Master the game of Three Card Poker with guidance from Michael Shackleford.

Michael Shackleford: Hello everyone, I’m Mike Shackleford, the creator of the Wizard of Odds website. Today, we’ll dive into the details of Three Card Poker. I'm here with my pupil, Angela Wyman, and Lamone, who happens to be an actual dealer of Three Card Poker right from Las Vegas.

Three Card Poker has emerged as a popular and lucrative game in casinos. It has gained international fame over many years, proving to be a substantial financial success. I’m excited to walk you through the game's rules and share the optimal strategies for playing it effectively. Are you ready to get started?

Angela Wyman: Ready.

Michael: Let's dive straight into the game with some initial hands. The dealer will distribute three cards to each of us. Alright, Angela, let’s check your cards. You have a high card of a king.

I’ll explain the strategy shortly, but for now, trust that raising is generally the better option here. You have the choice to raise or fold; opt for a raise equal to your ante and place it behind the original bet. As for me, I have a ten high hand, which isn’t great, so the odds suggest I should fold.

Lamone: Thanks for playing.

Michael: Next, the dealer will reveal her hand, needing at least a queen high to qualify. She qualifies. The highest hand takes the win. It was a close call, but the dealer wins this round thanks to her five kicker. You missed this hand, but don’t worry, let’s go again. What do you have this time, Angela?

Angela: A king again.

Michael: Once again, you have a king high hand, so go ahead and make another raise. I also have a king high, thus I will raise as well, leaving it to Lamone to act. The dealer must have a queen high or better to qualify, but she does not, so we win our ante-bet, and the raise remains a push.

Angela: Okay.

Michael: Pay the ante, push the raise.

Lamone: Pay or push.

Angela: Thank you.

Michael: Let’s try another one.

Lamone: Good luck.

Question 1 - [02:37]

Angela: Can I interact with my cards as soon as they are dealt, or should I wait until they’re all given out?

Michael: It’s best to hold off until the dealer completes her side, because in an actual casino, they can get quite upset if you peek at your cards too soon.

Angela: Okay. I don’t want that.

Michael: Wait until she is done.

Angela: No head biting. [laughs]

Michael: Right, you’ve got an ace high. The optimal strategy here would suggest a raise, and I’ll take this chance to clarify what that strategy is. If your hand comprises a queen, six, four, or better, raising is the move to make. An ace high is certainly an improvement over a queen high, so placing that raise is the right call.

Angela: All right. Okay.

Michael: I’m looking at an eight high hand; this is not a good one, so I’ll be folding.

Angela: [laughs]. Should that potential strategy be humorously named, 'This is awful?'

[laughter]

Michael: Well, once again, similar to the previous hand, the dealer does not qualify, so you receive even money on your ante, and the raise remains a push.

Angela: Great.

Michael: Now, let’s review what you have. Great, a straight! This is a moment to discuss the order of hands in Three Card Poker, which differs from traditional poker. Starting from the lowest, the hierarchy is king high, ace high, pairs, flushes, straights, three of a kind, and straight flushes.

It's crucial to note that in this version, a straight ranks higher than a flush. With only three cards, achieving a straight is more challenging than a flush, hence the straight is valued more. Since you have a straight, raising that is a natural play; now let's see my cards.

I happen to have a flush, which is very close to a straight flush and certainly worthy of a raise. The dealer qualifies with a pair, which means both of us win this round.

Angela: Fantastic.

Michael: This is an opportune moment to discuss the ante bonus. Aside from winning on both the ante and the raise, if your hand is a straight or better, you qualify for a bonus that doesn’t even require beating the dealer’s hand.

For a straight, the bonus equals your ante bet. For three of a kind, it amounts to four times your ante, and for a straight flush, it goes up to five times your ante.

Question 2 - [05:16]

Angela: So, I didn’t need to do anything extra to achieve that?

Michael: Exactly. Be mindful, however, that a common mistake by dealers occurs when, in the event of your straight losing, they often incorrectly try to take all your money. You would still lose your ante and raise yet should receive the ante bonus as well. So, keep an eye on how dealers handle that situation.

Angela: All right.

Michael: Okay, let’s try a new hand.

Angela: Good heads up. [laughs]

Michael: Alright, what do you have this time?

Angela: I’ve got nothing. I don’t have a queen, six, or higher –

Michael: Right, so you’ll need to fold. I have a pair of nines, which qualifies me to raise. My pair beats the dealer's pair, leading to a win.

Angela: Excellent.

Michael: Okay, let’s bet another hand.

Angela: All right, let’s do it.

Lamone: Good luck.

Angela: Thanks.

Michael: Let’s see your hand now. Wow, three of a kind! That's fantastic.

Angela: That’s a good one.

Lamone: You should have pair plus.

Question 3 - [06:37]

Angela: Pair plus? What’s the pair plus?

