How to play and win Let It Ride
http://www.winneronline.com/rules/letitride.htm
Let
It Ride is a poker-style casino game. It is a variation of 5-card Stud but
differs in that players don't have to beat a dealer's hand or other players. The
goal is merely to compile a winning poker hand, with a minimum of a pair of
tens.
Objective
The
objective of Let It Ride is to compile the highest 5-card poker hand (containing
at least a pair of tens) from three dealt cards and two community cards while
keeping the maximum bet on the table.
Betting
The
player opens a round by placing three identical bets on the betting circles. The
player is dealt three cards and the dealer places two community cards in the
center of the table, face down. Based on the favorability of the three hole
cards, the player can withdraw the first bet or "let it ride" and
leave it on the table. The dealer then reveals the first community card. Now the
player decides whether to withdraw the second bet. The second community card is
then revealed and the hand is scored. Note that the third bet stays on the table
with no option to withdraw. Also note that withdrawing the second bet is
independent of what was done with the first.
Payoff
and the True Odds
If
the player qualifies with at least a pair of tens, the payoff is determined by
the quality of the hand. The skill of the player is in knowing when to stay and
when to withdraw based on the cards known.
Let
it Ride
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
True
Odds
|
Royal
flush
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Full house
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pair
Winning pair
|
1,000:1
200:1
50:1
11:1
8:1
5:1
3:1
2:1
1:1
|
649,350:1
72,220:1
4,165:1
694:1
509:1
255:1
47:1
21:1
6:1
|
While
the odds are marginally better for the player than in Caribbean Stud, Let It
Ride still carries about a three point edge for the casino even with optimal
play.
Betting
Variations
Betting
variations include games where players can win a bonus on top of their payout if
they opt to place the additional $1 Bonus or Side bet and draw Three-of-a-Kind
or better. These are sucker bets and though the specific odds vary from house to
house they're all bad and I say forget the bonus. Check out the Wizard of
Odds analysis on
this if you want to see the actual numbers.
Optimal
Strategy
Optimal
play in Let It Ride is a matter of deciding if you are going to "stay"
at the two decision points in the hand. Let's break down the decisions, keeping
in mind that 10-J-Q-K-A are "high" cards and a "skip" is a
card missing from a Straight:
Three
cards up:
"Let It Ride" on the first bet if you have:
- a
paying hand: High-Card Pair or Three-of-a-Kind
- three
consecutive, same-suit cards valued 3-4-5 or better
- three
of a Straight Flush with one skip and at least one high card (eg. 8-9-J but
not 7-8-J)
- three
of a Straight Flush with two skips and at least two high cards (eg. 8-J-Q
but not 7-9-J)
Four
cards up:
"Let It Ride" on the second bet if you have:
- a
paying hand: High-Card Pair, Three-of-a-Kind or Two Pair
- four
of any Flush
- four
of a Straight, no skips
- four
high cards