Three-card poker is a fun and easy card game that can be picked up by anyone. It’s based on Texas Hold ’em, but it’s been greatly streamlined to make it faster and, arguably, more fun to play. The player and the dealer each receive three cards, and there are only two main bets in the game, hence the name.
That’s quite appealing, right? It is! But what are the rules of three-card poker, and what do you need to do to win? This post will focus solely on that topic. Everything you need to know about the table, the wagers, and the payouts for a successful hand of three-card poker can be found right here. We’ll also discuss several strategies for improving your odds of success when engaging in this lighthearted card game.
The Basics of Three-Card Poker
The rules of three-card poker can be learned quickly and easily. In fact, in the top online casinos, the game is so straightforward that you can jump right in and figure it out for yourself. Nonetheless, you should make an effort to learn the regulations in advance so you know what is expected of you.
Let’s take a closer look at the table itself, each of the primary bets, and the various side bets you can play that add different opportunities to win, before we walk you through the steps of putting bets and choosing actions.
Table for Three-Card Poker
When you enter a game of three-card poker, the semicircular table you see will likely have the dealer on the flat side and the player on the rounded side. Cards are dealt to the player’s side, where there are three empty slots. The dealer’s cards are typically dealt at the Three Card Poker logo.
The various bets available at the top online casinos in the US can be found between these two sections of the table. In addition to the standard Ante and Play wagers, players may additionally place side bets such as Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus here. The specifics of the various rewards are typically listed around these key portions of the table; we’ll discuss them shortly. In addition to the betting chips, a three-card poker table will also have buttons labeled Deal, Rebit, Undo, and Clear.
Main Wagers in Three-Card Poker
In three-card poker, there are two primary wagers that you must understand. These wagers include the Ante and the Play. Unlike the Ante bet, which can be made without the Play bet, the Play bet requires the Ante bet as a prerequisite. That’s why we’re going to investigate the reason why now.
The Ante bet is required to view any cards at the beginning of the game. For those who choose to see the round through to its conclusion by placing a Play wager, the Ante Bonus will award additional payments based on the Ante bet and the resulting hand.
If you think your hand has a good chance of winning against the live casino dealers, you should make a Play bet. In that case, you have the option to fold. The Ante bet and the Play bet are always equal in value. The dealer’s hand is shown when the Play bet is placed, and the winner is then determined.
Side Bets in Three-Card Poker
In addition to the standard Ante and Play wagers, you may also place the Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus side bets. These side bets are easy to understand and can be put alongside your Ante wager for the chance for additional payouts. If your first three cards create a pair or better according to poker hand values, you can increase your payout by placing a Pair Plus wager. The biggest reward for this side bet is reserved for the rarest of poker hands, a Mini Royal, which consists of an Ace, King, and Queen of the same suit.
In contrast to the Pair Plus side bet, which only takes into account your dealt cards, the 6 Card Bonus takes into account both your cards and the dealer’s. The maximum payout for the 6 Card Bonus side bet is on a royal flush, which is achieved by combining your three cards and the dealer’s three cards to form a poker hand of three of a kind or better.
Using a Procedural Approach
Now that you know how the table is set up and what the two major bets and two side bets are, I’ll walk you through a sample hand of three-card poker:
Bet your Ante on this: Choose the amount you want to wager and then click the Ante button;
Select a chip value and click on the desired side bet slot to place one or both side bets, if desired.
When you’re ready to start dealing cards, click the Deal button once you’ve placed your bet(s).
Do a quick hand check: You must now decide whether or not your hand has a chance of winning against the dealers’. To make a Play bet equal to one times your Ante, click the 1x button if you agree. If you don’t want to risk your Ante, you can select Fold to eliminate it (your Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus bets will remain intact).
Here’s the victor! The dealer’s cards will be shown when you choose either 1x or Fold. The main game and any side bets are awarded to whoever has the best poker hand.
Playing Three-Card Poker for Victory
Now that you have a basic understanding of the layout of the three-card poker table, the various bets that may be placed, and the players you can encounter, you can focus on improving your game. We’ll take another look at the various bets and poker hand values, this time zeroing down on what makes a winning wager. That way, you’ll know what to expect and can prepare accordingly.
Knowing what a winning hand consists of is helpful, but understanding the payout structure is even more crucial, since it will inform your betting strategy and give you an estimate of how much you can expect to earn back.
Accessible Hands
The hand values in three-card poker are derived from those in standard poker, with some minor adjustments here and there. Let’s take a look at the poker hand values as they pertain to three-card poker, from lowest to highest, before we get into the various bets and how they’re won.
