Three Card Poker Rule

Three card poker is a great game to challenge your skills and face off against the dealer. Whether you want to try something new at the casino or want to compete head on at your home poker game, three card poker delivers.

The Basics of Three Card Poker

Three card poker is played with a regular 52-card deck. Each player is dealt three cards instead of five. Each player takes turn facing off against the dealer. In this version of the game, players are more like teammates than competitors.

When betting begins, the player can either bet against the dealer, bet on his own hand or both. Betting against the dealer is known as the "ante wager" and betting on the player's own hand is called "the pair plus." Betting choices are made before cards are dealt.

The three card poker table has three betting circles on it. The one closest to the player is for the ante wager. The second betting circle is for the play bet and the third is for the pair plus bet.

Playing the Game

When the player receives his cards, he decides whether or not to bet his cards against the dealer's cards. If the player bets the ante, he can play against the dealer, but the dealer must have a hand better than a single queen to "qualify" for the player to beat him. If the dealer doesn't qualify, the player is paid both bets.

If the player chooses not to play, he loses the ante, regardless of the value of the dealer's cards. If he plays and beats the dealer, the player is rewarded with both the ante and play bets.

If the player made the ante bet and has a straight or higher, then the player will receive a pre-determined bonus, regardless of the value of the dealer's hand. The pair plus payout depends on the value of the player's hand.

Three Card Poker Hands

Hands are ranked differently in this version of poker. The player's cards must be higher than the dealers to win. Three card poker hands rank in the following order:

• Straight Flush- Three cards in sequence, all of the same suit.
• Three of a Kind- Three cards of the same number.
• Straight- Three cards in sequence. The cards can be of different suits.
• Flush- Three cards of the same suit. 
• Pair- Two cards of the same number.
• High Card- The highest card of your hand.

Aces are always high, but they can be used as the last card in a 3-2-A straight.

The game is simple to follow and can be played with anywhere from two to ten or more people. Three card poker is very different than the original five card game, but it can bring excitement to a bored poker table instantly.