Online Poker » Dealers Choice Games » 3 Card Drop

3 Card Drop is unlike many other poker games, which makes it a unique game to know how to play. It is a home poker game, which means that it may be the most fun when played in the home, rather than in casinos or online poker rooms. Although strategy and betting are not heavily involved with 3 Card Drop, it is important that the game still be played in an organized manner. Home poker games must be organized with fair rules and standards that have consistent application for every game.

To begin playing, all players are dealt three hole cards. You are allowed to look at your cards before the betting intervals take place. Betting intervals will occur after each round. If you have not yet folded, you may then choose one card from your hand and put it down face-up. It is important that all the players do this at the same time.

After this is done, another betting interval will take place. All players that are still in will put one card down, just as before. This process is repeated a third time. The best hand will then be chosen using all three of each player's cards. 3 Card drop may be played in a high/low style. If you choose to play this way, the ace will rank low in a low hand and high in a high hand.

3 Card Drop - Rules and Probabilities for 3 Card Drop

Before you play 3 Card Drop for the first time, be sure you are aware of the correct rankings when dealing with flushes and straights. When you're playing any five-card variant of poker, a flush will always beat a straight because it is mathematically more difficult to get a flush than a straight. However, with 3 Card Drop, the odds are reversed and it will be much more difficult to get a straight than a flush. This reverses the ranking as well, so a straight will always beat a flush in 3 Card Drop.

There will also be nothing for you to use to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of your fellow players' hands. With this game, you simply have your cards and it is up to you whether you decide to play them or not. Determining when you have a non-playable hand is your call, but it should be fairly obvious to you. You get to choose when you think your hand is strong enough to play with.

Even though 3 Card Drop can make it difficult to gauge your opponents' hands, you should take the time to gauge their style of play. Finding out where they land on their risk-taking scale will help you to know what cards you want to play, if any. You will also need to know what the probabilities are for possible hands dealt to you, so keep in mind these 3 Card Drop probabilities:

Pair - 16.9%

Flush - 4.96%

Straight - 3.26%

3 of a Kind - 0.24%

Straight Flush - 0.22%