How To Play Three Card Poker | Learn The Rules & Strategy

Three Card Poker is an exciting variation of Poker game played with a standard 52-card deck. 3 Card Poker offers three ways to play and four different ways to win. Three Card Poker lets the player bet against the dealer, or bet on the value of their own three-card hand, or bet both against the dealer and on the value of their own hand.

With the exception of two pair, three card poker uses the traditional poker rankings with a couple of exceptions. You only need three consecutive cards to make a STRAIGHT and three of a suit to make a FLUSH. In Three Card Poker, a STRAIGHT beats a FLUSH. You can also receive bonus payouts for certain wagers against the Dealer.

3 Card Poker is actually two games in one which comprises the Three Card Ante/Play and Pair Plus. You can play either one or both games at the same time.

The Object Object of Three Card Poker

The object of Three Card Poker is to get a Three Card Poker hand with a value higher than the Dealer.

How to Play 3 Card Poker

Three Card Poker Rules -

1 Each round starts with each player placing an ANTE wager and/or a PAIR PLUS wager, before the cards are dealt. The players Pair Plus wager is a bet that they will have a hand of at least a Pair or better. (See the types 3 Card Poker bets below.)

2 Each player and the dealer then receive three cards which are dealt face down. Note: Players are only playing the dealer and not other players at the table.

3 After viewing their three cards, the players have the option to either: Play ("Raise") In order to "Play", the player must place an additional PLAY Wager (equal to the ANTE Wager) to stay in the game. Fold If the player folds, the hand is over and the dealer will collect the players ANTE Wager and the Pair Plus wager, if applicable. Best strategy calls for the player to "Play" all hands greater than Queen, Six and Four and fold all hands worse. (see the strategy below)

4 After all players have taken action on their hands, the dealer will then collect all forfeited wagers and associated folded cards, and place them in the discard rack. The dealer then reveals their three cards and compares it to each players hand with the higher hand winning. The dealer must have Queen High or Better (Queen or higher) to qualify for the round.

5 If the dealer's hand does NOT qualify, i.e. does not contain a Queen High or Better, the dealer is disqualified and the Player’s ANTE Wager wins 1 to 1 and their PLAY Wager is returned. i.e. is a push. (YOU WIN BOTH wagers)

6 If the dealer's hand qualifies, i.e. contains a Queen High or Better and the Player's hand beats the dealer's hand, the PLAY Wager is paid 1 to 1 and the ANTE wager is paid 1 to 1. (both pay even money)

7 If the dealer qualifies and has the higher poker hand than the player, both the players ANTE and PLAY Wagers will lose.

8 If the dealer qualifies and the player TIES the dealer, then the ANTE and PLAY wagers are a PUSH and the wagers are returned.

9 If the player made the ANTE wager and has a Straight or higher then the player will receive an ANTE BONUS. The Ante Bonus is paid regardless of the value of the dealer's hand. (see ANTE BONUS Payout below)

10 The PAIR PLUS wager is always paid based on the poker value of the player's hand, regardless of the dealer’s hand. (see PAIR PLUS Payout below)

Note: If a player has placed a Pair Plus wager, but does not make a PLAY wager, the player shall forfeit the wager, as well as, the ANTE wager.

Three Card Poker Bets

The following wagers may be placed in the game of Three Card Poker:

1 ANTE WAGER - Bet Against The Dealer's Hand Place an ANTE wager to play against the dealer ONLY. The object when betting against the dealer's hand is to get a three card poker hand with a value higher than the dealer’s qualifying hand of a Queen or better. A Player may compete solely against the Dealer by placing an ANTE Wager in an amount within the minimum and maximum wagers posted at the table. After looking at their three card poker hand, they have two options. They may fold, or if they believe their hand is high enough to beat the dealer’s hand, place an amount EQUAL to the ANTE on the PLAY spot. It’s their three card poker hand against the dealer’s three card poker hand and the best hand wins!

Betting Procedure: Play against the dealer by placing an ANTE wager on the ANTE spot.