In the absence of any other qualifying hands, the highest card value determines the victor (thus the name “high card”).
Two cards with the same rank or worth;
Three identical playing cards constitute a “three of a kind,” for example.
Three of a kind (Pair Plus) or five of a kind (Pair Plus) of consecutive cards (e.g., 2, 3, 4, or 2, 3, 4, 5, 6); a flush (three of a kind (Pair Plus) or five of a kind (Pair Plus) or six of a kind (Pair Plus) of the same suit (e.g., 2s, 3s, 6s, or 2s, 5s, 9s, 7s, or Js);
Five cards, including a pair and three of a kind (for example, two 2s and three 5s) (6 Card Bonus only);
To have four cards of the same rank, such as four 2s (6 Card Bonus only), is to have a “four of a kind.”
Three of a kind (Pair Plus) or five of a kind (Six Card Bonus) of successive cards of the same suit, such as two twos, three threes, four fours, five fives, and six sixes;
Royal Flush: Five highest value cards in order, for example 10d, Jd, Qd, Kd, Ad; Mini Royal: Three A, K, Q (a three-card royal flush, Pair Plus only).
It is clear that not all bets are suitable for all hands, but this will become more apparent in the following section.
The Odds in This Match
Let’s take a look at the four different bets once more from the perspective of what constitutes a win in each scenario in order to better understand the poker hands and when they apply.
To win the Ante bet, your starting hand must be worth more than the dealers’.
To win the Play bet, the player’s hand must be higher than the dealer’s, as with the Ante bet.
Poker hands of a pair or better (a pair, flush, straight, three of a kind, straight flush, or mini royal) are required to win the Pair Plus bet.
To win the 6 Card Bonus, you and the dealer must have a poker hand of Three of a Kind or better (i.e., a Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, or Royal Flush) with the combined value of your three cards.
Three-Card Poker Payouts
How much do you stand to win if you play three-card poker and come out on top? That is conditional upon the outcomes of your bets and your hand. Let’s take a look at the odds once more, but this time with the payments attached:
When you win an ante bet, you get your original wager back (a draw is a push). With a Play bet, you gain an additional 1:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on a Straight, Three of a Kind, or Straight Flush, respectively.
Payout on winning play bets is 1 to 1 (a push occurs when the dealer does not have a qualifying hand (Q high or better) and when the draw occurs).
Winners of Pair Plus receive:
Mini-Royal: 200:1, Straight Flush: 40:1, Flush: 40:1, Pair: 1:1, Flush: 3:1, Straight: 6:1.
Payouts for the 6 Card Bonus are as follows: 3 of a kind pays 5:1, a straight pays 10:1, a flush pays 20, a full house pays 25, a flush pays 200, a straight flush pays 1,000, and four of a kind pays 50..
Methods for Playing Three-Card Poker
How about some three-card-poker tips and tricks? Is there anything you can do to raise your odds of success? In a nutshell, not really, because you don’t have much to do in the game. However, there are still two primary touchpoints where you can exert some effect. These are the situations in which you must choose whether to continue playing or folding, and whether or not to make side bets.
So, let’s take a look at the three most important strategies for improving your odds of winning at three-card poker.
It’s Game Time!
The biggest piece of advise I can give for playing Three Card Poker is to examine your hand carefully and only make the Play bet if you have a Queen, a Six, a Four, or an Ace. Why? In order to collect on a Play bet, both you and the dealer must have qualifying hands. To increase your chances of winning, you should play cards that are somewhat high in value, as you will only recover your original wager if you draw or the dealer does not qualify. The game’s official website advertises this strategy as the best way to maximize your RTP (97.99%).
Extra Bets
Although the side bets’ RTP is lower than that of the main game when played as mentioned above, they do increase the maximum payout from 5:1 in the main game. For that reason alone (after all, who wouldn’t want to win a payout of 1,000:1), they are entertaining to try, but perhaps not in every game. Take care when using.
Are You Interested in a Game of Three-Card Poker?
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Can you explain the rules of three-card poker?
Ante and pair plus bets are placed with the intention of beating the dealer’s hand. Both the dealer and the player receive three face-down cards. A further wager is made on the present hand, or the player folds. They win the round if their hand is higher than the dealer’s.
In three-card poker, what’s the best possible hand?
In three-card poker, the highest possible hand consists of an ace, king, and jack. If a player holds a Queen high or better, they should play the hand according to standard poker strategy. They should probably fold if they have less than this.
Where can I find legitimate online three-card poker games?
You may play three-card poker for real money at a wide variety of online casinos. Pick the one that has the games you enjoy playing the most.