Three Card Brag Card Game
Three Card Brag is a card game that is a distant relation to poker but directly descends from the old Elizabethan game, Primero. It originated in the 16th century in Britain.
A variation of this game called Teen Patti is considered a popular game in India; Nepal; Trinidad and Bangladesh where it is played at large gatherings and festivals. Other variations of the game include four card brag; seven card brag; nine card brag; thirteen card brag; fifteen card brag and bastard brag. Since the advent of the internet and the widespread availability of online games, Three Card Brag has become available at a variety of different casinos.
Card rankings are slightly similar to those of poker. The highest hand is three of a kind with triple threes being the highest possible hand; then a straight flush; a straight; flush; pair and lastly a high card.
Getting Started and Placing Bets
Bets can be placed on the main Three Card Brag game, the pair bonus game or both. Any amount under the maximum limit can be bet on either option but enough credit must be available for a play bet. All bets need to be finalized before the cards are dealt as changes after are not allowed.
Main Game of Three Card Brag
Three Card Brag is played with one deck of 52 playing cards which are shuffled at the start of every hand. After bets have been placed three cards are dealt to both the player and the dealer. The dealer’s card are dealt facedown.
After the three cards are dealt the decision to fold or play is decided upon. Folding results in forfeiting the cards held and losing the ante bet amount. If the pair bonus was placed it will be lost too. If the decision to continue playing is chosen then a stake equal to the initial ante bet will be placed. Choosing to play at this point also results in the dealer’s card being revealed and turned face up.
The dealer’s hand needs to hold one queen or better to qualify for continuation of play. If the dealer does not hold a qualifying hand the initial ante bet will be won by the player and the played stake will be returned. If the dealer has qualified then the two hands are evaluated and the better hand wins the Three Card Brag round. A tie is a push which means that both the ante bet and the stake played will be returned to the player.
Three Card Brag Pair Bonus Game
The pair bonus bet is an optional side bet that must be placed before the cards are dealt. Since folding results in the loss of the side bet amount it is beneficial to always play when a side bet has been made.
There is no need for the dealer to qualify in order to win the side bet as it is based entirely on the hand held by the player. If the hand of cards hold the value of a pair or better the side bet will be won. The winning amount is paid out according to the game’s paytable.