2 PAIR PLUS WAGER - Bet On Your Own Hand Place a PAIR PLUS wager to play against a posted payout table. The object of betting the PAIR PLUS wager is to receive a pair or better. PAIR PLUS lets the player bet against their own hand only and not against the dealer's hand. If their hand contains a pair or better, they win the PAIR PLUS wager. Pair Plus Wager may be in any amount within the minimum and maximum wagers posted at the table. Players receive PAIR PLUS payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand.

Betting Procedure: Play the hand value against the paytable by placing a PAIR PLUS wager on the PAIR PLUS spot.

3 PAIR PLUS and ANTE WAGER - Bet Both Place a PAIR PLUS and ANTE wager to play BOTH against the posted payout table and against the dealer. When betting both, the player is actually playing against two separate paytables with two different criteria for payouts.

Things you should know when playing both - PAIR PLUS and ANTE

In playing the ANTE wager, the object as mentioned above is to get a three-card poker hand that beats the dealer’s qualifying hand of Queen or better. In playing the PAIR PLUS wager, the object is to receive a pair or better. The ANTE and PAIR PLUS wagers do not have to be the same amount. Players receive the PAIR PLUS payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand. Players can wager any amount within the table minimum and maximum allowed bet on either PAIR PLUS and ANTE. However, the PLAY wager must always equal the ANTE wager. If a player has placed an ANTE wager and the PAIR PLUS wager, but does not make the PLAY wager, the player forfeits both the ANTE and the PAIR PLUS wagers. (Note: In order to make a Pair Plus wager, a player must have an Ante wager.)

Betting Procedure: Play against the dealer and the paytable by placing the ANTE wager on the ANTE spot and a PAIR PLUS wager on the PAIR PLUS spot.

Betting the Play Wager Place a Play Wager if after reviewing the 3 card hand, the player wants to continue in the game.

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Basic Rules of Three-Card Poker

Each player must make an "Ante" wager in order to play. Optional bets such as "Pairs Plus" and a Progressive Jackpot bet may be made. Each player and the dealer are dealt three cards face down. The player will review their hand and must decide whether to fold or "Play". In order to "Play", the player must place a bet of equal value to the "Ante". After all players have folded or continued to play their hand, the dealer reveals their hand comparing it to each player hand with the higher hand winning. If the dealer has a higher value hand, both the "Ante" and Play bet lose. If the player and dealer tie, the "Ante" and Play bets will push. If the player has the higher value hand, the "Play" will be paid even money and the "Ante" will be paid at even money or at odds depending on the strength of the hand.

Three Card Poker Strategy

The optimal Three Card poker strategy center around knowing when to raise or fold given different hands.

Raise with a Q/6/4 or Better

The strategy for playing Three Card Poker is very simple. Raise your bet if you hold a Queen, Six and Four hand or stronger. if not, you should fold. Never make the play bet when you have a hand with card values lower than a Queen-Six-Four.

Raise any hand stronger than Q–6–4 Fold any hand Q–6–3 or weaker

How do you know if you have a Queen-Six-Four or better?

You simply start with your first highest card and compare it to the Queen, if your first highest card is higher than the Queen, you play and just ignore the other two cards.

If your first card is a Queen and your second card is higher than 6, you still play regardless of the ranking of your third card. If the second card is lower than 6, you fold and don’t play.

Three Card Poker Ranking of Hands (Highest to Lowest)

Note: Three Card Poker hand rankings are slightly different than traditional poker rankings because each hand is comprised of three cards instead of five cards. Hands are ranked in order of highest to lowest as follows:

Straight Flush

Is a hand containing three cards of the same suit in consecutive rank. Example: 10C, 9C, 8C or 8H, 7H, 6H. Ace, king, and queen are the highest ranked straight flush and 4, 3 and 2 is the lowest ranked straight flush.

Three of a kind

Is a hand containing three cards of the same rank, regardless of suit. Example: 5D, 5H, 5S or 10S, 10H, 10C. Three aces is the highest ranked three of a kind and three 2’s is the lowest ranked three of a kind.

