Easy poker
Easy Poker or Let It Ride is a variant of poker that is offered in casinos . In this type of game, the participants do not play against each other, but each participant bets against the casino for himself - in principle, it is therefore a two-person game .
The phrase Let it ride generally means in American that a player after winning a game will be its use together with the profit, so he has to stand up . The name Let It Ride for this special poker variant is protected, which is why most casinos offer the game under different names.
The game
The following description follows the regulations of Casinos Austria .
The rules
Easy Poker is played with a pack of 52-hand French playing cards at a semi-circular table, similar to Black Jack . The croupier ( dealer , banker ) sits on the straight side, opposite him there are seats for up to seven players ( punchers ).
Before the start of a game, each player places three equally high bets on the marked fields ( setting rings ) according to the respective limits .
Then the croupier shuffles the cards, lets draw and assigns three cards face down to each player. In addition to these three cards, two further so-called common cards are placed in the two spaces provided for this purpose during the game . Common cards are used by all players as the fourth and fifth card in their poker hand (see Texas Hold'em and Omaha Hold'em ).
After receiving the first three cards, each player checks his hand - the players are not allowed to show their cards to each other - and decides whether he should withdraw his bet on the number one setting ring or leave it ( let it ride ).
The croupier now reveals the first common card and the players decide in an analogous manner with regard to their bets on the number two betting ring.
As soon as all players have declared themselves, the croupier reveals the second common card; the players put their cards face up on the table and the payout is made according to the following table:
| combination | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 1,000: 1 |
| Straight flush | 200: 1 |
| Four of a kind | 50: 1 |
| Full house | 11: 1 |
| Flush | 8: 1 |
| Straight | 5: 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3: 1 |
| Two pairs | 2: 1 |
| Tens or better | 1: 1 |
The minimum is usually three times € 5, the maximum three times € 100, the maximum payout amount is limited to € 15,000.
strategy
If you play as a pointeur according to the following strategy, you minimize the advantage of the casino.
After you have received the first three cards, you should only leave the bet on the number one setting ring if you hold one of the following combinations:
- a winning combination, i.e. a high pair (ten or higher) or any three of a kind,
- any three cards that can be added to a royal flush ,
- three consecutive cards of the same color , except A-2-3 and 2-3-4,
- three cards with a distance of four values, which can be added to a straight flush , provided that there is at least one high card (ten or higher) underneath, e.g. B. 10–8–7 in one color,
- three cards with a distance of five values, which can be added to a straight flush , provided that there are at least two high cards (ten or higher), e.g. B. B-10-7 in one color.
After the croupier has opened the first common card, you should only leave the bet on the number two setting ring if you hold one of the following combinations:
- a winning combination, i.e. a high pair (ten or higher), any two pairs, or three of a kind,
- any four cards that can be added to a royal flush ,
- any four cards that can be added to a straight flush ,
- any four cards that can be added to a flush ,
- Any four cards that can be added to a straight on two sides if there is a high card underneath, such as B. 10-9-8-7
If you hold one of the two following combinations, you can either leave the stake or withdraw it, in terms of the expected value , both ways of playing are equivalent:
- Any four cards that can be added to a straight on two sides if there is no high card underneath, such as B. 9-8-7-6
- Any four cards that can be added to a straight A – K – Q – J – 10 such as: B. A-D-B-10.
Bank advantage
If the player places three bets at € 10 before the start and he adheres to the above instructions, he will reduce his average bet from an initial € 30 to € 12.38 and expect an expected loss of 35.1 cents. The bank advantage (expected value of the casino per euro wagered) is thus 2.83%.