Three-Card Poker
What Is Three-Card Poker?
Three-Card Poker is a fast-paced casino game where you play against the dealer rather than other players. Each person receives three cards and makes the best possible three-card poker hand. There are two separate bets you can make — the Ante bet (betting that your hand beats the dealer’s) and the Pair Plus bet (betting that your hand contains at least a pair regardless of what the dealer has). The whole hand takes about two minutes.
What You Need
- One standard deck of 52 playing cards — casinos use a fresh shuffle each hand
- A Three-Card Poker table with Ante and Pair Plus betting circles
Three-Card Hand Rankings — Different From Regular Poker
With only three cards, the hand rankings shift. From best to worst:
- Straight Flush: three consecutive same-suit cards (example: 7♥ 8♥ 9♥)
- Three of a Kind: three cards of the same rank
- Straight: three consecutive cards in any suits
- Flush: three cards of the same suit in any ranks
- Pair: two cards of the same rank
- High Card: none of the above
Important difference from regular poker: in three-card poker, a Straight Flush beats Three of a Kind. This is reversed from standard poker rankings.
Setting Up Each Hand
- Place your bets before any cards are dealt. You can bet on Ante only, Pair Plus only, or both.
- The dealer deals three cards face-down to each player and three cards face-down to themselves.
Playing the Ante Bet
- Look at your three cards. Decide whether to continue or give up.
- If you want to continue: place a Play bet equal to your Ante bet. This commits you to seeing the dealer’s hand.
- If you want to give up: fold. You lose your Ante bet but nothing more.
- The dealer reveals their three cards.
Does the Dealer Qualify?
The dealer must have Queen-high or better to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify (their best card is a Jack or lower with no pair):
- Your Ante bet pays even money (1 to 1) regardless of your hand.
- Your Play bet pushes — it is returned to you.
If the dealer qualifies, compare hands normally. Better hand wins. If you win: both Ante and Play pay even money. If dealer wins: you lose both bets. If tie: both bets push.
Ante Bonus — Paid Regardless of Dealer’s Hand
- Straight: Ante pays 1 to 1
- Three of a Kind: Ante pays 4 to 1
- Straight Flush: Ante pays 5 to 1
The Pair Plus Bet — Separate from Ante
The Pair Plus bet wins or loses based only on YOUR hand — the dealer’s hand is irrelevant for this bet.
- Pair: pays 1 to 1
- Flush: pays 4 to 1
- Straight: pays 6 to 1
- Three of a Kind: pays 30 to 1
- Straight Flush: pays 40 to 1
Tips for New Players
- The optimal strategy for the Ante bet is simple: play (do not fold) any hand of Queen-6-4 or better. Fold everything worse. This single rule covers almost all situations correctly.
- Pair Plus is a fun side bet with decent payouts but a higher house edge than the Ante bet — enjoy it occasionally but do not rely on it.
- Three-Card Poker moves very fast — set a budget before you sit down and stick to it.