The sudden and, seemingly ovrwhelming, interest shown in poker is astonishing. It seems that on any given night you can find some kind of poker game or tournament being broadcast on TV.

This is probably due in good part to the new technology available that makes cameras so small. This then allow them to be placed where we can see the cards that are being held by each player. But, I digress.

We are investigating an interesting variant of poker called 3 card poker. While Texas Hold 'Em is probably one of the most frequently played styles of poker these days, there is a growing trend among players to try their luck at 3 card poker. This game is also referred to as tri-card poker or guts by those who have played it for quite some time. It is an exciting game that tests both the skill and nerve of even the most veteran player simply by the nature of its rules. Have we piqued your interest yet? No? Keep reading.

In 3 card poker there are usually five or more players in order to create a more competitive match. The maximum number of players is usually set at ten which almost always results in a most exhilarating time for everyone. (Seems hard to imagine a poker game with ten players, doesn't it?) Play begins with all at the table placing their bets or antes into the pot. Players are then dealt three cards each and must decide whether or not they are going to play or fold. As it is very difficult to get even a pair in this version of poker most players will routinely fold. If everyone at the table folds their cards the pot is carried over to the remaining hand. If only one person plays they win the pot regardless of what they have. As you can surmise the amount of money in the pot can build rather quickly as there are no other cards available to the players than the three that are dealt. A game of 3 card poker can quickly turn into something similar to a race to the finish between horses at your local track.

Now that the basic rules for 3 card poker are known, it is also fun to decide which of the two most well-liked versions of the game you should play. The first is called Survivor. In this type of guts, of all the players who do not fold only the one with the lowest valued hand must pay the pot amount back into the center of the table. Therefore, if you feel that you have a competitive hand the risk of playing is not as great as in the version known as Monte Carlo. In Monte Carlo 3 card poker everyone who plays and does not win must pay into the new pot. This can be from as little as one player to everyone at the table except the winner assuming no players folded. As long as there is more than one person playing each hand the successful pot will always be more than just the original wagers with the potential winnings growing rapidly.

As you can see it is quite easy for the pot to build in either version of 3 card poker. When a round eventually occurs with just one player showing his cards, the game returns to what is essentially the beginning and the excitement begins anew.

If you are looking for new and interesting ways to add a bit of excitement to you poker get togethers, you might want to give this game a whirl. After all, what have you got to lose