Game guide
Three card poker: rules, payouts and strategy
How three card poker works against the dealer, the hand odds, Ante and Pair Plus payouts, the Q-6-4 rule, and how Casino Hold'em compares.
Three card poker is a casino card game played against the dealer with three cards each. You place an Ante, look at your hand, then either fold or match the Ante with a Play bet; the dealer needs queen-high or better to qualify. A separate Pair Plus bet pays on the strength of your own hand alone. Played with the simple "Q-6-4" rule, the Ante and Play bets give the house about 3.4% of the Ante.
3 card poker online comes in software and live versions at GB-licensed casinos. The online poker guide explains how casino poker differs from poker rooms; this page covers the rules, payouts and strategy of this game and its close relative, Casino Hold'em.
On this page
Three card poker hand rankings and their odds
With only three cards, the rankings differ from five-card poker: a straight beats a flush, and three of a kind beats a straight. There are 22,100 possible three-card hands.
| Hand | Example | Chance of being dealt |
|---|---|---|
| Straight flush | 7 8 9, all hearts | 0.22% |
| Three of a kind | Q Q Q | 0.24% |
| Straight | 4 5 6, mixed suits | 3.26% |
| Flush | Three clubs, not in sequence | 4.96% |
| Pair | 9 9 K | 16.94% |
| High card | A J 4, mixed suits | 74.39% |
Ace can be high (Q K A) or low (A 2 3) in a straight on most tables. Three of every four hands are high-card hands, which is why the strategy below is mostly about which high-card hands to play.
How the Ante, Play and Pair Plus bets pay
After you place the Ante and see your cards, you fold (losing the Ante) or place a Play bet equal to the Ante. The dealer then reveals:
- Dealer does not qualify (worse than queen-high): the Ante pays 1 to 1 and the Play bet is returned.
- Dealer qualifies and you win: Ante and Play both pay 1 to 1.
- Dealer qualifies and wins: you lose both bets.
Most tables also pay an Ante bonus on strong hands whatever the dealer holds, typically 5 to 1 for a straight flush, 4 to 1 for three of a kind and 1 to 1 for a straight. Pair Plus is optional and ignores the dealer completely. Three card poker payouts on Pair Plus vary by table; a common paytable is below.
| Pair Plus hand | Common payout |
|---|---|
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 30 to 1 |
| Straight | 6 to 1 |
| Flush | 4 to 1 (3 to 1 on meaner tables) |
| Pair | 1 to 1 |
The flush line is the one to check. With a flush at 4 to 1, the house edge on Pair Plus is about 2.3%; cut it to 3 to 1 and the edge rises to about 7.3%.
The Q-6-4 rule
The near-perfect strategy for the Ante bet fits in one line: play any hand of queen-6-4 or better, and fold anything worse. Any pair or better is always played. With high-card hands, compare your cards from the top: Q-7-2 is played (7 beats 6), Q-6-3 is folded (3 is below 4), and any king- or ace-high hand is played.
Following Q-6-4 brings the edge on Ante and Play to about 3.4% of the Ante, or roughly 2% of the total amount staked, since you sometimes stake twice. Playing every hand, or folding too often out of caution, both cost more.
6 Card Bonus and other side bets
Many games add a 6 Card Bonus: your three cards and the dealer's three are combined into the best five-card poker hand, and the bet pays from three of a kind upwards, with the largest payouts for a royal flush. It carries a higher edge than Pair Plus at most tables. On live blackjack tables, the similar 21+3 side bet uses three card poker rankings on your two cards and the dealer's up-card; the live blackjack page covers it.
Casino Hold'em: a close relative
Casino Hold'em is another dealer game, built on Texas Hold'em. You place an Ante and get two cards, and three community cards are dealt (the flop). You then fold or Call with twice your Ante. Two more community cards follow, and the dealer needs a pair of fours or better to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify, the Ante pays according to its paytable and the Call is returned. Most tables also offer an "AA" side bet on a pair of aces or better. With sensible play the house edge on the Ante is about 2.2%.
Live three card poker in GB lobbies
Virgin Bet's live "Dice & Poker" section lists Three Card Poker and Casino Hold'em tables. LuckyMate's live poker pages name Three Card Poker, Casino Hold'em and Caribbean Stud, with Casino Hold'em tables from Pragmatic Play and Evolution, and also list Playtech's 3 Card Brag, a British relative with its own rankings. Hollywoodbets lists live casino poker games against the dealer, as described on the poker page.
The GB rules for table games apply: since 17 January 2025 software casino games other than slots must take at least five seconds per hand, autoplay is banned, and the £5 and £2 stake caps apply only to slots, so each table sets its own limits. Free three card poker is available as a demo only after age verification at a licensed casino; live tables are real-money only.
18+ only. Side bets with big payouts are tempting and expensive; decide on your stake per hand before you start. Our responsible gambling page explains limits and free support.
UK-licensed casinos, ranked by our score
Order = score out of 10. Every operator holds a Gambling Commission licence.
| # | Casino | Score | Welcome offer and significant terms | Payments | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place 1 |  Virgin BetVirgin Bet Limited | Score: 6.3 out of 10, fair | No welcome offer listed in the terms we read. | Not listed | Visit Virgin Bet (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Virgin Bet |
| Place 2 |  LuckyMateAnakatech Interactive Limited | Score: 7.4 out of 10, good | 50 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash when you bet £10 on slots Code MATE50 Significant terms £10 min deposit; £10 in slot bets; 50 spins at £0.10 (£5 total); x1 wagering, £1 max bet contribution; £100 max cashout from winnings; 7-day expiry; selected payment methods only | Not listed | Visit LuckyMate (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: LuckyMate |
| Place 3 |  HollywoodbetsHollywoodbets International UK Limited | Score: 7.3 out of 10, good | No welcome offer listed in the terms we read. | Not listed | Visit Hollywoodbets (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Hollywoodbets |
Ad We may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page; it does not change our scores or the order of operators. How we score · Advertising disclosure
Questions readers ask
Does a straight beat a flush in three card poker?
Yes. With three cards a straight is rarer than a flush, so it ranks higher. Three of a kind ranks above both.
When should I play or fold in three card poker?
Play any hand of queen-6-4 or better and fold anything lower. Any pair or better is always played.
What does the dealer need to qualify?
Queen-high or better. If the dealer does not qualify, your Ante pays 1 to 1 and your Play bet is returned.
What does Pair Plus pay?
It pays on your own hand alone, typically 40 to 1 for a straight flush down to 1 to 1 for a pair. The flush payout varies between tables and changes the house edge sharply.
Is Casino Hold'em the same as three card poker?
No. Casino Hold'em uses two hole cards and five community cards, a Call bet of twice the Ante, and a dealer qualifying hand of a pair of fours.