Three-card poker is a simple and fun poker game. Check out our guide on how to play and place bets, plus learn a winning strategy to use every game.
Three-card poker is a simple game that's easy to learn and play online. While it's largely a game of chance, players can use a proven strategy to help them decide when it's best to place bets and when it's the right time to fold. Take a look at our guide below to learn how to play and win three-card poker.
In three-card poker, it's you against the dealer, also known as the “house.” Other players can play simultaneously at the same table, but their hands don't relate to yours since they're playing against the house, too. The object of the game is to have a three-card poker hand that's better than the dealer's hand.
Here are the possible winning poker hand combinations in three-card poker. We've ranked them from best to worst so you can determine how strong your hand is. Knowing the strength of your hand helps you to decide whether to bet or fold.
If you don't have at least a matching pair of cards, your hand is ranked according to its highest-value card. The remaining two cards are ranked below the high card in descending value order. These two side cards are known as “kickers” and are only used if your high card ties with the dealer. Your kickers are compared to the dealer's; the hand with the highest-value kickers wins.
One variation you may see in some casinos is the addition of a mini royal flush. This winning hand consists of an ace, a king, and a queen of the same suit. It beats all other hands.
A special three-card poker table, poker chips, and a standard 52-card deck are needed to play the game. Three-card poker tables only offer three ways to play the game, while others may include optional side bets. Check the betting rules of each game before you play to understand all bet options.
On a standard table, there will be three shapes in which to place your bets. One is labeled “pair plus.” Another is marked “ante,” and the last is labeled “play.” Each wager has a unique payout table, usually listed next to it.
Online three-card poker games vary depending on the casino or game creator. For example, it could be just you against a computer dealer, or you could play against a live dealer with other players present. However, the 52-card deck is always reshuffled for each hand.
Here's how to play a regular game of three-card poker:
There are a variety of ways to win a payout when playing three-card poker. First, let's run through scenarios that happen at the end of the game. When the dealer compares their three-card hand to yours, there are a few ways it could play out:
Regardless of the dealer's hand, you receive an ante bonus on your bet if you hold one of the following hands:
If you made a pair-plus bet, you don't have to beat the dealer to win a payout. Any time your hand has a set of pairs or better, you win this bonus. Pair-plus pay tables can vary among three-card poker games. Here's a typical example:
There is a simple strategy to always use when playing three-card poker. If your hand is a queen, 6, and 4 or better, you should call and raise on your play bet. Fold every time your hand is lower than this three-card combination.
Now that we've discussed how basic three-card poker works, let's get into some variations of the game. To change up the classic game and make it more exciting, casinos and online game creators have added different features.
People flock to games with a six-card bet bonus because they provide opportunities to hit bigger jackpots. To play this version, you use your three cards and the dealer's three cards to make the best five-card poker hand. Payouts are awarded according to the game's six-card bet bonus pay table and can be as high as 2,000 to 1 for a royal flush.
When comparing six-card bet bonus games, compare pay tables and choose the ones that offer the best odds for three of a kind. Players will more frequently hit the three-of-a-kind bonus because this combination occurs more often than other winning hands.
Progressive three-card poker is played like the original game, except that it offers a side bet option with a chance to hit a progressive jackpot with a winning hand. Bets are usually $1, and a part of each wager is added to the pot until someone wins. A player typically needs a mini royal flush in spades to win the full jackpot.
Smaller payouts are given for a mini royal flush in a suit other than spades, a straight flush, and three of a kind. This game version also includes an envy payout, so when one player strikes it big, other players receive a small bonus.
In this version, players can make a prime side bet. This bet is placed on all three cards in your hand or on six cards, which is your hand plus the dealer's three. To win the prime bet payout, all three or all six cards must be the same color: either all red or all black. The suit doesn't matter; it can be a mix.
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