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Download on Google Play- 1-7 players against the dealer with a 52-card deck.
- Place Ante and/or Pair Plus bets.
- Receive 3 cards face-down.
- Look at your three cards.
- Place a Play bet equal to your Ante, or fold.
- Dealer reveals; must qualify with Queen-high or better.
- Ante pays even money; Play pays even money if you beat the dealer.
- Pair Plus pays independently: pair 1:1, flush 4:1, straight 6:1, trips 30:1, straight flush 40:1.
Rules
Three Card Poker is a fast-paced casino table game invented by Derek Webb in 1994. Players receive just three cards and can place two independent bets: Pair Plus (betting on getting a pair or better) and Ante/Play (competing against the dealer). The simplified hand rankings and quick gameplay have made it one of the most popular casino card games worldwide.
Objective
In the Ante/Play game, beat the dealer's three-card hand. In the Pair Plus game, simply be dealt a pair or better to win regardless of the dealer's hand.
Setup
- Players: 1 to 7 players against the dealer.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Bets: Players may place an Ante bet, a Pair Plus bet, or both before cards are dealt.
- Deal: Each player and the dealer receive 3 cards face-down.
Gameplay
- Examine cards: Players look at their three cards and decide their action.
- Ante/Play decision: Players who placed an Ante bet must either make a Play bet equal to their Ante or fold and forfeit the Ante.
- Pair Plus: This bet is resolved independently — if the player has a pair or better, they win regardless of the dealer's hand or the Ante/Play outcome.
- Dealer reveals: The dealer turns over their cards and the hands are compared.
- Dealer qualification: The dealer must have Queen-high or better to qualify. If not, the Ante pays even money and the Play bet pushes.
Scoring
- Three-card hand rankings (high to low): Straight flush, three of a kind, straight, flush, pair, high card. Note: three of a kind beats a straight in three-card poker.
- Ante bonus: Most casinos pay an automatic bonus on the Ante for a straight or better, regardless of the dealer's hand.
- Pair Plus paytable: Pair pays 1:1, flush pays 4:1, straight pays 6:1, three of a kind pays 30:1, straight flush pays 40:1.
Variations
- Six Card Bonus: A side bet based on the best five-card hand made from the player's and dealer's combined six cards.
- Prime: A side bet that pays if all three of the player's cards (or all six combined cards) are the same color.
Tips and Strategies
- The optimal strategy for the Ante/Play bet is simple: play with Queen-6-4 or better, fold with anything worse.
- The Pair Plus bet has a house edge of about 2.3%, making it one of the better side bets in casinos.
- Both bets can be played simultaneously for maximum excitement without significantly increasing the house edge.
Tips & Strategy
The Q-6-4 rule is the key: play any hand of Queen-6-4 or better and fold the rest. The Pair Plus bet is independent and has a reasonable house edge on its own.
With only one decision point (play or fold), the strategy is elegantly simple. The Q-6-4 threshold exists because below that hand, the player's chance of beating a qualifying dealer drops below break-even.
Trivia & Fun Facts
In three-card poker, three of a kind is rarer than a straight because there are fewer ways to make it with only three cards, which is why it ranks higher.
In Three Card Poker hand rankings, which hand ranks higher: a straight or three of a kind?
History & Culture
Three Card Poker was invented by Derek Webb in 1994 and patented under the name 'Poker Three.' It became one of the fastest-growing casino games in history.
Three Card Poker revolutionized the casino floor by proving that simplified poker variants could attract massive player interest, inspiring a wave of new table games.
Variations & House Rules
The Six Card Bonus bet lets players combine their three cards with the dealer's three to make the best five-card poker hand, adding another layer of excitement.
For home games, try dealing four cards and discarding one for a slight twist that adds a decision element to the normally luck-based format.
