How to Play 3 Card Brag

3 Card Crag is a popular British game that was first played in the 16th century. Brag is the predecessor to modern American poker - the main differences between the two games are the values of various hands and the betting style. As in most other card games, 3 Card Brag uses a fifty-two card deck and a system of easy to follow rules, that make playing the game simple and fun to do.

How 3 Card Brag Works

If you can play poker, then you'll probably have no trouble at all learning to play 3 Card Brag. Brag is played in much the same way as regular Poker card games. To start the game, all the players place an ante bet. After that, the cards are dealt - everyone gets a three card hand. The first player now looks at his cards and can decide whether to place another bet or fold. If he folds, he's out of the game. If he places a bet, the next player must either match his bet, raise it, or fold. This round of card play continues until there are only two players left in the game. Once there are two players left, one player can double the previous bet, which in 3 Card Brag terms is called to "see" the other player. Then, both players reveal their cards, and whichever player has the higher ranking hand wins the entire pot. If the hands are of equal value, the player who has chosen to see his opponent loses the game.

What Makes a High Ranking 3 Card Brag Hand

As in other card games, 3 Card Brag has its own special set of rules about what makes a winning hand. The best hand in 3 Card Brag is three of a kind, which is called a "prial." The highest ranking prial consists of three three's. Next in line are three aces, then three kings, and the rest of the cards follow the usual order of card value. The next best hand in a game of 3 Card Brag is called a "running flush", which poker fans may know as a straight flush. This hand consists of three cards of the same suit in a row. After a running flush comes a run (three cards in a row), then a flush (three cards of the same suit), a pair, and a high card.

More 3 Card Brag Rules

Once you've mastered the rules of the games and you know the card values, you can move on to some of the more complex customs in 3 Card Brag. One special rule is that any player has the option to bet blind. When you bet blind, you don't get to see the cards in your hand, but in every round of betting, you get to place half as much as the other players into the pot.

Another unique aspect of 3 Card Brag is that the cards are almost never shuffled. Most of the time, the cards from the last round are simply placed on the bottom of the deck, and the game continues.

3 Card Brag is a fun poker style game that's easy to learn and fun to play. Now that you understand the rules of the game, you're ready to get in there and up the stakes.