How to Play

A 1994 casino poker variant by Derek Webb: each player and the dealer receive 3 cards, with two independent bets (Ante-Play vs dealer, Pair Plus on hand quality alone). Dealer must qualify with Queen-high; optimal strategy is play on Q-6-4 or better, fold worse.

Three Card Poker is a fast-paced casino table game invented by British entrepreneur Derek Webb in 1994 and one of the most successful novelty table games in casino history. Players play head-to-head against the dealer using only three cards each. Two separate and independent bets are available: Ante-and-Play (compete against the dealer's 3-card hand) and Pair Plus (score solely on your own hand being a pair or better, regardless of the dealer). Because the hands are small, hand rankings are reshuffled so that three of a kind outranks a straight (there are only 52 three-of-a-kind combinations versus 720 straights). The dealer must hold Queen-high or better to qualify; if not, the Ante pays even money and the Play bet pushes. Ante bonuses for straights, three of a kind, and straight flushes pay regardless of the dealer's hand. The optimal play-or-fold decision is the Q-6-4 rule: play any hand of Queen-6-4 or better, fold anything worse, for a house edge of approximately 3.37% on the combined Ante-Play bet.

Players

1 to 7 players seated at a semicircular table, each playing independently against the dealer. The dealer represents the house and does not have a stake. A typical hand takes about 40 to 60 seconds.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card French-suited pack with jokers removed. Shuffled between every hand (modern casino operations usually use an automatic shuffling machine). Cards rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 within a suit; an Ace may be high or low for straights (A-2-3 is the lowest possible straight, A-K-Q is the highest).

Objective

In the Ante-Play game: form a 3-card hand that beats the dealer's 3-card hand (or win by the dealer failing to qualify with Queen-high). In the Pair Plus game: form a 3-card hand of a pair or better regardless of the dealer. A player may play one, both, or neither bet; each is resolved independently.

Setup and Bets

1. Each player chooses which bet(s) to place before the deal: Ante (the main play-against-dealer wager), Pair Plus (the independent hand-quality wager), or both. Ante and Pair Plus must be placed at equal minimum amounts (typical: $5 each).
2. Optional side bets: Six Card Bonus (pays on the best 5-card poker hand from the player's 3 cards plus dealer's 3 cards) and Prime (pays if all 3 of the player's cards are the same colour). These are placed alongside Ante and Pair Plus.
3. The dealer deals 3 face-down cards to each player's betting area and 3 face-down cards to themselves.
4. Players look at their 3 cards (the dealer's remain hidden).

Gameplay

1. Player decision (Ante-Play): If you placed an Ante bet, you now decide: (a) Fold (surrender the Ante; cards returned; Pair Plus still resolved independently), or (b) Play (place a Play bet equal to your Ante, committing to the showdown).
2. No Ante placed: If you placed only a Pair Plus bet, you have no decision; the dealer reveals and Pair Plus is resolved on your 3 cards alone.
3. Dealer reveal: After all players have acted, the dealer turns over their 3 cards.
4. Dealer qualification check: The dealer's hand must be Queen-high or better to qualify. The minimum qualifying hand is Q-3-2 (exactly Queen high). Lower hands (Jack-high or worse) do not qualify.
5. Dealer does not qualify: The Ante pays the player 1:1 (even money). The Play bet pushes (returned to the player without win or loss). Pair Plus is resolved normally.
6. Dealer qualifies: Compare the player's hand to the dealer's hand using the 3-card hand rankings. Player wins: Ante and Play each pay 1:1. Player loses: Ante and Play are both lost. Tie (very rare): both push.
7. Pair Plus resolution: Independent of all Ante-Play action. Pays if the player's 3-card hand is a pair or better; pays at the posted paytable. Below a pair, Pair Plus is lost.
8. Ante Bonus: If the player's hand is a straight or better AND the player did not fold, the Ante Bonus pays regardless of the dealer's hand or qualification.

