Four Card Poker
Play Four-Card Poker Online for Free: Classic Poker Game
Four Card Poker is a variation of the classic casino poker game that uses a standard 52-card deck that is shuffled after each hand. The inventor of this game is Roger Snow of Shuffle Master.
It is similar to three-card poker, with a number of differences.
The game uses a standard fifty-two card deck and a table with a special layout. The unique feature of Four Card Poker is that the player’s best four-card hand is matched against the casino’s best four-card hand. The casino always qualifies for each round of play.
The Basics of Four-Card Poker
The number of participants involved in the game can vary from 1 to 6 people. The reason is the limited number of boxes. The poker player is allowed to play several boxes simultaneously if he or she is the only player at the table. Contributions for each box may differ from each other.
To get into the game and understand it, a gambler can consider an example of playing on a single line. This way, at the gambling table, it will not be difficult to quickly orient and start playing several positions at once.
Betting Options in Four-Card Poker Online
In four-card poker, there are two types of bets that are played independently.
- Ante/Play is the player’s main bet, which wins or loses after comparing their cards with the dealer’s cards. Ante plays the role of the initial bet, and a play bet is made if the gambler continues to play. The size of the play rate that a player can choose falls in the range of one to three ante. If they win, both of these bets are paid in the ratio of 1:1.
- Aces Up (Aces or higher) is an extra optional bet, which wins if the player receives a pair of aces or a higher combination. It can be placed without ante. If both bets are placed, their size must be equal to the size of ante. In this case, the payout is made even if the player’s main bet loses.
Playing the Game
The dealer deals the cards. They distribute the cards between themselves and the participants so that every member obtains four cards. Then, the player has the opportunity to get acquainted with the set of their cards. According to the rules of this contest, there is a chance to collect the following poker combinations, which can become winning:
- The minimum game is a queen;
- A pair of cards of the same rank (two eights, for example);
- Flush;
- Straight in poker;
- A square (solitaire) – three cards of the same rank;
- Straight flush.
This poker variation does not provide a combination of Royal Flush. All combinations are arranged in ascending order. The player contributes a chip to the ante in poker when the game starts.
Winning Strategies and Combinations
The strategy of playing four-card poker is not very difficult. Remember the following:
- Pair of tens and above – bet Play in the amount of three Ante.
- A pair of threes – a pair of nines – bet Play in the amount of one Ante.
- Pair of twos and below – discard cards.
The advantage of the casino at this game betting Ante/Play is about three percent (the variation depends on the size of the bonus payout). At Aces Up bets, the casino advantage ranges from four to a little over six percent.
Four Card Poker FAQ
How can a player win in a four-card poker game?
To win and get the payout, you need to beat the dealer. To do this, you must:
To collect a combination of a higher value than the dealer or make a timely bet Aces Up.
What are the payouts in this poker variation?
Payouts at Aces Up can vary quite significantly (and the ratio of payouts for combinations is not proportional in all casinos), so the following is a range of possible odds:
- Four of a Kind – 50:1
- Straight Flush – 30-40:1
- Three of a Kind – 7-9:1
- Flush – 6:1
- Straight – 4-5:1
- Pair of Aces: 1:1
Check your payout ratio directly with the casino you’ve chosen to play.
What is an RTP?
The expected return-to-player for 4-card poker is 98.68 percent. The possible RTP for the Aces Up side bet is 96.63 percent.
What is the difference between a 3-card and a 4-card poker?
Though these two variations depend on variance for a player’s bang-for-buck factor, and it’s impossible to cheat or forecast the game outcomes, these games are a bit different.
As one may guess, three-card poker is played with three cards, while a four-card variation offers four cards per player to play. While house edge is roughly the same, four-card poker has a higher variance as a player can raise from 1-3 times the ante. Thus, the corresponding side bets are what make these poker versions different.