Three Card Poker Rules and Strategy

Three Card Poker, also known as Poker Three at Playtech casinos, is a popular casino poker variation in which hands are formed with 3 cards. Three Card Poker is actually two different games in one, in which players may bet on either one of the games, or both at the same time, and in different wager amounts.

Three Card Poker Rules

Pair Plus Rules

Pair Plus is one of the two games played in Three Card. All players receive 3 cards and are paid according to the value of their hand. The dealers hand does not come into effect in this aspect of the game. The pay table below shows the payout for Pair Plus wagers.

Ante Play Rules Play begins with each player making an ante wager. Each player and the dealer get dealt 3 card face down. After looking at their hand, players have the option to raise an amount equal to the ante bet, or fold, and lose their ante wager and their Pair Plus wager if one was made. The loss of the Pair Plus wager is of little consequence, as players will be raising with any hand that receives a payoff from the Pair Plus wager anyways.

When a player raises, he then plays against the dealers 3 card hand. The dealers hand must be at least Queen high or better to qualify. Here are the possible alternative outcomes based on the player and dealer hands, and whether the dealer qualifies:

• If the dealer does not qualify, then the player wins even money on his ante wager, and the raise is returned.
• If the dealer does qualify, and the players 3 card hand beats the dealers hand, the player is paid even money on both the ante wager and the raise amount.
• If the dealer does qualify and the dealers hand is superior to the players hand, the player losses both the ante wager and the raise amount.
• If the dealer does qualify and the player and dealer hands ties, then both the ante bet and the raise result in a push, and all bets are returned.

There is also an ante bonus paid to the player based on the player’s hand. The dealers hand is irrelevant in regards to the ante bonus payout. See the table below for the most common ante bet bonus pay table.

Three Card Poker Strategy

Optimal strategy for Three Card Poker is very simple. Player should raise on any hand Q/6/4 or better, and fold all other hands.

Three Card Poker House Advantage

The house advantage on the Pair Plus wager is approximately 2.3%. The advantage on the Ante wager is around 3.8%, however when calculating in the raise bets, we arrive at an element of risk on the Ante bet of just over 2%.