Three Way Action

By Will Veda

The ménage à trois of gambling and like the pleasurable French-named act, this game is a rare find.  Even with its rarity, I had to include the game since the one time I played, I experienced one the highest highlights of my gaming career.  As the name indicates, Three Way Action is three games in one played on a Blackjack-like table. The first game is High Card, also called Combat; the second game is Blackjack, with mostly traditional rules; the third game is Seven Card Poker Showdown, played against only the dealer.  The player has to make a wager for each “sub game” that can be of different amounts and there is also an optional side bet for the poker hand.  A single deck is used and gets shuffled after each round.  Therefore card-counting is useless.  

After placing the three (or four) bets, each player is dealt one card—heads up—to begin the High Card (Combat) game.  After the dealer receives his card, he goes back around the table to compare each player’s card to his.  If the player’s ranking is higher than the dealer’s card, the player wins even money.  If the dealer’s ranking is higher, the player loses.  If the rankings are equal, the player loses exactly one half of his bet.  Win, lose, or draw, the player keeps his card for the next phase.

Each player then receives a second card—also heads up—and the dealer receives one face down to play Blackjack.  The rules are basically the same as traditional Blackjack, except the player can only split Aces (argh!) and receive one card on each.  Also, the player will automatically win if dealt seven cards that total 21 or less, called a Seven-Card Charlie.  Seven-Card Charlie’s are pretty rare and even if one is received, it may hurt the third (poker) game.  Like other Blackjack rules, the player can double down and take insurance (against the dealer’s Ace) with the standard winnings paid even money, insurance paying 2 to 1, and Blackjack’s paying 3 to 2.  If the player goes over 21 (bust), he once again keeps his cards for future play. 

The next game is Seven Card Poker Showdown where the player is then dealt enough cards to total seven.  For example, if a player had a Three of Hearts, Five of Spades, and a Queen of Diamonds in his Blackjack phase, he will receive four additional cards to make his seven.  If he received a two-card Blackjack, he will be dealt five additional cards, and so on.   Like Seven Card Stud Poker, only five cards can be used to make a traditional poker hand.  Two cards will have to be mucked (thrown away).  

Poker hand rankings, best to worst:

1. Royal Flush -- Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of same suit, i.e. An Ace-high straight flush. 

2. Straight Flush -- Five consecutive cards of same suit (non-Ace high). 

3. Four of a Kind -- Four like cards in one hand. 

4. Full House -- A combination of a three of a kind and one pair. 

5. Flush -- Five cards all of same suit that are not consecutive.

6. Straight -- Five consecutive cards not of same suit. 

7. Three of a Kind -- Three like cards in one hand with two non-like cards. 

8. Two Pair -- Two sets of same ranked pairs with one odd card.

9. One Pair -- Two cards of same rank with three non-like cards.

10. High Card -- In poker if none of the above is present, the hand with the highest ranked card wins. 

Like many casino poker-inspired games, the dealer must qualify in the Three Way Action Seven Card Showdown phase with at least an Ace high.  If he does not qualify, all players win half his bet.  For example, a player has $10 on the Seven Card Poker hand and the dealer does not receive at least an Ace high, the player wins $5 (plus gets the $10 wager returned).  After setting his poker hand and making sure he qualifies, the dealer goes around the table and compares his hand with the each player’s hand.  With a better ranking, the player wins even money; with a lesser ranking, the player loses the Seven Card wager; ties are a push (thank you, casinos, for a little leeway). 

After the Seven Card Poker round is completed, the Bonus Action (optional wager) phase is conducted.  With a $1 side bet, the player is now looking for a payout similar to a Video Poker pay table:

Royal Flush – 1000 to 1
Straight Flush – 100 to 1  
Four of a Kind – 25 to 1  
Full House – 7 to 1  
Flush – 5 to 1  
Straight – 3 to 1  
Three of a Kind – 3 to 1  

Any ranking lower than a Three of a Kind is a losing hand.  Because seven cards are dealt, the chances of making a high-ranking poker hand are better than just being dealt five cards.  Hence the lower payouts than a normal Video Poker pay table and this is also why the Three of a Kind is the lowest paying hand meaning two pair or lower are losing hands.

Three Way Action can be an expensive game to play, especially with tie rule in the High Card phase, but the game is fun and exciting, as you will see in my one experience. 

Will Veda’s One And Only Three Way Action Experience

In early summer 2000, I made a trip to Las Vegas thanks to the company I worked for that was sending me to Los Angeles for a roundtable discussion with clients.  They agreed to let me spend the weekend prior to the conference in Vegas since I coaxed them that airfare would be much cheaper.  On the final morning of this incredible trip, where I met several Cirque du Soleil performers, hit a Four of a Kind in Caribbean Stud, and had several successful dice sessions, I pulled together all my cash to discover that I had exactly—to the dollar—the same amount I started with three days earlier.  That means I significantly came out ahead gambling, since I had to pay for food, travel and entertainment.  Oh, but wait; there was about $3.41 in loose change on the dresser in my luxurious Luxor room. 

With an hour to kill before the journey to McCarran Airport, I decided to risk $20 or so.  I walked to The Excalibur, then crossed over to New York-New York and instantly blew that $20 in 9/6 Jacks machine #2707.  I considered going back to The Luxor to wait out my shuttle. 

Instead, an intuitive voice told me to go to the gaming pits and wait for a signal.  I thought I might try a little Three Card Poker, but before I made it to a table, another three-based game called out to me.  During the last trip to Las Vegas I observed a game called Three Way Action at the Las Vegas Club and thought about trying it then, but never got up the nerve to attempt something of the unknown. 

