Three-Card Poker

1 Setup

Three-Card Poker is played at a casino table against a dealer. Up to 7 players can play at one table. To start a hand, each player places an Ante bet in the designated box. Players may also optionally place a Pair Plus bet at the same time (see below).

2 How to Play

1. Dealer gives each player and themselves 3 cards face-down.
2. Players look at their own cards (do not show others).
3. Each player decides to Play or Fold:
   • Play: Place a Play bet equal to your Ante bet in the Play box. Continue in the hand.
   • Fold: Discard your cards and lose your Ante bet.
4. Dealer reveals their cards.
5. Dealer checks for qualification (see below).
6. Hands are compared and winners are paid.

3 Dealer Qualification

The dealer must have at least a Queen-high hand to "qualify." If the dealer does not qualify:

• Your Ante bet pays 1:1 (even money)
• Your Play bet is returned (push)

If the dealer qualifies and your hand beats the dealer's hand:

• Ante pays 1:1
• Play pays 1:1

If the dealer qualifies and the dealer's hand beats yours: you lose both bets.

4 Three-Card Hand Rankings

Three-card hands rank differently than standard 5-card poker because straights are harder to make than flushes (given only 3 cards). From best to worst:

1. Straight Flush: Three consecutive cards of the same suit
2. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
3. Straight: Three consecutive cards (different suits)
4. Flush: Three cards of the same suit
5. Pair: Two cards of the same rank
6. High Card: None of the above

Ante Bonus: Strong hands earn an Ante Bonus regardless of whether you beat the dealer. Straight Flush typically pays 5:1, Three of a Kind 4:1, Straight 1:1.

5 Pair Plus Bet

The Pair Plus is an optional side bet made before the deal. It pays based solely on your hand -- it does not matter if you beat the dealer or even if you fold your Ante.

Typical Pair Plus payouts: Straight Flush 40:1, Three of a Kind 30:1, Straight 6:1, Flush 3:1, Pair 1:1. High card loses.

The Pair Plus has a house edge around 7% -- higher than the Ante/Play combination (around 3.4%). The Ante/Play is the better bet mathematically.

6 Optimal Strategy

The Play/Fold Decision

Three Card Poker strategy is the simplest of any casino table game. There is exactly one rule:

"Q-6-4 or better" means: if your highest card beats a Queen, play. If your highest card is a Queen, your second card must beat a 6. If your second card is a 6, your third must beat a 4. Anything below Q-6-4, fold.

This rule is mathematically derived, the house edge on the Play bet when using optimal strategy is approximately 3.37%. Deviating (playing junk hands) raises your effective house edge significantly.

Play/Fold Quick Reference

Ante Bonus Pay Table

The Ante Bonus pays regardless of whether the dealer qualifies, it's based solely on your hand strength:

Pair Plus House Edge

The Pair Plus bet is a side bet independent of whether you play or fold. It pays based on your hand strength alone. House edge varies by casino pay table, standard is about 7.3%. Avoid variations that pay only 3:1 on a flush (house edge spikes to ~7.7%). The Pair Plus is never a "good" bet mathematically, but it's lower variance than many casino side bets.