Let It Ride

The player is dealt 3 cards and he makes three identical bets. Then the player receives two more cards face down. As soon as he examined his 3-card hand, he may choose to get one bet back or to leave it on the table, as if saying “let it ride.“ Then one of the face down cards is turned over, and the player is again offered to resolve what to do with the bets. The decisions are independent. Heretofore it is not allowed to show 3-card hands to other players. When the second face down card is turned over, the player’sinitial 3-card hand and the two cards he received later constitute traditional 5-card poker hand. The payoff depends on the size and number of residuary bets and is determined from the following table:

The ability to return as many as two of three bets is the same as to start the game with only one bet and have an opportunity to put out two more. Maybe the structure of the game was designed so that it prevents players from covertly pressing bets.

Here are some strategy tips that seem to be optimal.

On receiving initial 3-card hand have one bet returned unless you hold:

• (10-10) pair or better
• three of a kind
• 3 cards to a straight flush. When you have one or two “holes“ and accordingly one or two cards higher than 10, or continious cards, like 5-4-3 or higher

After turning over the fourth card, a bet should be taken back unless you have:

• (10-10) pair or better
• two pair, or three or four of a kind
• a four-flush
• a straight with open-end including a 10 or higher

Optional bets, where expected return equals 1.0 are as follows:

• an straight with open-end but without a 10 or higher
• all cards are higher or equal 10

The statistics shown by playing according to the strategy described above is presented in the following table.