- Poker lovers in Colorado will now have a three-card hand known as Three-Card Shine to play at their local casinos once table games have reopened.
- Under the state’s Constitution, poker is a legal form of gaming that made the choice for the CLGCC to approve the game for play a simple formality.
CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. - The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) has given their approval for casinos in Colorado to begin offering Three-Card Shine poker once they are all fully operational to the public.
Casinos have been shut down due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, and the few establishments that have reopened are limited to non-table game options (slots) for patrons to be in compliance with social distancing guidelines.
The Centennial State has strict constitutional rules on gambling so the addition of a new poker style is an exciting time for poker enthusiasts.
The Approval Of Three-Card Shine
While it’s true that the Colorado Constitution has written within it a set of rules on the topic of gambling, one of those rules stipulates that poker is a legal pastime for residents.
Three-Card Shine, being a form of poker really didn’t need much discussion for approval because it falls within the scope of what’s allowed by state law. Even so, before casinos could begin offering this new form of poker to their patrons, formalities made it so that the CLGCC had to sign off, which they did on June 18.
Colorado has already listed the game in their legal documents along with the rules that go along with it. The main rules for the game are simple as it's played with a standard 52-card deck and only allows two hands before shuffling occurs.
3 Card Shine Ranks (Highest To Lowest)
- 3 Aces
- Straight Flush
- Three Of A Kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Pair
- High Card
The entire point of Three-Card Shine is to shine with a three-card hand. Gamblers are allowed to go up against the dealer one on one and as with any game, the player with the best hand wins.
It’s as simple as that. Of course, that’s if you find playing poker with fewer cards simple. As it is, it’s pretty difficult to get a good set of cards dealt to you when it’s a five-card game.
Other Games Allowed Under The Colorado Constitution
Casinos in Colorado are legally allowed to offer their customers poker, blackjack, roulette, slots, and craps.
Craps was not in the original set of approved gaming. It took an act of legislation in 2008 to ratify for the Constitution to get craps on the gambling menu. Known as Amendment 50, constituents voted in favor of the game and it was then added to the legal list.
Any variation of these games would be legal in Colorado, as the latest inclusion of Three-Card Shine proves to be true.
Poker players will see Three-Card Shine available as soon as table games have been given the green light to start dealing again.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will consider table games reopening in the coming weeks. They will have the final say as to when it’s safe for the public to engage in such activities.
Until then, Three-Card Shine will need to wait a little bit longer but gamblers in Colorado always have slots to fall back on in the meantime.