3 Card Poker Tricks

Playing poker online can bring a lot of enjoyment your way. It’s a game that challenges you and even lets you win money. There are many different types of poker games to choose from. One of the most well-known ones is called 3 Card Poker. Have you ever tried playing 3 card poker? Imagine how much more exciting poker can be when it’s faster-paced!

About the 3 Card Poker Game

Back in 1994, a man named Mr. Derek Webb came up with something really cool called 3 Card Poker. He wanted to make playing poker even more fun by giving people a quicker and simpler option compared to the other games out there. You see, while poker is super fun and makes your brain work, some folks think it can be a bit slow. So, this smart idea of 3 Card Poker was all about keeping the excitement and brainpower of poker but speeding things up. If you learn the rules of this game, you’ll take your poker skills to a whole new level.

Hand Rankings in 3 Card Poker

In regular poker like Hold’em or Five Card Draw, you probably know how hand rankings work. But in 3 Card Poker, things are a bit different because you only get three cards, and there are no extra cards shared by everyone.

So, here’s how it goes, starting from the lowest to the highest:

1. High card: This is when you have the highest card in your hand, like an Ace, and the other two cards don’t match.
2. One pair: If you have two cards of the same rank, like two 7s, that’s a pair.
3. Flush: When all three cards in your hand are of the same suit (like all hearts or all spades), it’s called a flush.
4. Straight: If your three cards are in a row, like 5, 6, 7, that’s a straight.
5. Three of a kind: This is when you have three cards of the same rank, like three 9s.
6. Straight flush: When you have three cards in a row, and they’re all the same suit, it’s a straight flush.

Now, if both the dealer and the player have the same kind of hand, like a flush or a straight, the one with the highest card in their hand wins.

For example, if you have a straight with 9, 10, J, and the dealer has a straight with 7, 8, 9, you win because your highest card is J, which is bigger than 9. And remember, in 3 Card Poker, we don’t use the suits to decide who wins.

The Basic Rules of The Game

• You start the game by making an ante wager and/or a pair plus wager. The goal is to have a hand that’s at least a pair or even better.
• After the bets are placed, three cards are dealt face down to each player and to the dealer.
• Each player looks at their hand and decides if they want to make a play wager, which is the same amount as their ante wager. This play wager is used to challenge the dealer’s hand.
• The best Three Card Poker strategy is to play all hands that are better than Queen, Six, and Four, and fold all hands with a lower value.
• If you choose to fold, your hand is done, and the dealer takes your ante wager and pair plus wager. But if you make a play wager, the cards are revealed to determine who has the better hand.
• If the dealer’s hand is Jack-high or lower, your play wager is simply returned to you. But if the dealer’s hand is Queen-high or better, and your hand beats the dealer’s, you win one-to-one on both your ante and play wagers.
• If the dealer has a stronger hand, they collect both your play and ante bets. Then, the pair plus bet is determined independently from the dealer’s hand.
• Hand rankings in Three Card Poker are mostly the same as regular poker, with a few differences. A straight is better than a flush in this game, and you’re working with only three cards. The highest hands are a straight flush and mini-royal flush, followed by three of a kind, a straight, a flush, a pair, and finally, a high card.
• If your highest card is the same as the dealer’s highest card, then the second-highest or third-highest card is used to break the tie.

3 Card Poker Tricks

3 Card Poker is pretty simple when it comes to strategy, unlike some other games where you have to make tricky decisions at different points. 

All you really need to remember is which hands to play and which ones to avoid.

Take a note: If you get a hand with at least a Queen, a six, and a four (Q 6 4) or better, you should go ahead and place your ‘Play’ bet and keep playing that hand.

But if your hand isn’t as good as that, just fold it right away and wait for the next hand to come along.

When you know one of the dealer’s cards, you can use this Three Card Poker strategy or 3 card Poker Trick:

• Dealer’s Card is a Queen: If the dealer shows a Queen, only play if you have a Queen, 9, 2, or better. Remember, your second card should be stronger than the dealer’s because they have a Queen.
• Dealer’s Card is a Jack or Lower: When the dealer’s card is a Jack or lower, it’s a good idea to make a play bet. There’s a higher chance that the dealer’s hand will be lower than yours or might not even qualify.
• Dealer’s Card is an Ace: If the dealer’s card is an Ace, play only with an Ace, 9, and 2.
• Dealer’s Card is a King: Ideally, play with a King, 9, 2, or better. In this case, you want to have the same high card as the dealer and a second card better than the average card value.

Now, let’s talk about how you can win big, up to 1,000 times your wager, in Three Card Poker with bonus bets:

• Six-Card Bonus: This bonus considers the three cards in your hand and the dealer’s three cards. If you have a poker hand of three of a kind or better after combining all six cards, you win this bonus. The amount you win depends on the type of poker hand you have with your cards.
• Pair Plus Bonus: The Pair Plus bonus is determined by the three cards in your hand alone. If you’re dealt a pair or higher with your three cards, you win this bonus. The amount you win depends on the type of hand you’re dealt.

Lastly, one of the efficient 3 card Poker tricks is managing your money. Here’s a tip on how to manage your money while playing Three Card Poker:

A good rule of thumb is to keep your bet size relative to your bankroll. For example, if you have a ₹300 bankroll, consider limiting your bets to around ₹10 per hand. This way, you set win & loss limits even before the game starts.