Three card poker is a casino game based on the standard, familiar poker rules. It was created by Derek Webb in 1994 and patented three years later in 1997. The creator's goal was to develop a version of poker that could be played quickly in gambling houses and casinos, with simple rules, sufficiently large payouts for wins, and a house edge that would attract investors to fall in love with the new poker. 3 card poker was mostly popularized by Webb himself, who even established his own gambling houses to expand the game's popularity. Until 1999, due to certain restrictions, 3 card poker was only played in the British Isles. The game gained full freedom only after 2008, making it one of the youngest siblings of traditional poker.
As the name suggests, the game is played with three cards in hand. You then compete against the dealer, and the one with the highest combination wins. It sounds very simple. The name also includes the word – poker, indicating that the standard poker hand ranking system is used. You can adjust your bets by choosing other combinations you want to win, but in this game, you won't be playing against other players' bets.
Where is the most reliable place to play three card poker?
Simply place a few bets, wait for your cards, and hope for the best.
Remembering that the game is played with three cards, there is one distinctive feature that changes the value of the cards. Because we are not playing with all the cards, a straight combination is harder to achieve than a flush. Therefore, it has more value. Unlike this, all other bets follow the usual poker game (listed from best to worst):
- Straight flush
- Three of a kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Pair
- High card
Keen players may have noticed that we did not mention a royal flush. In Three Card Poker, this combination is equated with a straight flush. However, some (actually, most) casinos also offer 6-card bonus values, where additional winnings are provided, including a royal flush and a full house, and the flush returns to its place and becomes more valuable than a straight. More about this below.
Three card poker game flow
First, an Ante mandatory bet is placed. When you place it, you receive three cards and can decide what to do next. If you decide to play, you will have to bet the same amount again, and if not, you will lose the ante bet. After placing the bet, you will see the dealer's cards, and if your cards are better, you will receive 1:1.
Three card poker bonuses
Casinos are hard to imagine without bonuses. 3 card poker is no exception. Here, bonuses come in three types: ante bonus, pair plus, and 6-card bonus.
Ante bonus
The ante bonus gives you an additional payout by multiplying your ante bet if you immediately get a straight (1:1), three of a kind (4:1), or a straight flush (5:1). As mentioned earlier, payouts may vary depending on the casino, and the numbers provided are only indicative.
Pair plus
Pair plus is perhaps the most popular choice among players. Here, you are paid for every hand that is equal to a pair or better. In other words, you only lose if you don't even have a pair. Payouts range from 1:1 to 40:1, according to the casino's payout tables.
6-card bonus
The six-card bonus is calculated if you continue the game and win against the dealer. In this case, all six cards participate in the game – three of yours and three of the dealer's, and all combinations are counted. For the best – a royal flush – the payout can reach up to 1000:1, which is indeed a great win. Of course, this is an additional bet.
If you play with all the bets, your bet will be 4 euros at a 1 euro minimum bet table if you choose to play and 3 euros if you fold after receiving the cards. Therefore, you need to weigh carefully – do you want to enjoy the game or take a risk and win a lot.
Three card poker strategy
One of the simpler strategies, if you play only with the Ante without any bonuses, is to always play when you have at least a queen in your hand. The casino also plays only when it has at least a queen in hand. Calculating better odds, it is suggested to play only when you have a queen, six, and four or better in hand. Meanwhile, a jack and any other two lower cards predict a loss, so it's definitely not worth playing. Unless you have chosen the 6-card bonus, in which case a jack, ten, and eight is actually a very good hand.
Strategizing with bonuses is much harder, so if you choose to play with bonuses, introduce your own strategy. If it works, share it with other players, as winning against the casino is fun for everyone!
Three card poker casino
When playing 3 card poker in any casino, the most important thing is to first understand your money management strategy. It was mentioned earlier that players choose between Ante or Pair+ bets. Ante is necessary to start the game and gives the first three cards, whose value can be judged once seen. Meanwhile, choosing the Pair+ bet, if the three dealt cards do not form a pair, the player automatically loses. Effective money management requires choosing a betting strategy and aiming to play for a long or short time. Constantly choosing the Pair+ bet will result in much greater variation, as it will not be possible to make bets that would be valuable if you get a queen or higher card without a pair. The probability of forming a pair or better from 3 cards is quite low, so players may experience long losing streaks.
When playing 3 card poker casino games, it is usually allowed to choose both Ante and Pair+ together. In such cases, if a pair is not formed, the Pair+ bet is taken from the player, but they can continue to play against the dealer. Forming a pair automatically assigns the “Pair+” bet win to the player, and they can continue to play against the dealer. Betting on both fields at once will always be worth playing against the dealer, as the formed card combination will always be stronger than just a queen.
Different casinos may offer different rules for 3 card poker. Although there are different formats and variants, even traditional 3 card poker in certain casinos may have slightly different conditions. Below is an image describing the traditional 3 card poker casino game rules and conditions list. For newer players, it is important to pay attention and remember the rules, as some casinos may change them to increase their advantage, which will always negatively affect the player. The most important thing is to pay attention to the dealer's card strength conditions (for example, whether they play with Q and above, or J and above, and so on) and Pair+ payouts.
3 card poker online
Of course, as with many casino games, the usual 3 card poker version is not the only one. Although three card poker is rarely seen in traditional casinos, you can find rooms online that not only offer this variant but also several others. One of the most popular variants, especially in Las Vegas, is the Three Card n' 21 Done variant, which combines Blackjack rules with three card poker. Playing 3 card poker online will never lack action, as the variety of game options is very large. Online casinos will also often make it easier to find more tables with different betting limits or rules that can be both favorable and unfavorable to players.
When playing three card poker in online casinos, it is always important to pay attention not only to the poker format rules and bonuses but also to the casino house offers. 3 card poker has about a 2.32% house edge, so even with the best strategy, players will lose money over time. Fortunately for players, online casinos often offer bonus and reward systems that theoretically reduce the player's long-term losses. For new players, we always recommend taking advantage of first deposit bonuses up to the maximum value, as these bonuses usually provide the most value. After using these bonuses, it is important to constantly monitor the website and casino house news, as many rooms offer weekly or monthly bonuses.
Properly utilizing the casino house bonus and reward systems, players can play much longer with the same amount of money 3 card poker and thus spend their leisure time better and more enjoyably.
