3 Card Poker - Game Rules and Guide

Introduction

3 Card Poker is basically a version of stud poker with 3 ways to bet and 4 ways to win on your hand. In this game you may bet on the either the value of your hand alone, play against the dealer or both.

3 Card Poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards.

The Rules

3 Card Poker is essentially two games in one, the Pair Plus game and the Ante game. The player and dealer are dealt three cards each, with cards being shuffled after each hand. Straights have a higher ranking than a flush since there are less ways to make a three card straight. Aces can be used for either high or low.

The Pair Plus game has payouts for specific hand combinations. The payouts are not dependant on the Dealer’s cards.

The Ante game has normal and bonus payouts. Normal payouts depend on the Dealer’s hand qualifying with a Queen High combination or higher, and the value of your hand and the Dealers hand. Ante bonus payouts are paid if you have a bonus hand combination and are not dependant on the value of the Dealer’s hand.

The aim in 3 card poker is to complete the game with the strongest hand. All payouts are dependent on the value of the hand you are holding.

A Typical 3 Card Poker Table

How to Play

The player antes by placing their bet in the 'Ante' spot on the game table. The player and the dealer are then dealt three cards each. At this point the player(s) must decide whether or not their hand is strong enough to bet or if it not, to fold. If you fold you lose the ante.

If you are happy that your hand is strong enough to play then you must place a bet in the 'Play' spot. If your hand is good enough and you beat the dealer then you will get both the Ante and the Pair Plus payouts.

Dealer must qualify

In 3 Card Poker the dealer’s hand must have a Queen or better to qualify. If not the player will receive payment on their ante only which pays even money (1 to 1) as long as the player did not fold.

3 Card Poker Hand Rankings

Straight Flush - A hand with all three cards in sequence and all of the same suit with Ace-King-Queen being the highest.
Three of a Kind - A hand with three cards of the same rank.
Straight - A hand with all three cards in sequence but not all in one suit.
Flush - A hand with all three cards in the same suit but not all in a sequence.
Pair - A hand with two cards of the same rank.

3 Card Poker Ante Payouts

Straight - 1 to 1
3 of a Kind - 4 to 1
Straight Flush - 5 to 1

3 Card Poker Pair Plus Payouts

Pair - 1 to 1
Flush - 4 to 1
Straight - 6 to 1
Three of a Kind - 30 to 1
Straight Flush - 40 to 1

A Quick Tip

A good strategy to follow in both Ante and Play Plus is stay or raise on a Q - 6 - 4 and don't play anything lower. The main reason being that the house advantage against this is about 3.4% which isn't too bad at all.

So there you have it, 3 Card Poker. It's an easy game to play and if you're looking for something a little bit more exciting than say Blackjack but want to keep it simple, then give it a try.