3 Card Poker: How To Play

Curious about 3 card poker and how to play this very popular casino table game? The good news is that 3 card poker is a game that has a low percentage house advantage, and on a good night this game can really pay off. There are a few rules to the game and a little skill required to be successful at 3 card poker.

1. Place your bets. There are three places in which to place bets for your poker hand. The first spot is called “pair plus,” which allows you to only play solely on your 3 card poker hand. This is the only bet that you have to place in order to play this game. A winning hand here pays according to the payout guidelines. The bet on the ante is placed when you want to also play against the dealer. It is not required, but many people prefer to play this way. When you play the ante, you must also place a bet on the place that says “play” after evaluating your hand, if you want to play it.
2. Evaluate your hand. Once the cards are dealt and the dealer allows you to look at your cards, decide whether or not your hand is good enough to take on the dealer. A 3 card poker hand is a hand where the 3 cards have a pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush or a straight flush.
3. Play or fold. If you hold a good 3 card poker hand, place an equal amount of money on the last available area. If you determine your hand is not good enough to play the dealer, you can forfeit your ante bet and save money by folding. In order to finish a winning hand, place an equal bet on the area marked “play.”
4. Collect your winnings. If you only played the pair plus and have a winning hand, the dealer will pay your winnings. Beating the dealer will win you additional money on the other two spots as long as the dealer has at least a queen high.

Resources:

Washington State Gambling Commission