Can someone explain why there isn't a 3 card game?

Seven card stud.

In Tahoe, sometimes known as "Lazy Pineapple", you're dealt three hole cards at the beginning but never discard (because you're too lazy to do so, I suppose).

At showdown, you can play 0, 1, or 2 hole cards along with the 5 card board. Similar to Omaha, you cannot use more than 2 of your hole cards to make your best hand. Often played high-low 8 or better, like O8 and Stud 8.

That would be Truco

I was kinda mean 3 face down cards like the other games.

even 5 card draw has your cards face down.

thanks

Can't find it on any site though and doesn't seem to be a "THING"

was just wondering why it's not a well established game and out there.

There must be a reason it doesn't work well

Obviously a ONE card game would be a bit stupid

Have you played 7 card stud? You do have three down cards if you play all the way to the end of the hand. Yes, you start with two, but the last card is face down

I have never seriously seen this played anywhere but I once had a poker video game where it had a game called Super Hold Em as an option. This basically was regular hold em but with three hole cards and you can use any combination of the 5 board and 3 hole cards to make your hand.

As you might imagine winning hands become ridiculously high. Hands like top pair are essentially worthless and even two pair is rarely good. Every board has a flush draw (since there must be one suit with two board cards) and the absolute nuts is never lower than quad 6s. I suspect if it were played seriously it would be tough to generate action since nobody would ever be too confident in what they had.

That or you’d see just crazy action and a lot of gambling leading to excessive variance and discouraging regulars from playing. I’m honestly torn on which way it would go, but I’m guessing there must be some reason why nobody has ever run a game like this.

3 hole cards would make too many combinations possible to guess from for your opponent. In Hold'em or Omaha you have to guess only 2 cards.

So you could have a game with 3 hold cards but only be allowed to use 2??? Bit like Omaha but one less card - rather than hold em with an extra card???

yes kinda my point. Why isn't there one.

Just with some of the new stuff coming out recently such as short deck I wondered why there wasn't either an old or new game that has the 3 cards down.

Brag

knew that would come up. Again it's not online or played anywhere like any of the other games.

Perhaps there is some reason that 3 doesn't work. 3 is a funny number afterall

The most important issue with 3 hole cards would be that when you for example have a flush or straight by using all 3 hole cards (+2 board), your opponent would have absolutely no clue that you're likely to have it. There are 2 suited cards on the 5 card board 100% of the time and about 90% of the time at least 2 connectors.

That's the main problem with having 3 cards.

bit in bold.. is that not the point of poker? And applies to other games too?

It wouldn't be possible in that case to bluff your opponent that you have a straight or flush. In NLHE, when a 3rd or 4th suited / connected card hits the board, you can easily use this fact for bluffing. And nobody would care if 2 suited or connected cards appear on the board in 3 card variants.

True, but it would work both ways, you may decide that you have the naked ACE of that suit and thus reduce the chance of opponent like his hand.

Or you may have the Ace flush and hope that you can stack someone with a flush of that suit as well.

Another idea would be a 3 card game where you only use 2 cards - so a bit like Omaha. It would still qualify as a 3 card game like I suggested.

thanks

Pineapple kind works.

Perhaps a 3 card game but only using 2 would work.

4 hole cards is a much richer version, so getting rid of 1 card just gives less options.

I think the only possibility for a new game is that it could let the players decide on their own in each hand - by specially designed rules - what the game mechanics will be in this particular hand. Something like "a flexible game" that adapts to players will and their cards what the card structure in each hand will be.

I'll think about it, maybe it's possible to make this. But since making poker variants is a "dark alley", I really don't recommend getting there 😀 For 3 reasons:

1) Infinite number of options - you can get lost easily
2) Very difficult to promote a new game
3) If it's a NL game, you're about to go up against Texas Hol'em, which is like the Chinese Wall as a competition for your game

Yet someone recently invented short deck.

Is there a place to play PINEAPPLE online?

Pineapple is a fine game. It was on I think UB for a while. Most variants required the player to discard one card after the betting on the flop. It worked better as a limit game and those are barely a thing now.

The three card thing is just happenstance. Three card draw could be awesome for all we know. Might have to try it at a home game... I suspect pot limit would be best.

I think that's crazy pineapple.

Pineapple = one card away pre flop and before any betting

Crazy Pineapple = one card after the flop before any betting

That's the way most Pineapple games already work.

The Bicycle Club in LA used to spread Pineapple (I believe 8 or better hi/lo), but it died at least 15 years ago.

They also used to have Mexican Poker, which was some kind of stud game with replacement. Never played that one.

I think it could make the game more dynamic and exciting.