Three Card Poker Strategy Guide

Three Card Poker is a fast game where you and the dealer each get three cards and the higher hand wins. With only three cards, a straight beats a flush.

After seeing your cards you simply fold or make a Play bet, and the dealer needs Queen-high or better to qualify. Optional Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus bets add big-payout action.

How to Play

• Place an Ante (plus optional Pair Plus / 6 Card Bonus). You and the dealer each get three cards.
• After seeing your hand, fold (losing your Ante) or Play by betting an amount equal to the Ante.
• The dealer needs Queen-high or better to qualify. If the dealer doesn't qualify, the Ante pays 1:1 and the Play bet pushes.
• If the dealer qualifies, the higher three-card hand wins both bets at even money; a tie pushes. With three cards, a straight beats a flush.
• The Ante Bonus pays for a straight or better regardless of the dealer. Pair Plus pays on your hand; the 6 Card Bonus uses the best five-card hand from your 3 + the dealer's 3.

Pay Tables

Strategy

• Play (raise) with Queen-Six-Four or better; fold everything worse.
• In practice: always play a pair or any hand at least Q-6-4, and fold the rest.
• Pair Plus and the 6 Card Bonus carry a higher house edge — bet them for fun, not for value.

House Edge

The ante-play strategy is famously simple and the house edge is about 3.4% of the ante. Pair Plus carries a higher edge (around 7%).

Tips

• The whole strategy: play any hand of Queen-Six-Four or better, and fold the rest.
• Don't fold marginal Q-high hands out of fear — Q-6-4 is the exact cutoff.
• Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus are higher-edge side bets; size them for fun.