noob questions about poker on cruises

As someone who has been around poker for a few years, I'll post my thoughts on the subject. Mind you, these are only my opinions, feel free to disagree.

1 Online "play money poker" has no relationship to "real money" poker (either online of live.) A play money player that has won millions/billions of dollar can not beat 1cent/2cent real money game.

2 A online 10/25 cents ($25) NLHE player is about the equal of a $1/$2 ($200) live game player.

3 Cruise ship have the softest players (small sample of six times only.) Most of the time, about 1 other good player, bunch of so/so player, 2 donators. I think reason being most people are on board to have fun.

Except on special poker cruises, I have found that only a single $1/2 NLHE table is offered with maybe a small buyin tournament in the afternoon. The rake is criminally high but it is worth playing because of the very soft game. If land poker use the same rake structure, knowledgeable player would not player because cannot win enough to cover the rake. A plus for the electronic table is no need to tip.

You would not find too many pro's on cruise ship table because 1/2 is too small.

As poster above said. 3 card poker, Caribbean poker are not real poker, they are house game where the house always have the edge. Texas holdem is more like golf or bowling. It is a game of skill, you play against other player, the casino profit is the rake. To the poster that said holdem looks dangerous, it is less dangerous than the casino table games. Learn just the basic and you should to hold your own against cruise ship poker players.

cheers thankyou for that good advice ,i was that soldier ! i am at present trying to learn basics of THE and may make a venture all be it tentativly onto a table onboard if it all goes horribly wrong lol i can run back to 3 card and loose slowly haha,have you ever played bastard brag as a fun party game with a small gambling edge #? maybe its called something else in the usa ,anyway ty again

I was on the Carnival Pride in January and the rake was 15% and a max of $8per hand. Also, there was no rake when there are only 2 players and there is no rake if there is no flop.

A month ago on the explorer of the seas the rake was 10% max $15. Next to impossible to win money with that much coming off the table every hand

Sat down at a three card poker table at the Taj in Atlantic city couple of months ago with $100. A few hands in and I got three of a kind. A few hands later I got 4 of a kind with the bonus up top. 20 minutes later and I got a straight flush. In between I was getting flushes straights trips you name it I couldn't do anything wrong about four hours later I got up with thousands and thousands of dollars that was a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the three card poker table.

Nice! would love to get that 4 of a kind with the bonus

Sheldon is right, Q-8 or better is the hand to play in 3-card. Every reference I have seen (on line and otherwise) has given this as the hand to play to minimize the house odds.

In 3 card, Q-6-4 is the line hand. Go to a website called Wizard of odds.

what do you mean by line hand (oh dear now im showing my ignorance lol)

what do you mean by line hand (oh dear now im showing my ignorance lol)

Its the line at which you make a decision to play or fold. Less than Q-6-4 you fold, Q-6-4 or better you play. I stick to this rule 100% of the time and overall, I win more than I lose.

Just stumbled on this, I think it depends on different payouts and bonuses at the table. I don't play with my own money but had a work function at the casino where we had $200 each and my boss wanted to play 3 card. All the sources I saw said Q-8 was the cutoff for playable hands.

The rake is usually quite high on ships as well, so it might not be worth playing. It was something like 15% up to $10 or some other outrageous number.

They rake 10% up to $15 on Royal. Probably why they changed from 1-2 NLH to 1-3 NLH. Better shot at getting a rake on every pot. Word of advice, watch the rake carefully, some dealers will round up the pot and take an extra buck or two. They have those 50 cent chips there for a reason, make the dealer rake correctly.

One other issue I've had is that except for the Royal poker tournament on Allure last year where they hired dedicated poker dealers, most of the dealers don't know the game or some of the rules very well. The floor managers also aren't very sure of the rules. I've had a few disputes on a ruling when I had to ask the manager to consult Robert's Rules of Poker.