Feature image showing title 3 Cards Poker with unique 3d poker graphics

How to play 3 Card Poker online | Hands & Rules Explained

Three card poker is a casino card game having fast play and some essence of old style poker created by Derek Webb in 1994. The game play is so attractive that both the players and the casinos adopt this game immediately. Three card poker is very easy to understand and play.

Here, I will guide you step by step to learn how to play 3 card poker, Poker rules, strategies, Poker Terms and different Poker tips and tricks to sharpen your skills and to boost your confidence. You just have to read it carefully and then practice it on any online platform to know the strength of your game skills. You will need WSOP Free Chips to play the game.

What is its History?

Derek Webb developed the game and his main goal is to achieve 3 key points that make it attractive. 

  •  It should be easy to understand.
  • The flow of chips/money/profits should be large enough that attract the players.
  •  The profit percentage of casinos should be large enough that they don’t hesitate to adopt it. This is called house edge.
  • The game was marketed by the name of Prime Table Game and the first person to adopt the game was Barry Morris.

Types of bet:

There are 3 types of bets in three card poker. 

  • Ante Bet: A forced bet that every player has to make before the cards have been dealt in order to play the game.
  • Pair Plus Bet: When a player got a pair ( straight/flush) he bet on his hand regardless of the dealer’s cards.
  • Play Bet: A bet that is equal to the ante that is placed when each player gets his cards to continue the game.
an image of how to play 3 card poker.

Gameplay of 3 Card Poker/Rules:

The gameplay of three card poker is very easy and fast. Here is a step-by-step guide to playing the game.

Starting Bet:

To start the game each player has to bet called ante. This bet is placed before the dealing of cards. Players can place an ante bet as well as an additional pair plus bet; if you want to earn more, than you can check your luck by placing a pair plus bet. 

Cards Delivery:

After the starting bet, each player gets 3 cards face down. In this game, only you and the dealer are the two main players while the other opponents do not have to do anything with you. So, this game is between you and the dealer. Either you win, or the dealer wins. 

Option to continue:

In this step, each player got two choices either to continue playing or fold the hand. If you fold the hand, then you lose all of your money. But if you have decided to continue your game, then you must bet the amount equal to an ante bet called a play bet

Game Final Verdict:

Now, this is the time to show your cards. Now you can compare your hand with the dealer’s hand either you win or the dealer wins the pot. Now, the dealer shows their cards. To qualify, the dealer must have Queens-high or better. 

  • If the dealer did not get Queens-high or better, then each player gets money over their ante bet, and there is no change in their playbet.
  •  If the dealer qualifies, then each player compares cards with the dealer’s cards, and the best hand wins the pot either of the dealer or a player.
  • Hand ranking is the same as that of Texas Holdem, Omaha and 7 card stud. The highest hand is ( straight flush), while the lowest hand is ( high card).
  •  But if a player wins the qualified hand of the dealer, then he gets money/chips on all of his bets.

Payouts in Three Card Poker

This game gives you different bonuses and payouts depending upon the nature of your bets when you win the hand. 

Ante bet payout:

Ante bet payout has 3 different scenarios. If the dealer does not qualify, then you will get money on your ante bet, and your bet is returned. But if the dealer gets Queens-high or better and then you win the hand then you will get money on both of your bets and even more money on a pair plus bet if you placed that one. But if the dealer qualifies and wins the hand, then you will lose all of your bet. While in case of a tie, bets are pushed back. 

Payout On Side Bet:

This game has a very interesting feature as it gives a chance to those players who bet on pair plus. Suppose you lost the main game, but you can still win on a pair plus bet. The best pair gets the highest payout. In real life, different casinos have different ratios of payouts. Here is a ratio chart where you can guess your payouts regarding your pair.  

3 card handPayout
Mini royal flush200:1
Straight flush40:1
Three of a kind30:1
Straight6:1
Flush 3:1
One pair 1:1

Ante bonus payout:

When you play a real 3 card game in a casino, some casinos offer payout bonuses on your ante bet. The ratio of bonus differs from casino to casino. 

3 card hand Payout bonus ratio
Straight flush 5:1
Three of a kind4:1
Straight 1:1

Order of 3 card poker hands:

This is the highest to lowest or top to bottom Poker hand ranking of three card game.

  • Straight Flush: Three cards of the same suit, the strongest hand in the game. For example, 8, 9, and 10 spades. 
  • Three of a kind: Also called tripes or triplets. It consists of 3 cards of the same ranks, for example, Ace of Diamonds, spade and club. 
  • Straight: 3 cards that come in a sequential manner but of different suits. For example: 7, 8, 9 with two hearts and one with a spade. 
  • Flush: 3 cards of the same suit but not in an arranged manner. For example: queen, king and 7 of diamonds. 
  • Pair: It consists of 2 cards of the same rank but of different suits, and one is another card. For example, 2 kings of diamond and heart and 7 of spades.
  •  High Card: The lowest possible cards any player can get. If a player does not have any of the above then it just depends upon his single high card.

Basic Strategies

The most common and basic poker strategy to play three card poker is you should have proper knowledge of its rules and know when to bet and when to fold your hand. 

  • 1- First, you should have proper knowledge of the highest and lowest hands. 
  • 2- You should have to observe the dealer, who is your sole opponent. 
  • 3- You should have to know by seeing your cards whether these cards are worthy to play or not. 
  • 4- If you have cards like queen, 7 and 6 or better, then you should have to play. 
  • 5- If you have cards like 3, 5, and 7, then you should fold your hand instead of losing all the money. 

Tips And Tricks To Boost Your Game Skills:

  •  Always follow the Q,7,6 card strategy and never compromise on it. Once you ignore this strategy and you have cards like Q,2 and 3 and you continue playing, then this decision affects you later when you lose all the bets.
  • Avoid risking your money on a side bet because you think you might earn more money if you side bet, but in reality side bet gives more advantage to the dealer than to the player.
  •  As compared to other casino games, the house edge is much higher in percentage in 3 card poker. In this game a casino gets a fixed percentage of money on every type of bet. So keep it in mind while playing this game either online or in a real casino.
Betting TypeHouse Edge %
Ante bet3.37
Play bet2.01
Pair plus bet2.32

Platforms to Play 3 Card Poker Online

There are various platforms where you can play this game for free online, like WSOP, Poker Stars and many other websites as well as mobile apps. But my favorite is WSOP. You just have to download the app and install it. Then you have to make an account either with your email or through Google. There, you find many games of poker including this game. Now you can enjoy this versatile range of poker games where you can enhance your skills, so you can fill your bank account. 

Final Thoughts:

There are various platforms where you can play this game for free online, like WSOP, Poker Stars and many other websites as well as mobile apps. But my favorite is WSOP. You just have to download the app and install it. Then you have to make an account either with your email or through Google. There, you find many games of poker including this game. Now you can enjoy this versatile range of poker games where you can enhance your skills, so you can fill your bank account. 

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