Hand Rankings (high to low, 3-card poker)

• Straight Flush: Three cards in sequence of the same suit (e.g., J-10-9 all hearts). Highest hand.J♥10♥9♥
• Three of a Kind (trips): Three cards of the same rank. Ranks above a straight in 3-card poker because trips are rarer than straights with only 3 cards.Q♠Q♥Q♦
• Straight: Three cards in sequence of mixed suits (e.g., Q-J-10 mixed). Ace may be high (A-K-Q) or low (A-2-3).Q♠J♥10♦
• Flush: Three cards of the same suit, not in sequence.A♦J♦5♦
• Pair: Two cards of the same rank plus one other.K♠K♥9♦
• High Card: Three unmatched, unsuited, non-sequential cards; the highest card ranks the hand.A♠10♥6♦

Paytables and Payouts

1. Ante Bonus (regardless of dealer): Straight 1:1, Three of a Kind 4:1, Straight Flush 5:1 (common paytable; some casinos pay 3:1/4:1/5:1 or other variants).
2. Pair Plus (regardless of dealer): Pair 1:1, Flush 4:1 (some paytables 3:1), Straight 6:1, Three of a Kind 30:1, Straight Flush 40:1. Typical overall house edge around 2.3-7% depending on paytable.
3. Ante and Play bets: Pay 1:1 each if player beats the qualified dealer.
4. Optional side bets: Six Card Bonus paytable varies (5:1 flush up to 1000:1 royal flush). Prime pays 3:1 or 4:1 typically.
5. House edge: Ante-Play combined roughly 3.37% with optimal strategy. Pair Plus roughly 2.32%. Total combined bet house edge is approximately 4.5% of the Ante (lower than many casino games).

Winning

Each hand resolves independently and there is no match structure. A 'winning session' is whenever a player leaves the table with more chips than their buy-in. The game has one of the lowest house edges among casino table poker games for a disciplined player who follows Q-6-4 perfectly.

Common Variations

• Six Card Bonus: Side bet paying on the best 5-card poker hand formed from the player's 3 cards + dealer's 3 cards (6 cards total). Typical paytable: Three-of-a-kind 5:1 up to Royal Flush 1000:1.
• Prime Bet: Side bet paying if all 3 of the player's cards are the same colour; typical 3:1 or 4:1.
• Mini-Royal (side bet): Paytable specifically for A-K-Q of the same suit in the player's hand.
• Progressive Three Card Poker: A side bet feeding a progressive jackpot; pays 100% on a mini-royal flush in spades.
• Four Card Poker: A cousin game where each player and dealer receive more cards (5 to player, 6 to dealer) and play the best 4-card hand. Different rankings.
• Home-game Three Card Poker: Usually played without the Pair Plus bet; Ante-Play only, or dealer rotating among players.

Tips and Strategy

• The optimal play-or-fold rule is Q-6-4: play any hand that is Queen-6-4 or better, fold anything worse. This is the mathematically derived threshold at which your expected return from playing exceeds your expected return from folding (losing the Ante outright). Below Q-6-4, folding is better.
• Never fold when holding a pair or better. Every pair or better has positive expected value against a qualifying dealer and also wins Pair Plus automatically.
• The Ante Bonus is paid regardless of dealer qualification, so holding a straight, three of a kind, or straight flush is a lock-win situation. Never fold these hands.
• Do not buy into the myth that the Pair Plus bet is a 'sucker bet.' Under the common 1-4-6-30-40 paytable it has a house edge of about 2.3%, slightly better than the Ante-Play combined edge. Played alone it is among the fairer casino side bets.
• Skip the Six Card Bonus and Prime side bets in most paytable structures; they typically carry a 7-15% house edge, much worse than the base game.
• Manage your bankroll at 30-50 buy-ins per session stake; Three Card Poker has high variance because Pair Plus pays on 25% of hands but pays large (30:1+) only rarely.

Glossary

• Ante: The main play-against-dealer wager, placed before cards are dealt.
• Play: The second bet placed (equal to the Ante) to commit to the showdown instead of folding.
• Pair Plus: The independent side bet on the player's hand quality (pair or better), resolved regardless of the dealer.
• Ante Bonus: An additional payout on the Ante for hands of a straight or better, paid regardless of dealer qualification.
• Dealer qualification: The requirement that the dealer hold Queen-high or better; if not met, Ante pays 1:1 and Play pushes.
• Q-6-4 rule: The optimal play-or-fold threshold: play with Queen-6-4 or better, fold worse.
• Six Card Bonus: An optional side bet scoring the best 5-card poker hand from the combined 6 cards.
• Straight Flush, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Pair, High Card: The six ranked hand categories in 3-card poker.