Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is a proprietary casino table game invented by Derek Webb in 1994 and now one of the most widely played table games in the United States, Macau, and globally. The game's appeal lies in its speed, simplicity, and the potential for large payouts via the Pair Plus side bet and Ante Bonus. Players compete against the dealer rather than each other, needing only a three-card poker hand to win. The optimal house edge on the Ante/Play wager is approximately 2.01%, while the Pair Plus bet offers edges between 2.32% and 7.28% depending on the casino's pay table.
Rules & Gameplay
Players place an Ante bet and optionally a Pair Plus bet. Three cards are dealt face-down to both the player and the dealer. Players view their cards and decide to Play (matching the Ante with an equal Play bet) or Fold (forfeiting the Ante). The dealer reveals their hand: the dealer must have Queen-high or better to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify, the Ante pays 1:1 and the Play bet pushes. If the dealer qualifies and the player's hand beats the dealer, both Ante and Play pay 1:1. If the dealer qualifies and beats the player, both bets lose. Ante Bonus (paid regardless of dealer qualifying): Straight Flush 5:1, Three of a Kind 4:1, Straight 1:1. Pair Plus (independent of Play): Straight Flush 40:1, Three of a Kind 30:1, Straight 6:1, Flush 3:1 or 4:1, Pair 1:1.
Basic Strategy
The optimal play strategy is simple: raise (Play) on any hand of Queen-6-4 or better; fold anything worse. With any pair or better, always raise. The threshold hand is Q-6-4: raise if your high card is a Queen and your second card is at least a 6 and your third is at least a 4. With a Queen and a 6, raise if your kicker is any card (since any three cards making Q-6-4 or better justify a play). The Pair Plus bet has a fixed expected value regardless of your play decision and can be treated separately. Avoid Pair Plus tables with a Pair paying even money instead of 1:1 — this shifts the house edge significantly higher.
At a Glance
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