Straight

Is a hand containing three cards of consecutive rank, regardless of suit. Example: JS, 10H, 9C or 8D, 7C, 6H. Ace, King, and Queen are the highest ranked straight and Ace, 2, 3 is the lowest ranked straight. An Ace may count high or low

Flush

Is a hand containing three cards of the same suit, regardless of rank. Example: QH, 9H, 4H or 10S, 4S, 2S. An ace, king, and jack is the highest ranked flush and a 5, 3, and 2 is the lowest ranked flush.

Pair

Is a hand containing two cards of the same rank, regardless of suit. Example: 9S, 9D, 2C or AC, AH, 8D. Two aces is the highest ranked pair and two 2’s is the lowest ranked pair.

High Card

A hand that consists of three cards that do not make any of the hands listed above. Example: KC, 8H, 4D. An ace, king, and 9 is the highest ranked high card hand and 5, 3, and 2 is the lowest ranked high card hand

Three Card Poker Ranking of Hands

The following should be noted: In Three Card Poker, A STRAIGHT beats a FLUSH A THREE-OF-A-KIND beats a STRAIGHT An Ace is always high except in 3-2-Ace sequence. If a hand does not contain a pair or better, the hand that contains the highest ranking card(s) wins. When comparing two hands that are of identical poker hand rank, the hand that contains the highest ranking card will be considered the highest ranking hand.

What is the difference between Three Card Poker hand rankings and standard Poker hand rankings? Three Card Poker hand rankings differ from standard Poker in that a Straight ranks higher than a Flush, and Three of a kind ranks higher than a Straight or a Flush.

Note: When comparing two hands that are of identical poker hand rank, the hand that contains the highest ranking card will be considered the highest ranking hand. (If the hands are of identical rank after this application, the hand will be considered a push "draw".)

PLAY Payout

1 When the dealer does not qualify: Play = Push Ante = 1 to 1

2 When the dealer qualifies, and the player beats the dealer: Play = 1 to 1 Ante = 1 to 1

3 When the dealer qualifies and the player ties dealer: Play = Push Ante = Push

ANTE BONUS Payout

If a player placed an ANTE Wager and a PLAY Wager, the player will be paid an ANTE BONUS if the player's hand consists of the following hands (listed below), even if the dealer doesn’t qualify, and even if the dealer’s hand beats your hand.

Hand value Bonus payout Straight Flush 5 to 1 Three-of-a-kind 4 to 1 Straight 1 to 1

Important things worth mentioning:

*If a Player makes a ANTE Wager and a PAIR PLUS Wager, but fails to make a PLAY Wager, the Player will forfeit both the ANTE Wager and the PAIR PLUS Wager.

PAIR PLUS Payout

The Pair Plus Wager is an optional bonus side bet that allows Players to bet on the value of the hands they are dealt. If their hand contains a pair better, they win!. A PAIR PLUS wager does not play against the Dealer’s cards. The payouts for the Pair Plus Wager are as follows:

Hand value Bonus payout Mini Royal(Ace, King, Queen) 50 to 1 Straight Flush 40 to 1 Three-of-a-kind 30 to 1 Straight 6 to 1 Flush 3 to 1 Pair 1 to 1 Generally, the payoffs are determined by the pay schedule printed on the table layout

The following rules apply to PAIR PLUS wagers:

A player can only place a Pair Plus wager if he/she has also placed an Ante wager prior to the initial deal. The Pair Plus only considers the three cards each player receives. If the player’s hand qualifies for payouts, the player is paid according to posted scale of payouts (see below). If the player’s hand does not qualify for payouts, the dealer collects the Pair Plus wager. The dealer will pay all winning Pair Plus wagers and will collect all losing Pair Plus wagers. The Pair Plus wager may win or lose regardless of the outcome of the player's hand against the dealer. However, the Pair Plus wager will be forfeited if the player folds their hand and does not place a Play wager.