Michael: I must respectfully express disagreement with the dealer here. The pair plus bet, were it placed, would have yielded a 30 to 1 payout on a three of a kind. This may sound appealing, but remember, three of a kind is quite rare.

Typically, with the usual paytable configured as 1-3-6-30-40, the house advantage on the pair plus bet stands at 7.28%. That's significantly higher than the standard game, so keep this in mind.

Angela: Side.

Michael: Bets.

Angela: Bets.

Michael: Are.

Angela: Are.

Michael: Always.

Angela: Always.

Michael: Sucker.

Angela: Sucker.

Michael: Bets.

Angela: Bets.

Michael: That's precisely why it was overlooked.

Angela: All right.

Michael: In a common casino scenario, a dealer might admonish you for neglecting to place that bet, but in truth, the dealer is mistaken. If your aim is to minimize losses, steering clear of side bets is advisable.

Angela: All right.

Michael: So obviously, with that hand, you would raise. Now let's check my cards. I've got a pair of aces, which is certainly worthy of a raise.

Lamone: Okay, let’s see my cards. I have a flush.

Michael: Okay, so I lose.

Lamone: You’ve got a pair of aces, therefore, you lose.

Michael: And let’s ensure that the dealer compensates you properly.

Lamone: Four of a kind.

Michael: Three of a kind.

Lamone: You receive your ante back plus four for the ante bonus.

Michael: Correct. Remember, the ante bonus is based solely on the strength of your own hand, there's no need to beat the dealer's hand to receive it. You earn one time your ante for a straight, four times for three of a kind, and five times for a straight flush. Do you understand?

Angela: I got it. I like that one.

Lamone: Good luck.

Angela: Thanks.

Michael: Now, let’s determine what you've got. Wow, you've got a wheel! Clearly, you’re on a winning streak tonight. Go ahead and raise that bet confidently. This hand is the lowest that justifies raising; keep in mind it's queen, six, four or better to play that way.

That’s unfortunate; the dealer has a higher straight, though you still have something to gain here.

Lamone: A queen high loses to a straight. You do have a straight, but it ranks lower, so while you lose your original wager and this bet, you will receive the ante bonus.

Michael: Correct, and always keep an eye out for this. If you have a straight or better, even if the dealer beats you, expect to receive that ante bonus.

Angela: Okay.

Michael: Now let's discover what you've got. What are you planning here?

Angela: I’m going to fold it.

Michael: Why?

Angela: I have a queen, six, three, but I needed it to be at least a queen, six, four.

Michael: Exactly, that’s a hand you should fold. I confess that I have a king high in my hand, and typically the winning strategy would advocate for a raise. However, I noticed that the dealer, Lamone, revealed one of her cards as an ace while dealing. Thus, I'm aware that I would end up losing. So why waste money on a raise if I know the outcome? I’ll deviate from the standard strategy and choose to fold my losing hand.

Let's see if I made the right call. There’s that ace, just as I suspected. At times, you may encounter a dealer who shows one of her cards during the deal.

This is referred to among seasoned gamblers as dealing with a 'flashing dealer.' If you come across a dealer that reveals one of her cards, a different approach outlined on my website should be followed. I won’t get into the details now, but if you often face a dealer who consistently reveals a card, adhering to the flashing dealer strategy can give the player a significant advantage of 3.48%.

Michael: Yes.

Angela: [laughs]

Angela: All that insight just from a little bit of a flash?

Angela: It doesn’t bother me at all.

Michael: Assuming that you're comfortable using that information ethically, and for me, it’s not an issue.

Question 4 - [11:24]

Michael: Do you have any further inquiries about the game of Three Card Poker, Angela?

Angela: Absolutely. Are there any side bets in the game? And do they align with your usual recommendations on them?

Angela: All right. Always say no.

Michael: Yes, they do. Lamone mistakenly admonished you earlier for not placing the pair plus bet. Since that’s an optional wager, I categorize it as a side bet, not a mandatory part of the game. Always decline the pair plus bet. Moreover, the game's creators have introduced various side bets, including progressive ones and those based on an amalgamation of players' cards with the dealer's. Regardless of the trends, my advice remains: always refuse side bets in any game.

Question 5 - [12:07]

Michael: Indeed, always decline. Do you have any other queries, Angela?

Angela: Certainly! If we venture out to a real casino and I apply your strategy, what are my odds in this game?

Michael: I neglected to mention previously. The house advantage for this game sits at 3.37%. This translates to losing approximately 3.37 cents for every dollar wagered on the Ante. The risk element, which outlines potential losses compared to the Ante bet and possible raises, stands at 2.01%. A 2% risk isn't too shabby for a newer game like this. Still, you might achieve much more favorable odds in classic games like Blackjack and Craps when played correctly.

Written by: Michael Shackleford