Three card poker pits your three cards against the dealer's. Look at your three cards and decide whether to play on or fold. That is all, and each hand is over in moments, so it is an easy way to enjoy poker.
The other attraction is Pair Plus, which pays on your own three cards alone, whatever happens against the dealer. Two games run side by side at the same table: the main contest and Pair Plus.
Three-card hands
With three cards the hand rankings differ a little from five-card poker. Above all, a straight beats a flush.
Hand
Example
Chance
Straight flush
9♥8♥7♥
0.22%
Three of a kind
K♠K♦K♣
0.24%
Straight
Q♣J♦10♠
3.26%
Flush
A♠9♠4♠
4.96%
Pair
7♦7♣A♥
16.94%
High card
K♥8♣3♦
74.39%
A-K-Q is the highest straight and A-2-3 the lowest. Hands of the same kind are compared card by card from the top.
How a hand plays out
Bets: put chips on the ante, on Pair Plus, or on both.
The deal: you and the dealer get three cards each, face down.
The decision: if you bet the ante, look at your three cards and either put the same amount on "play" or fold.
Showdown: the dealer turns over three cards and compares hands with everyone who played. Pair Plus is settled now too.
The dealer's qualifying hand
The dealer qualifies with queen high or better (a high-card hand with a queen, or a pair or better). If the dealer does not qualify, the ante is paid even money and the play bet is returned. The dealer fails to qualify about 30% of the time.
How ante and play are settled
Ante
Play
Dealer does not qualify
1 to 1
push
You win
1 to 1
1 to 1
Dealer wins
loses
loses
Tie
push
push
Fold
loses
—
On top of that, if you play a straight or better, you are paid this ante bonus on your ante, win or lose.
Your hand
Ante bonus
Straight flush
5 to 1
Three of a kind
4 to 1
Straight
1 to 1
Pair Plus
Pair Plus pays whenever your three cards make a pair or better. The dealer's hand and qualifier do not matter, and you may bet Pair Plus without an ante.
Your hand
Pair Plus pays
Straight flush
40 to 1
Three of a kind
30 to 1
Straight
6 to 1
Flush
4 to 1
Pair
1 to 1
High card
loses
If you also bet the ante and then fold, your Pair Plus bet is lost with it. Pair Plus pay tables vary between casinos; some pay only 3 to 1 on a flush.