3-Way-Action Video Poker
Those that love 7-Card Stud poker but can't get enough of the standard 5-Card Draw poker can satisfy their conflicting desires with 3-Way-Action Video Poker. This is an innovative video poker machine with three games in one. Players can enjoy 5-card deal poker, 5-card draw poker and a simplified version of 7-Card Stud poker, all in one game. This game was developed by IGT, one of the leading casino game developers in the world. This video poker machine uses a 52-card deck that is shuffled after each game is played. It has a touch-sensitive screen for all the game's features.
Where to Play 3-Way-Action Poker
This video poker machine has not yet been brought to online gaming. It is only available at certain land-based casinos, most of them in the state of Nevada. Depending on local jurisdiction, the 3-Way-Action video poker game can be adjusted for multi-denominational bets; otherwise it is found only for the $0.25 denomination.
How to Play 3-Way-Action Video Poker
Insert coins or a bill into the machine to load the credit meter. Most machines nowadays use the TITO (Ticket In, Ticket Out) system; therefore you can enter your money ticket to get
credits in the machine. Once you have credits in the machine you have three options. Press the Max Bet button to play the maximum number of credits on all three hands or, if you prefer to wager less, press the Bet 3 Way button to add three simultaneous credits (one for each of the three hands). The third option gives a chance to add one credit individually per each hand, when you press on the Bet One Credit button. The maximum bet per hand is 30 coins, for a total of 90 coin bets for all three hands. The Speed button allows the player to customize the dealing speeds.
The objective of the game is to complete the best poker hand in three distinct games. Payouts are made according to the paytables. There are different paytables for each of the three games in 3-Way-Action. By pressing on the See Pays button, players can view each individual paytable. Let's have a look at each one:
5 Card Deal Paytable:
| Poker Hands | Pays |
| Royal flush | 4000 |
| Straight flush | 500 |
| Four aces w/ 2-4 | 1000 |
| Four 2-4 w/ A-4 | 400 |
| Four aces | 400 |
| Four 2-4 | 200 |
| Four 5-K | 100 |
| Full house | 25 |
| Flush | 15 |
| Straight | 9 |
| Three of a kind | 5 |
| Two pair | 4 |
| Jacks or Better | 2 |
| Pair 3-10 | 1 |
5 Card Deal Poker is a very simple game to play. Press the Deal button to receive five random cards from the deck and if at least a pair of 3's is dealt, a payout is made according to the paytable shown above.
5-Card Draw Paytable:
| Poker Hands | Pays |
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 100 |
| Four aces w/ 2-4 | 400 |
| Four 2-4 w/ A-4 | 160 |
| Four aces | 160 |
| Four 2-4 | 80 |
| Four 5-K | 50 |
| Full House | 9 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pair | 1 |
| Jacks or better | 1 |
5-Card Draw Poker is played with the same rules as most other video poker machines. The player is dealt the initial 5 cards received for the 5 Card Deal Poker game. If the player has a pair of 3's or any better poker hand, a payout will be made for the first game (5 Card Deal). Now, the player continues playing the 5-Card Draw with the same initial five cards and has the choice of holding any card(s) and discarding the rest. By pressing the Deal button again, the player gets new cards substituting the discarded cards. A new 5-card poker hand is completed and will be paid according to the 5-Card Draw paytable.
7-Card Hand Paytable
| Poker Hands | Pays |
| Four aces w/ three 2-4 | 4000 |
| Four 2-4 w/ three A-4 | 2000 |
| 7-card straight flush | 800 |
| Four of a kind + three of a kind | 400 |
| Royal Flush | 160 |
| Straight Flush | 25 |
| Four aces | 40 |
| Four 2-4 | 20 |
| Four 5-K | 10 |
| Full House | 4 |
| Flush | 3 |
| Straight | 2 |
| Three of a kind | 1 |
| Two pair J-A or higher | 1 |
After the 5-card deal and draw games are finished, two more cards are dealt face down. By pressing the Deal button once more, the hidden cards are revealed and a final 7-card poker hand is completed. The payout for this hand (if any) is made according to the last paytable shown above.
The results of each hand played are shown at the status box as each hand is finished.
If there is a winning hand after the 3 hands have been played, the player has an option to play Double Up. The machine deals one card face-up for itself and four cards face-down for the player. If the player selects one card that has a higher value than the machine's card, the total winnings for the last game are doubled. The new total winnings can be doubled again by playing another round of the Double Up feature. This bonus game is optional and is not available for all 3-Way-Action video poker machines.
Tips and Strategy for 3-Way-Action Poker
It is hard to develop a perfect strategy for 3-way-action video poker. Obviously for the first part of the game, 5-Card Deal Poker, and for the last 7-Card Hand Poker game, there is no strategy since results are not based on skill. For your Draw Poker game, follow these guidelines as it will help you increase the payback rates for 3-Way-Action poker:
Always hold any winning hand according to the 5-Card Draw and the 7-Card paytable. If you don't have a winning poker hand then hold these cards in this order:
- Four to a Royal Flush
- Four to an outside Straight Flush
- Four to an inside Straight Flush
- Three to a Royal Flush
- Four to a Flush
- Low pair
- Suited 9/10/Jack
- Three to a Straight Flush
- Three to a Flush with two high cards (J.Q.K.A)
- Two suited high cards
- Three to a Straight Flush
- Three to a Flush with one high card
- Three to a Flush with no high cards
- Two high card
- One high card
- Three to a normal straight with two high cards
- Four to an inside straight with no high cards
- Three to a normal straight with no high cards
By the way, you can find information about free video poker games on our friend's site. And about free slots on our other slot machines website.
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