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.
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
