This page describes each and every way you can place a bet at three card poker, as well as strategy.

Introduction

Over the past year Three Card Poker has become increasingly popular. Many players view it as a superior alternative to Caribbean Stud Poker because you get paid on strong hands even if the dealer doesn’t qualify. We thoroughly enjoy Caribbean Stud Poker, but it’s sure frustrating when you get a Full House or 4-of-a-Kind and the Dealer has nothing — you don’t get the big payout it feels like you deserve.

The Basics

Three-Card Poker uses a standard 52-card deck. There are three ways to play. The game allows the player to wager against the dealer, to wager only on the value of his own hand, or to wager both against the dealer and on the value of his/her own hand.

Ranking of Hands

The ranking of the hands in Three-Card Poker differs from traditional poker hands. In Three-Card Poker, a STRAIGHT beats a FLUSH. Cards are ranked from highest to lowest as follows.
STRAIGHT FLUSH
THREE OF A KIND
STRAIGHT
FLUSH
PAIR

If a hand does not contain a pair or better, the hand that contains the highest-ranking card(s) wins. Ace is high except in 3-2-Ace sequence.

Three Ways to Play

1) Playing against the Dealer- ANTE WAGER

The object when playing against the dealer is to get a three-card poker hand with a value higher than the dealer’s qualifying of a Queen or better. Players place an ANTE wager. After looking at their three-card poker hand, players may fold or, if they believe their hand is high enough to beat the dealer’s hand, they will place an amount EQUAL to the ANTE on the PLAY spot.

Playing Against the Dealer

Player folds
LOSE

When dealer does not play
PLAY is a PUSH
ANTE wins 1 to 1

When dealer plays and player’s hand beats dealer’s hand
PLAY wins 1 to 1
ANTE wins 1 to 1

When dealer plays and dealer’s hand beats player’s hand
PLAY is a loss
ANTE is a loss

The ANTE BONUS is paid when a player is dealt one of the three highest ranking hands in the game. THE ANTE BONUS is paid regardless of the dealer’s hand. The ANTE BONUS payouts are attached.

2) Playing the Hand Value - PAIR PLUS

The object of betting the PAIR PLUS wager is to receive a pair or better. If the player’s hand contains a pair or better, the player wins the PAIR PLUS wager. Players receive PAIR PLUS payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand. PAIR PLUS payouts are attached.

3) Playing Both - PAIR PLUS and ANTE

When a player bets both the PAIR PLUS and the ANTE (including PLAY), he/she is playing against two separate pay tables with two different criteria for payouts. In playing the ANTE wager, the object 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 but must be at least table minimum. Players receive the PAIR PLUS payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand. Players can wager anywhere from the table minimum to the maximum allowed bet on either spot. However, the PLAY wager must always equal the ANTE wager.

If the player has made ANTE wager and the PAIR PLUS wager, and he/she must make the PLAY wager or will forfeit both the ANTE and PAIR PLUS wagers.

How to Play

You start play either by placing an ante bet into a diamond-shaped betting area labeled “ante” or by placing a bet in a circle labeled “pair plus.” (You can also make both bets, but it puts more of your bankroll into action.)

You’re then dealt three cards. There’s no draw, and you’re competing only with the dealer, who also gets three cards.

If you’ve bet “pair plus,” you have no further decisions to make. Your hand is either good enough to qualify for one of the bonus payments listed on the table or it isn’t.

If you’ve made the ante bet, you must decide, after looking at your cards, whether you want to match your ante bet with a second bet. If you do play, you win if your hand is better than the dealer’s. If you hold a particularly strong hand, you get paid bonus increments, listed on the felt, such as 4-1 for trips or 6-1 for a straight flush, regardless of whether your hand beats the dealer’s.

Strategy

Because you can make two different bets, the strategy for three-card poker depends on whether you want to play against the smallest house percentage or to lose the least amount.

The house edge on the ante/play bet is 2.14 percent, and the house edge on the pair plus bet is 2.32 percent, so you might think a smart player would avoid the pair plus bet. This is indeed a reasonable way to play. The trick is that, when you make your $5 ante bet, if you get a playable hand, you will have to bet another $5 to play. So, even though the house edge is lower, you’re putting more money into action, and you figure to lose more after a full evening’s play than if you decide just to make the $5 pair plus bet.

The best way to play three-card poker when choosing the ante/play option is simple. If your three cards are at least queen high, you play. This means that, even if you have Q-3-2, you should play. And you should certainly play hands that are stronger, like any hand with a king or an ace and any hand with a pair (like 2-2-3). If your hand isn’t at least queen high (for example, J-10-8), fold, but remember not to fold low straights and flushes.

The best way to play when choosing the pair plus option is even simpler. Put your minimum bet in the pair plus betting circle and cross your fingers.