Apart from blackjack and baccarat most card games at online casinos are based on the 5-card poker hand rankings. However Microgaming offers two 3-card table games that have interesting similarities and differences. These games are 3 Card Poker and 3 Card Rummy.

In both games players first place the ante bet. They are then dealt three cards. Players have to decide whether they want to play or fold. If they fold then they lose the ante bet. If they decide to carry on, then a play bet equal to the ante bet is placed. The dealer’s three cards are then exposed. If the dealer’s hand is higher ranked then the player loses both bets. If the dealer loses but does not have a qualifying hand then the ante bet is paid even money and the play bet pushes. If the dealer loses and has a qualifying hand then the ante bet is paid even money and the play bet is paid as per the rules of the game. The hand rankings, the qualifying requirements and the play bet payouts are different for both games.

In 3 Card Poker the hand rankings are similar to the 5 card version. In decreasing order the rankings are straight flush, three of a kind, straight, flush, pair and high card. The dealer qualifies with a Queen high or higher. When the dealer qualifies the play bet pays even money. In 3 Card Poker the ante bet offers an additional ante bonus payout. This is 5 to 1 for a straight flush, 4 to 1 for a three of a kind and 1 to 1 for a straight.    

In 3 Card Rummy cards and groups of cards are assigned values and the objective is to get as low a hand value as possible. Aces are valued as 1, the picture cards are valued at 10 and the other cards have their face value. However certain groups of cards are assigned a value of 0 and these groups are eliminated first and only the remaining cards are valued. These groups are pair, triple or same suit run of two or three cards. The dealer qualifies with a hand value of 20 or less. In the event of the dealer qualifying the play bet pays according to the player hand value. If the player hand value is 0 then the payout is 4 to 1; if the hand value is between 1 and 5 then the payout is 2 to 1 and if the hand value is between 6 and 19 then the payout is 1 to 1.

Both games offer an optional bonus bet. In 3 Card Poker the bonus bet is called Pair Plus. This bet is paid only if the player does not fold. The payout for the Pair Plus bet is as follows: 40 to 1 for straight flush, 30 to 1 for three of a kind, 6 to 1 for straight, 4 to 1 for flush and 1 to 1for pair. In 3 Card Rummy the bonus bet is called Bonus. It is paid up front as soon as the player’s cards are dealt, whether the player folds or not.
The payout is as follows: 100 to 1 for a suited run of A-2-3; 25 to 1 for a hand value of 0; 2 to 1 for a hand value of 1 to 6; 1 to 1 for a hand value of 7 to 10 and 4 to 1 for a hand value of 11 and 12.

Both these games can be played at Microgaming online casinos like Platinum Play, All Slots and Spin Palace.