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Playing three card poker is very simple – it’s the payout tables that are complicated. In order to play, you must first decide on whether you wish to play pairplus as well as ante-and-play or if you would prefer to play just one of the stages.

Online tri-card poker screenshot from Go Casino

If you decide to play pairplus, you must place your bet before you are dealt your cards. You will be betting on having a pair or higher in your three card hand. Depending on your hand, you will receive a payoff corresponding to the likelihood of drawing that hand. The exact payoff can vary between casinos. Those playing online three card poker will do well to choose rooms with the lowest house advantage.

The second stage of three card poker is ante-and-play. Again, the initial ante must be placed before the cards are dealt. Each player, including the dealer, receives three cards dealt face down. Each player may then look at their cards and decide to fold or play. Those players who choose to continue must place a further bet that equals their ante.

Once the players have decided what they are going to do, the dealer’s cards are revealed. The dealer’s hand must contain at least a Queen in order to ‘qualify’ and continue the game. If it does not, then the dealer folds and everyone who is still playing wins on their ante (paid at even money) and ties for the play bet, which is returned to the player.

If the dealer’s hand contains at least a Queen, then that hand is played against the players. Those players with a hand that beats that of the dealer win on both their ante and play bets, both paid at even money. Those with a worse hand than the dealer lose on both ante and play bets. The rules on a tie can vary, with some claiming that players should be paid even money and others simply returning the player’s bet.

A bonus is paid on especially good hands in ante-and-play, much like in pairplus. These hands are a Straight Flush, a Three-Of-A-Kind or a Straight. Those players who continue into the play stage of ante-and-play qualify for the ante bonus, regardless of whether the dealer’s hand qualifies or not. Again, the specific payouts on the ante differ between casinos. Once ante-and-play has been settled, the pairplus winnings are also paid out.

An important thing to note about three card poker is that the rankings of certain hands are slightly different to those of other poker games. The order of rankings from highest to lowest in three card poker is Straight Flush, Three-Of-A-Kind, Straight, Flush, Pair, High Card, Nothing.

In pairplus, anything lower than a pair doesn’t win, but the difference between a High Card hand and a Nothing hand is an important distinction in ante-and-play. As the dealer may continue on as low a hand as a Queen, having a hand with a mere King or Ace can potentially keep you in the game.