Three-card poker is great fun, and the goal is for the player to make a better poker hand than the dealer using three cards. There are special tables for playing three-card poker that outline different play areas for each player. The dealer uses a standard 52-card deck. It isn’t like other poker games as a player only plays against the dealer and not against other players.
How do you play three-card poker?
A player places an ante bet before the dealer deals with any cards. A player can also make a side bet called a Pair Plus which pays out if a hand has a pair or better.
The dealer and player both receive three cards face down. The player looks at the hand and should decide whether to place a play bet to match the ante, raise, or fold. Players will usually play all hands greater than the queen, six and four, and fold all hands worse than this. When a player folds, they surrender the ante bet and give up any chance of winning that round. If a player folds, the dealer takes their ante and any Pair Plus bet. If a player chooses to raise, they must place another bet that’s twice the ante bet.
Three-card poker may be easy but is still more difficult than video poker. Video poker is much faster than three-card poker and requires less skill. It is basically a combination of slots and five-card poker, and many players prefer its simplicity.
What is a straight flush?
A straight flush in three-card poker is a hand that consists of three cards of the same suit ranked consecutively. The ace, king, and queen are the highest-ranking straight flush. The three, two, and ace are the lowest-ranking straight flush.
Using top poker strategies may mean a player can make a straight flush which is a superior hand to a flush. The straight flush is the best hand in three-card poker. This is different from regular poker where a flush is a superior hand to a straight.
Three-card poker payouts
Players are unlikely to make money fast when playing three-card poker. The dealer must have at least a queen high card or better to qualify. If not, the ante bet is automatically paid back 1 to 1 to the player and the play bet goes back to the player.
The Pair Plus bet functions separately from the ante bet and play bet. A player still collects on a Pair Plus bet even if the dealer has a better hand. If there’s an ante payout bonus for a straight or higher, the player receives the bonus, even when they lose to the dealer.
