How to Deal Three-Card Poker

Three-card poker allows players to choose whether they want to place a Pairplus bet, an ante and Play be, or both. Players decide if they want to continue play by adding a Play bet to their ante. The game is fairly laid-back for the dealer since only one deal is involved.

Things You'll Need

• Deck of playing cards

Instructions

1. Allow players time to place their antes and, if desired, Pairplus bets.

2. Deal each player and yourself 3 cards, all face down. Players may look at their cards, but yours remain facedown.

3. Wait for players to look at their cards and either fold or raise an amount equal to the ante. This is the Play bet.

4. Turn over your cards. You must have a queen or higher to continue play.

5. Pay out 1 to 1 on the ante if your hand does not qualify; the Play bet pushes. Compare your hand with the player's if you do qualify. The better hand wins.

6. Pay out 1 to 1 on antes and Play bets for winning hands. Losing hands forfeit the ante and Play bets. A tie between you and a player will cause the ante and Play bets to push. Pairplus bets are paid out according to a standardized payout table.

Tips & Warnings

• The order of hand rankings for three-card poker is: straight flush, 3 of a kind, straight, flush, pair and Ace high or less.

• Pairplus bets are paid out according to a standard Pairplus payout table. Payouts are made on hands containing a pair or better.

• Players are awarded a bonus if they placed an ante bet and get either a straight flush, 3 of a kind or a straight. It doesn't matter if the dealer qualifies for the round or if the player loses; this bonus is awarded regardless.