How To Play 3 Way Action

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3-Way Action is a form of blackjack that actually combines three different games: Blackjack, Combat, and Poker. 3-Way Action is played on a table similar to blackjack. The first game played is Combat (also known as High Card).

The second game to be played is Blackjack and uses most of the game’s normal rules.

The last game to be played is Seven Card Showdown which is only played against the house dealer.

The player must make a bet for each game and they can be of different amounts. The bets do not have to be the same amount for each game.

In the poker game, there are no side bet options available to the player. The game uses a single 52 card deck that is reshuffled after each round. This is designed to prevent card counting.

Combat

The game begins by each player wagering three bets. They are then each dealt one card heads up to start the round of Combat. The dealer then draws one card and goes around the table to compare their card to each player’s card. If the player’s card is a higher ranking card than the dealer’s, then the player wins with a ratio of even money.

If the player and dealer’s rankings are equal, then they player loses half of their wager. If the dealer’s card ranking is higher, then the player loses. Whatever the outcome of this first game, the player keeps their card for the next game.

Blackjack

At the beginning of the next part of the game, each player is dealt a second card heads up. The dealer draws a second card and puts it face down. This is the start of the Blackjack part of 3-Way Action.

The rules for regular blackjack apply except that he player can only split aces and can only receive one card for each. The player may double down as normal and can take insurance if they think the dealer has a blackjack. The player wins at a ratio of even money but insurance pays the standard 2 to 1.

A natural blackjack pays 3 to 2. It is an automatic win for the player is they have seven cards that total 21 or less. This is called a Seven Card Charlie. If the player busts, they keep their card for the third part of the game.

Poker

The last part of 3-Way Action is the Seven Card Poker Showdown. The players are dealt enough cards to total a seven-card hand. For example, if a player had three cards left over from the previous two rounds, then the player will receive four more cards.

The rules for this round are the same as Seven Card Stud Poker. Five cards will be used to make up a winning hand which leaves two cards to be thrown away. The dealer must qualify in the Seven Card Showdown with at least an ace high.

If the dealer does not qualify then the players win half of their bets. Once the dealer qualifies, they will go around the table and compare their poker hand to each player’s. If the player has a better hand, then they win even money. If they have a lesser hand, they lose. Ties are pushed.

Bonus Action

After the Seven Card Poker round is completed, the Bonus Action is conducted. The Bonus Action is an optional wager. The player places a $1 side bet that has a payout depending on the type of hand. The lowest is Three of a Kind which pays 3 to 1. The highest is a Royal Flush which pays 1000 to 1. Two pairs or lower are losing hands with no payouts.

3-Way Action can be an expensive game to play but a lot of fun. The house edge differs in each individual round. In the last round, the Seven Card Showdown, the house edge is 3.2%. The final bonus round has a house edge of 12.86%. Despite the odds, anyone with a decent bankroll will enjoy this game.

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