UTH question - folding for trips

Hey, all.

If I'm right, the standard rule for Trips as issued by BallyMaster is that the Trips bonus pays win or lose, regardless of whether or not a Play bet is made. More and more casinos are unfortunately making the jump to requiring a Play bet in order to receive any Trips winnings.

Here's a weird one though. Suppose a casino allows you to fold and collect Trips winnings if the bonus in question is on the board, but to collect any bonus that uses one of your hole cards, you must make the Play wager.

It seems to me that a casino that does that is screwing itself. If a player's hole card is playing for trips or better, isn't that player always favored to win against the dealer? If that player wants to fold, why wouldn't the casino allow that?

Even if a player has 2h-2s on a board of 2c-5d-6d-7d-8d (bottom set on a board with an open-ended straight flush draw), the UTH calculator still favors calling.

Is there ever a time when it's correct to fold three of a kind or better with one of your cards playing (barring anything like flashed cards)?

I'm going to say no, it's never correct to fold a hand of that value or better. Every card you have that improves the board is one the dealer doesn't have. The trips bet only hits about 1 in 6 hands, so if you have it, chances are the dealer doesn't. Besides, in your example, you're playing a diamond flush, even if a low one, so you're going to beat higher trips, any straights, and only lose to another diamond. But I would still say that even if you held the 2s/2h rather than the 2d. The dealer has only 14 outs to beat you (with the 2 offsuit deuces), not counting a pocket pair that matches the board. So it's in your favor to play.

Yeah, if the casino makes you make the river bet to collect trips, it's always correct to call if your bonus bet matches your ante size. It will vary if your ante size is larger than your bonus bet.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Besides, in your example, you're playing a diamond flush, even if a low one, so you're going to beat higher trips, any straights, and only lose to another diamond. But I would still say that even if you held the 2s/2h rather than the 2d. The dealer has only 14 outs to beat you (with the 2 offsuit deuces), not counting a pocket pair that matches the board. So it's in your favor to play.

Corrected my example. It was bottom set I was going for.

Thanks for the input!