Three Card Poker Six Card Bonus Wager

In Three Card Poker, players have the option to make a Six Card Bonus wager prior to any cards being dealt. To place a Six Card Bonus wager, the player must also have made ANTE and PAIR PLUS Wager.

The Three Card Poker 6 Card Bonus side bet pays players generously and is based on the best five-card poker hand that can be made from the three-cards dealt to the player’s hand and the three-cards dealt to the dealer’s hand. Each Player is expected to use any of those six cards, regardless of the number of cards used from their hand or the dealer’s hand, to make the best possible five card poker hand. The Six Card bonus wins if the player’s 3 cards combined with the dealer’s 3 cards contains a Three-of-a-Kind or better.

The rules of a 6 Card Bonus wager are as follows:

A player can only place a Three Card Poker 6 Card Bonus wager if he/she has also placed an Ante wager prior to the initial deal. The 6 Card Bonus wagers must be placed before the initial deal. If the player’s hand qualifies for bonus payouts, the player is paid according to the posted paytable. If the player’s hand does not qualify for bonus payouts, the dealer collects the 6 Card Bonus wager. The 6 Card Bonus wager may win or lose regardless of the outcome of the Ante wager. The 6 Card Bonus wager will not be forfeited if the player folds their hand and does not place a Play wager. If a player wagers the 6 Card Bonus side bet and folds his hand, the dealer will remove the original Three Card Poker wager and place the player’s cards under the 6 Card Bonus wager.

Six-card bonus pay table

Winning 6 Card Bonus wagers pay as follows:

Hand value Bonus payout Royal Flush 1,000 to 1 Straight Flush 200 to 1 Four-of-a-kind 50 to 1 Full House 25 to 1 Flush 15 to 1 Straight 10 to 1 Three of a Kind 5 to 1 Poker Hand Rankings Poker Terms Poker Etiquette Let It Ride Texas Hold'em Pai Gow Poker

Test your knowledge of Three Card Poker

After examination of the cards, each player who has placed an ante wager will have the option to:

A) Ask for their ante wager back. B) Make a play wager in an amount equal to the player’s ante wager. C) Forfeit the ante wager. D) B and C. Check the Answer

The answer is D.

B and C

After examining his or her cards, each player who has placed an ANTE wager will have the option to either make a PLAY wager in an amount EQUAL to the player’s ANTE wager or forfeit the ANTE wager by folding and ending their participation in the round of play.

Close

If a player does not make a Play wager, the player will forfeit the Ante wager and the Pair plus wager.

True False Check the Answer

The answer is True

If a player has placed an Ante wager and a Pair plus wager but does not make a Play wager, the player will forfeit the Ante wager and the Pair plus wager.

Close

What is the strategy for playing Three Card Poker?

A) Raise with a J/10/9 or Better B) Raise with a Q/6/4 or Better C) Raise with your Highest cards D) Always ask the dealer Check the Answer

The answer is B.

Raise with a Q/6/4 or Better

The strategy for playing Three Card Poker is very simple. Raise your bet if you hold a Queen, Six and Four hand or stronger. if not, you should fold. Never make the PLAY bet when you have a hand with card values lower than a Queen-Six-Four.

Close

Three Card Poker Terms & Definitions

In addition to knowing some of the common Poker terminology, below are some common Three Card Poker terms and definitions that you must know in order to master the Game of Three Card Poker.

Ante wager: is the wager that a player is required to make before any cards are dealt in order to compete against the dealer's hand in a round of play.

Hand: means the Three Card Poker hand that is held by each player and the dealer after the cards are dealt.

Pair Plus Wager: is the wager that a player is required to make before any cards are dealt in order to compete against a posted scale of payouts, regardless of the outcome of the player's hand against the dealer.

Play Wager: is an additional wager, equal in value to his or her ante wager, that a player must make if the player chooses to remain in competition against the dealer after the player has reviewed his or her hand.

Six Card Bonus Wager: is an optional wager that a player will be able to form a winning five-card Poker hand from the three cards dealt to the dealer and the three cards dealt to the player.

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