Ouchez: Any one know the house edge on 3 card

[Ouchez]

poker.

I was in a conversation with a seasoned BJ player who is into playing this game and swears he wins all the time on it, (selective memory?).

He also claims all the pit critters says that it is better than BJ having a lower house edge and that they are losing money on the game and want to get rid of it but they are still paying franchise rights.

I say malarky!

If they were losing money they would dump the game, franchise fees or not.

I do know that PC's have tried to entice me to play the game, (a bad sign for sure).

I think the house edge is around 6% but I can't find any firm numbers.

Help me out someone.

Ouchez.

[adelphi]

[Minnesota Fats]

on the pay table. But, the edge is usually between 3.37% and 4.28% for the ante bet. The pair plus is between 2.32% and 7.28%. There's no comparison to basic strategy blackjack.

Regards,
MF

The Wizard of Odds

[ET Fan]

... of all time has made a specialty of 3CP.
ETF

[Parker]

> poker.

> I was in a conversation with a seasoned BJ
> player who is into playing this game and
> swears he wins all the time on it,
> (selective memory?).

Nobody wins "all the time" at anything.

> He also claims all the pit critters says
> that it is better than BJ having a lower
> house edge and that they are losing money on
> the game and want to get rid of it but they
> are still paying franchise rights.

> I say malarky!

> If they were losing money they would dump
> the game, franchise fees or not.

I'm with you here. No casino is going to keep a game that is consistently costing the house money. Any pit critter who tells you otherwise is lying.

> I do know that PC's have tried to entice me
> to play the game, (a bad sign for sure).

Agreed.

> I think the house edge is around 6% but I
> can't find any firm numbers.

> Help me out someone.

There are actually two bets involved in 3CP, the "Pair Plus" bet. in which you simply wager that your hand will be a pair or better, and the "Ante/Play" bet, in which you play against the dealer.

The Pair Plus bet has a house edge of 2.317%, which may vary slightly, as not all places use the exact same paytable. The Ante/Play bet has a house edge of 3.373%

Now you know why casino people refer to this and games such as Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride, etc., as "carnival games."

For someone playing basic strategy, there is no way that 3CP is in the same league as blackjack, even if the only game in town is an 8 deck shoe with bad rules.

However, the game is susceptable to certain types of advantage play, as discussed by James Grosjean in Beyond Counting. Sadly, this excellent book is presently out of print, although you still may be able to find a copy at some of the various outlets that cater to gambler types.

[Ouchez]

> ... of all time has made a specialty of 3CP.
> ETF

Gosh...I wonder if he is the "seasoned" player I spoke of?

Ya, is that not "Morgan"? I believe he and a friend, (team play), found a very sloppy dealer and took the casino big time and ended up being abused and is sueing the casino.

A rather famous incident I believe.

Thanks ETF.

Ouchez.

[Ouchez]

[SammyBoy]

I've had many dealers tell me that 3CP is the game to play and that all BJ dealers that gamble play this game. Possibly the greatest BJ myth of all is that blackjack dealers are blackjack experts. What a joke.

[Ouchez]

[Parker]

> Possibly the
> greatest BJ myth of all is that blackjack
> dealers are blackjack experts.

Or that they are experts on any type of gambling at all, for that matter.

They may be expert at dealing blackjack, which is not at all the same thing as playing the game.

[bigplayer]

at most casinos in Nevada short the flush paying 3:1 instead of the 4:1 you'll find in most other jurisdictions gives pair plus a new house edge of 7.28%.

Recent statistics on the game show that this change has resulted in a 50% increase in the hold for the game in FY 2003 vs FY 2002.

In short...just say NO to the Pair Plus bet in Nevada.