Overview

Three-Card Poker uses a standard 52-card deck. The game allows the player to:

• bet against the dealer
• bet only on the value of his own hand
• bet both against the dealer and on the value of his own hand

Ranking of hands

The ranking of hands in Three-Card Poker differs from that of traditional poker hands. In Three-Card Poker, a straight beats a flush. Cards are ranked from highest to lowest as below:

• Straight flush
• Three of a kind
• Straight
• Flus
• Pair

If a hand does not contain a pair or better, the hand that contains the highest ranking card(s) wins. Ace is high except 3-2-Ace in sequence.

Playing against the dealer (ante wager)

• The objective of playing against the dealer is to get a three-card poker hand with a value higher than the dealer’s qualifying hand of Queen or better. The player starts by placing an ante ager. After looking at their three-card poker hand, players may fold, or if they believe their hand is high enough to beat the dealer’s hand, they will place an amount equal to the ante on the play spot.
• The ante bonus is paid when a player is dealt one of the three highest ranking hands in a game.
• The ante bonus is paid regardless of the dealer’s hand.

Playing the hand value (pair plus)

• The objective of betting the pair plus wager is to receive a pair or better. If the player’s hand contains a pair or better, the player wins the pair plus wager.
• Players receive pair plus payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand.

Playing both pair plus and ante

• When a player bets both the pair plus and the ante (including play), he is playing against two separate pay tables with two different criteria for payouts.
• In playing the ante bet, the objective is to get a three-card poker hand that beats the dealer’s qualifying hand of Queen or better.
• In playing the pair plus wager, the objective is to receive a pair or better.
• The ante and pair plus wagers do not have to be the same amount. Players receive pair plus payouts regardless of the dealer’s hand.
• Players can bet anywhere from the table minimum to the maximum allowed bet on either spot. However, the play bet must always equal the ante bet.
• If the player has made an ante wager and pair plus bets, he must make the play bet or he will forfeit both ante and pair plus bets.
• Side bets between players are not allowed.