There are oh so many casino card games to choose from that it’s possible you haven’t mastered each and every single one. But one we really think should be on your radar is 3 card brag.
It’s easy to learn, really fun to play and such a classic. Definitely worth adding to your playing repertoire. And after you read this quick and easy run through, we’re sure you’ll feel the same.
It’s great for poker fans because it’s a poker-based game. Plus once you have a nice deck of cards, it’s one of the best casino games to play at a DIY casino night.
Playing 3 card brag step by step
In our step-by-step guide, you’ll see pretty clearly that 3 card brag is easy to get your head around. Once you take your seat at a 3 card brag table, this is what happens…
- Every player must pay an ante bet to take part in the hand
- Each player is dealt three face-down cards
- Then they need to decide if they want to bet (always the same size as your ante) or fold
- Betting continues until only two players are left
- Then the two players in question reveal their cards in a showdown
- The player with the best hand wins the pot
Things are a little bit different with 3 card brag in casinos
Whether you play 3 card brag in an online or offline casino, there’s one big difference. In casino play, you’re almost always pitted against the dealer. That means you just have one opponent. Plus, the dealer isn’t a bluffer (unlike your opponents could be). So this changes the game play a little.
The dealer will only play if they have a hand with a Queen high or higher. If they don’t, you get your money back and you can start again.
Then if it’s a draw, you get your money back. If you lose, you lose all the antes and play bets you put in. But if you win, you get the ante and play bets.
3 card brag hand rankings
The best card you can get in 3 card brag is called prial, aka three of a kind. Then next up, is a running flush or straight flush, which is three cards of the same suit in sequence. After that, you’ve got a run (aka straight), which is sequential cards of different suits.
Then next most valuable is the flush, three cards of the same suit. Then a pair and finally a high.
When you should play your hand
There is one thing you need to keep in mind when you’re playing 3 card brag and that’s Q 6 4. If you’ve got that hand or over, you should always play. If you don’t, you should fold.
That’s because you know the dealer is only ever going to play a hand with a Q. Plus, the 6 and 4 or above put your chances of winning slightly in your favour.
Bonus payouts for rare hands
One of the things we love about 3 card brag is that you can get an extra little something something for a rare hand, even if you don’t actually win the play. For example, if you get a prial you get a 5:1 ante bonus payout, a 4:1 for a running flush and a 1:1 payout for a run.
It’s been going for hundreds of years
This certainly isn’t a newcomer into the world of casino. An extremely similar game was being played as far back as the 1520s, but brag was name-checked for the first time in 1721. In the early years the rules changed a little, but in 1860, brag as we know it was definitely being played.
Practice online
Lots of sites offer 3 card brag, but one of our favourite places to play is bet365. That’s because you can play it both as a regular casino game and a Live Casino game, complete with a real life dealer. And that really brings the game to life. The RTP you’ll find there is between 96.65% and 98%, which is pretty decent too.
Plus if you’re a new player, you can use this bet365 bonus code when you sign up.
Interested in more casino guides?
Check out some of our top reads from the last few weeks…
- 7 blackjack basics
- History of slots
- The story of Las Vegas
- Intriguing casino books
- Your guide to European roulette
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