Three Card Poker Rules

Three Card Poker is a casino table game where players compete their hand against the dealer's, but only if the dealer qualifies with Queen high or better. This one rule controls how the Ante and Play bets resolve, while the Pair Plus side bet is paid on the player's own cards.

How the Ante, Play, and Pair Plus wagers work

The game starts with the player making an Ante bet, and optionally a Pair Plus wager. The Pair Plus doesn't compete against the dealer; it just looks at the player's three cards to see if they contain a pair or better.

After placing the Ante and optional Pair Plus, each player gets three cards. The player then folds, losing the Ante, or makes a Play bet equal to the Ante.

Resolving the bets when the dealer qualifies

After the player decision, the dealer reveals their three cards.

If the dealer qualifies at Queen high or above, each player's hand is compared with the dealer's. If the player has a higher hand than the dealer, both the Ante and Play bets win 1:1 payoff; if the dealer's hand is higher, both the player's Ante and Play bets lose. In case of a tie, both the Ante and Play bets are pushed. If the dealer does not qualify, the player’s Ante bet wins even money and the Play bet is returned.

How the Pair Plus wager is paid

The Pair Plus can win whatever the dealer holds, even when the dealer does not qualify. It pays out on a pay table based on whether the player's three cards contain a pair, flush, straight, three of a kind or straight flush, regardless of the Ante and Play outcome.

Three-card poker hand rankings

With the Ante and Play payout turned on whether the dealer's three-card poker hand beats the player's, you'll need to know the ranking order of hands. In Three Card Poker, a straight beats a flush, because with three cards a straight is harder to make. The ranking is:

• Straight flush
• Three of a kind
• Straight
• Flush
• Pair
• High card

Each game publishes the pay tables it uses, so check them before playing.

Conclusion

Three Card Poker hinges on knowing the dealer must have Queen high or better to qualify in order to compare with the players' hands,. With that rule clear, the Ante, Play and Pair Plus bets are simple to follow.

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