How to Play 3 Card Poker - GamblingBaba (2024)

The Goal of the Game

The goal in 3 Card Poker is to beat the dealer by having a stronger hand.

The game is simple as no cards are exchanged, meaning that you either play or don't play the three cards you are dealt.

The 5 Steps of a Game Round

1. Bet the Ante: the real money stake to put in before receiving your hand.
2. Receive your hand: three cards dealt to you.
3. Choose to fold or play: evaluate if the cards are good enough to play or if you want to fold them. If you play, an additional bet equal to your ante is placed. If you fold, your ante bet is lost and the game round is over.
4. Watch the dealer receive its hand: 3 cards to compete against your hand. The value of these is then compared to yours. If you have the better hand, you win. Queen high or better is usually required for the dealer’s hand to qualify. Qualification affects payouts.
5. Get paid or go home: if you win, you will either receive a payout for your ante bet or a payout for your ante bet and your play bet. This is based on whether the dealer qualifies or not. Depending on the hand you win with, you are also able to receive a bonus payment.

The Hand Rankings

3 Card Poker uses standard poker hand rankings that determine which hands beat which.

Here are all the hands you can make, from best to worst:

1. Straight Flush – three consecutive cards of the same suit, such as KQJ all Hearts.
2. Set – three cards of the same value, such as KKK.
3. Straight – three consecutive cards of any suit, such as KQJ in Hearts and Spades.
4. Flush – any three cards of the same suit, such as K84 of Diamonds.
5. Pair – two cards of the same value, such as JJ4.
6. High Card – the highest card in your hand, such as A81 (ace high).

The Payouts

As mentioned earlier, the payouts in 3 Card Poker depend on whether the dealer qualifies or not by having Queen High or better. Here's the paytable:

In addition to the above, you receive a bonus payment on your ante bet if you manage to make a set, straight flush or straight. This paytable is slightly different between Evolution Gaming’s 3 Card Poker and Playtech’s 3 Card Brag:

Also note that in Playtech's 3 Card Brag, the above bonus payments are not made if the dealer doesn't qualify. However, in Evolution's version they are.

Sidebets

Two sidebets are also to be found when playing 3 Card Poker online; Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus (also known as Poker Plus).

Pair Plus pays you for hands that you make with your own 3 cards, while 6 Card Bonus is taking yours as well as the dealer’s cards into account.

Three of a Kind pays much more on Pair Plus than 6 Card Bonus, because with 3 cards it's much harder to make a set than with 6 cards.

Strategies

Generally speaking, winning money from 3 Card Poker all comes down to luck as it is a casino game where the house has an edge.

However, it is true that the game can be played in a more or less advantageous way that affects the RTP (Return to Player).

Based on mathematical calculations, there's an optimal strategy that will maximize your winnings.

It’s very simple and we suggest you follow it.

The optimal strategy in 3 Card Poker is to…

• Place a play bet on any hand that is equal to or better than Q 6 4.

When determining hand rankings, you should always start with the highest card.

This means:

• Place a play bet on any Ace and King you receive regardless of the other two cards.
• Place a play bet on any Q and 7 regardless of what the third card is.
• Never place a play bet if you have Jack high or anything lower than Jack high.
• Never place a play bet if you have a Queen followed by a 5 or lower.

Tips & Trix When Playing 3 Card Poker Online

Here are some valuable tips to keep in mind when playing 3 Card Poker online:

• Play responsibly. Three Card Poker is a casino game based on luck. Themaximum RTPis approximately 97%. Thus, you are expected to win ₹97 for every ₹100 staked if you play perfectly. You can get lucky and win, but always remember that the house has an edge.
• Playtech is the superior provider. There are two great platforms that you can use to play 3 Card Poker live against dealers; Evolution Gaming’s and Playtech’s. While the games are similar, the latter comes with a more advantageous paytable. Therefore, the optimal RTP in this game is slightly higher than that of Evolution Gaming.
• Side bets generally cost money. They can add to the entertainment of playing 3 Card Poker, offering potentially huge winnings of up to 1,000 times your stake. However, the RTP is often lower than the base game. Some side bets go all the way down to 91.44%.
• The game has an optimal strategy. Playing 3 Card Poker online, you can make smart decisions or foolish ones. If you want to play optimally, you should always play Q 6 4 or better. This means playing any hand that’s Ace or King high and any hand with a Queen paired with a 7 or higher, regardless of the third card.
• Bonus offers can be valuable. They’re generally great for increasing your chances of profiting from casino games. However, not all bonuses can be efficiently used on table games – especially not when played live against real dealers. Be sure to read aboutwagering requirementsto learn about their extent and the bonuses’wagering contributionson 3 Card Poker.

  To find suitable offers, check out the live casino bonuses we have listed.

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