Since I chickened out in the Las Vegas Club I decided to watch a few hands while I read the how-to-lose, er, play brochure.  A fellow playing the game, who looked like he had hadn’t shaved or slept or showered in a few of days talked me into giving it a try.  He said, “C’mon man, I started playing this game at eight last night and haven’t stopped.” 

“Must be good to you, eh?” 

“Not bad, I’ve been up and down, but it sure is a hell of lot of fun.” 

“Okay, you twisted my arm, I have about forty-five minutes to kill before I have to head to the airport.” 

I threw four twenties on the table and began to play. The couple at first and second and my friend had to steer the petite Asian dealer along as she kept gobbling up busted blackjack hands forgetting that they had to be used for poker.  Finally they guided her every move and she seemed appreciative of support.  After every near-card theft and correction, she would say, “Tank you.”    

I had absolutely no beginners luck in the first fifteen minutes as I lost nearly every high card hand that seemed to be a four every time.  The usual Las Vegas Blackjack lack o’ luck haunted me and I only received one Three of a Kind in the poker hand.  Fun?

An attractive, young couple joined the game, and Mr. Need-A-Bath said, “Oh, back for more.”   They smiled as they placed their money on the table and I just hoped that these pretty people would turn the tides for us. 

A couple of still unlucky hands later and down about $45 down I said, “Man, I am getting clobbered.  How were you able to play as long as you did?  This dollar side is waste of money” 

“Takes a couple of good hits I guess.”  He raised his stack of bronze dollar tokens and said, “I started out with ten and I’ve nearly doubled that.”  On his next hand he received a boat and greeted me with a see-I-told-so smile.  The dealer tapped out to be replaced by a younger Asian lady who also had trouble not taking back busted Blackjack phase cards.  I continued to get clobbered.  The pretty couple, betting as much as $25 on at least one of the bets, did not seem to be faring any better and I thought I had better leave before that dreaded tilt pang returned. 

“Well, I might try a couple more hands then call it quits,” I said to Mr. N-A-B. 

On the next hand I placed three $5 wagers and received a Jack for my first card.  The dealer received a Jack of another suit, which is a half-of-wager loss, not a push (another major house advantage rule).  Two fifty more down the proverbial bankroll drain.  On the blackjack hand, I received a Queen to go with my Jack.  The dealer drew to twenty-one.  Surprise, another five bucks gone. 

“Jesus Cripes,” I exploded, looked at my two cards, and noticed something slightly intriguing.  The Jack and Queen were both diamonds so I turned to my new, smelly friend and jokingly said, “Well…here comes my Royal.”  As if he read my mind we both turned and scanned the table to discover that out of the six players’ cards, no Ten or King or Ace of diamonds could be found.  The three triumphant cards were still in the dealer’s hand. 

She dealt my five additional cards and I waited for everyone else to receive their cards before looking at my hand.  When I turned over the five, I found three diamonds and instantly placed the two “throw-away” cards on the table.  “Cool,” I said. “I made a Flush” and nearly placed the hand down until I realized that at least two of those diamonds were high-ranking cards.  I then carefully arranged the cards in order just to be sure that my eyes had not deceived me: Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace.  I hit that Straight Flush Ace High!  I started to show my buddy, but the dealer scolded: “No no no, you can’t show anyone your hand.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m just so excited.”  I pulled the cards back close to me and held them for a few seconds longer.  The majestic family seemed to vibrate in my shaking hands.  A Royal Flush in Las Vegas.  Can anything top that? 

As the dealer went around the table I happily fidgeted as I anticipated receiving $100 for my $1 side bet then I looked closer at the pay scale.  Three to one for three of a kind and straight, five to one for a flush, seven to one for a boat, twenty-five to one for four of a kind, one hundred to one for a straight flush and one hundred (again? what?), hell, make that a thousand to one for the Royal.  When she finally got to my hand, she flipped the cards over and froze.  The players and her all pointed and counted to make sure they were seeing right.

“That’s the big one, folks,” I said and everyone began to scream and clap as the dealer announced to the pit boss: “Royal.” 

She paid me with nine blacks and four greens and obliged with a two green cheque toke for her and we screamed again as everyone in the gaming pit: the dealers, the players, the pit crew all watched me look up at the eye-in-the-sky and give the universal game-celebratory we’re-number-one salute.  It was the first Royal hit in their newest addition to the pit. 

I played one more hand where I lost on the High Card and Poker phases, but won the Blackjack hand.  I decided to color up.  She gave me a purple $500 cheque, which I held high and said, “I have never even touched one of these before.”  The other players at the table said they hadn’t either so I shook each one’s hand and we all laughed as I went around to let each of them touch my purple cheque. 

After leaving the cage, I headed towards The Luxor with ten minutes to spare and said, “You won’t be getting this back, Vegas Baby.”  I found myself floating higher than the counterfeit Empire State Building with an overall $875.50 profit. 

When I got to the airport I found out that my flight had been canceled due to mechanical problems and a later flight would be arranged.  I arrived in LA, via Orange County (“California here we come…”), five hours later than planned, but I did not mind.  When I finally caught up with my coworkers, they assumed that I had hit it big and decided to stay in Vegas.  Not exactly, but I left the City of CaSINos a very happy man and then experienced even more memorable events in the City of Angels (but that’s another story).  

6/29/05