mean that both versions are available at all casinos. The 2 versions are Non-progressive Cyberstud and Progressive Cyberstud.
The simplicity of the game is what has made it popular right from the start. The game owes its popularity to the drastic rise in poker popularity.
Basic rules for this poker game online include the following:

• All players must make an ante wager according to the limits of the table.  An optional $1 progressive wager is also made at this time in the case of the progressive version.
• The dealer and all players are dealt five cards.  All player cards are dealt face down.  The dealer receives four cards face down.  The fifth card is exposed.      
•  After looking at the hand, players must decide whether to fold or bet.  Hands values are based according to traditional poker rules.   Players may not share information about their hands.        
• Any player that folds forfeits the current wager.
•  Any player that bets must wager an additional amount equal to twice the value of the ante.
•  After all players have acted on their decisions, the dealer will expose his remaining cards.
• The dealer must have a minimum hand of Ace/King to qualify.  If the dealer does not qualify, players will win even money on their ante and push with their bet.
  
•  If the dealer’s hand does qualify and loses to the player, then the ante will pay even money and the bet will pay according to the table’s payout schedule.
• If the dealer qualifies and wins, the player loses all monies wagered.
•  The optional progressive side bet will be based entirely on the standard poker value of the player’s hand. 

First, always bet/raise when your hand contains a pair or better.  Second, fold any hands that do not contain at least the minimum qualifying hand for the dealer: Ace-King. 

Slightly more advanced strategy involves paying close attention to the dealer’s upcard.  For example, if you hold an Ace-King in your hand and the dealer’s exposed card is below a king and matches one of your other cards, you should bet. 
Other factors that you should keep an eye out for include the remaining cards in your Ace-King hand: Do you have a queen as well, while the dealer shows garbage? plus the comparative rank of the dealer’s card to your remaining cards.
GT offers an advanced Caribbean Stud Poker lesson at the site.

Poker Games Online: Poker Pursuit      
aka: Let it Ride
Poker Pursuit is another version of the poker games online that is exceedingly simple in theory, with only a few actions taken during each round of play. The rules are as follows:

• Play begins after each participant places three bets of equal size in the three wager circles marked 1, 2 and $.
•  Each player is dealt three cards face down. Two additional “community cards” are dealt face down in front of the dealer. 
•  Players examine their cards and decide whether or not to let the bet #1 remain or remove it from action.
• The dealer then reveals one of the two community cards.
• Again, each player may then let the remaining two bets ride, or remove bet #2.  This action is independent of the initial decision.
•  Finally, the second community card is exposed and all winning players are paid according to the table’s payout schedule.  

Poker Games Online: Basic Strategy Poker Parsuit
The strategy for Poker Pursuit centers on the first four cards and the first two betting circles. It is here that the player must decide whether or not the cards warrant leaving any or all bets in action.

The first decision comes after you have received your cards.
Since you now know 60% of the hand, you can make some good assumptions about the likely outcome.
With these assumptions, decisions are made about the bets.

After a decision is made for round one, the game continues and the dealer exposes the first community card.  Players must now make their next betting decision based on the new information and the likelihood of completing a winning hand.
At this point, the playable four-card hands are:

• Four of a Kind.
• Three of a Kind.
• Two Pair.
• Pair of 10's or Higher.
• Four Cards to a Royal Flush.
• Four Cards to a Straight Flush.
• Four to a Flush.
• Four Cards to an Open Ended Straight.
• Four Cards to a High Straight.

These rules comprise the basic strategy for Let it Ride.
Any hands that do not meet these guidelines should not be played, no matter how tempting or fictitiously attractive they may look.
GT offers additional Let It Ride lessons and a quiz at the site.

Poker Games Online: 3 Card Poker/Tri-Card Poker
aka: Three Card Poker
3 Card Poker is a little bit different from most poker games online described here in that it is basically two distinct games in one: “Pair Plus” and “Ante & Play.” 
Players may bet one or both, and may vary the size of each wager independent of the other.

Poker Games Online: Rules for Pair Plus
The simpler of the two games, Pair Plus involves no real skill—you don’t even have to beat the dealer’s hand. 
It’s simply a question of whether or not you get dealt winning cards.  To play, simply make a wager in the Pair Plus field and examine your three cards. Winning hands and their payouts include:
 
Basic Pair Plus Payout Schedule
Hand                                 Payout
Straight Flush                     40-1
Three of a Kind                   30-1
Straight                                 6-1
Flush                                     4-1
Pair                                        1-1 

Notice how the value of certain hands differs from that of traditional poker.  Most notable is that a straight is superior to a flush. 
This is because a flush, with a probability of appearing 4.95% of the time is greater than a straight which only appears in 3.25% of all hands dealt.
 
Poker Games Online: Rules for Ante & Play
The second of the 3 Card Poker games is only slightly more challenging than the Pair Plus game. 
The game begins when a player places an ante wager and is dealt three cards. The player then decides whether to fold or raise by putting a second bet in the designated “Play” area. 
If the player folds, he loses all bets made, including any “Pair Plus” wager.  If the player raised, action then goes to the dealer who must now expose his cards.
The two hands are then compared.  
The rules involved in deciding the winner are as follows:  

• The dealer must have a minimum hand of Q-X-X in order to qualify.
•  If the dealer doesn’t qualify, the ante bet is paid off at 1-1.  The Play bet is then returned to the player.
•  If the dealer’s hand qualifies, but player wins, both Ante bet and Play bet are paid off at 1-1. 
•  If the dealer’s hand qualifies and wins, the player loses both Play and Ante wagers.
•  If the dealer’s hand qualifies but the player and dealer tie, both Ante and Play wagers remain unaffected=a push. 

In addition to these results, the Ante bet has a special bonus that is independent of the dealer’s hand. The payout schedule for this ante bonus is: 

3 Card Basic Ante Bonus
Hand                           Payout
Straight Flush                    5-1
Three of a Kind                  4-1
Straight                               1-1
 
Poker Games Online: Tips for Winning at 3 Card Poker
Like the other poker variations, 3 Card Poker is exceedingly simple to play yet difficult to win with any real consistency. 
Basic strategy consists of:  

•  Pair Plus Strategy.  There is no real skill involved in playing the Pair Plus option, since the only decision is whether or not to play.  Under ideal conditions the house edge is about 2.3%. 
•  Ante & Play Strategy.  Almost as simplistic a strategy as that of Pair Plus, the deciding factor in whether or not to raise depends solely on the minimal hand strength required for optimal play.  
• Specifically, raise any time your hand is a Queen-six-four combination or better.  This doesn’t mean that a Q-6-4 is a power hand that you can expect to consistently win with.   Rather it’s the absolute minimum hand that’s worth playing.
• GT offers an additional 2 lessons for 3-Card Poker at the site.
  

From Poker Games Online, you can return to Learn Poker Games 2
OR
How to Play Poker Program 1
OR
Continue with Online Gambling Guide

Gambling Teachers Home

GT is attentive about getting the word out about our free programs, lessons and add-ons offered, however, we ask your assistance and consideration in promoting us.
Click link below that reads, "Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how..." to add a link to your site, blog or personal page.