3 CARD POKER STRATEGY. As easy as Three Card Poker is to play, getting the most out of the game requires understanding the odds and learning a simple strategy. In this chapter, you’ll learn the frequency of winning hands, pay tables and odds for Pair Plus, and basic strategy for the ante-play combination. Basic Rules of 3 Card Poker. Before the cards are dealt, the player chooses which boxes he wants to play on and makes his ANTE. In addition to this basic bet on the box (or instead of it), the player can also make a Pair Plus bet. With this bet, the player is betting on receiving a pair or higher in his original hand. Jan 13, 2021 The Light 3-Bet; The Value Three-Bet. The value three-bet is the “traditional” three-bet and is the same as any other value bet. You believe you have the best hand, and you’d like to get more money into the pot while you have the advantage. Which hands deserve to be value three-bet is up for discussion. The reason it is called a 3-bet is that the automatic posting of the blinds is considered the first bet; the second bet (2-bet) is when a player raises the blinds instead of calling them; and the third bet (3-bet) is the re-raising of the 2-bet. 3-bet poker statistics take much longer to yield useful data when compared to common poker stats. The optimal three card poker strategy for the ante and play bet is QUEEN – SIX – FOUR This means if your hand is equal to, or stronger than, Q-6-4, you should always raise and make the play bet. What you need to remember is to look at each card separately. Start with your highest card.

3-betting for value
Whenever you 3-bet for value, you are doing it because you think your hand is ahead of the range of hands your opponent has and, in general, you also think they will call that 3-bet with a worse hand. When you begin to think of it in this way, you soon see that there are quite a lot of hands you should be 3-betting with instead of calling.
Two perfect examples are pocket Tens or Ace-Queen. There’s always a temptation just to call with these two hands because overcards may come down on the flop or you may miss it completely. While those fears are valid, there is usually going to be more value in 3-betting regardless.
Loose or bad opponents may call with dominated Aces like A-T or smaller pairs such as pocket Eights. In either case you have inflated the pot size in a position where you are a significant favourite to win the hand. This can only be a good thing, and is a key reason why widening your 3-betting value range is important.
When this happens you also put yourself into a position to win a huge pot. Using the A-Q example once more, you 3-bet and your opponent calls out of position with A-T. The flop is A-2-6. Suddenly you have the dream scenario for Hold’em whereby you hold a great hand and your opponent has a good hand that they are willing to call with. By betting the flop, turn and river in this spot (depending how it runs out, of course) you have a very good chance of doubling your stack in either a poker tournament or cash game.
3-betting to steal
3-betting preflop also gives you the initiative in the hand, allowing you to steal more pots when both players miss. For example, let’s say you three-bet A-J suited from the big blind and your opponent on the button calls. The flop is 4-6-4 rainbow. Because you have the initiative you should put in a continuation bet here and attempt to take it down.
On a flop like this it’s quite common for both players to miss, and usually the first one to bet will win. However, if you had just called pre-flop out of position it makes it much more difficult for you to win. You would usually just check to the raiser and them fold to a bet – other options such as leading out or check-raising as a bluff are both too risky and wouldn’t make much sense to a thinking player.
This type of situation crops up time and time again in no limit hold’em and if you keep winning small pots in this manner, they will add up significantly.
3-betting for appearance
Finally, the key reason for 3-betting with a wider range of good hands is to make you difficult to play against. If you only 3-bet Aces preflop then you may break-even or even win a small amount, but you will find it nearly impossible to win big in the long-run. This is because as soon as you come up against players who are paying even a small amount of attention, they will fold, and your Aces will be wasted. Always focus on trying to become a tougher player to battle with – learning to 3-bet a wider range of hands for value is one of the key strategies that will help you get there.
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Nearly all Las Vegas casinos of any significance spread three Card Poker. The minimum bets range from $2 at Joker’s Wild to $15 at Aria. Players will need double the Ante bet to play, meaning that the true minimum bet is double the posted amount. This does not include the Pair Plus side bet, which may be bet by itself without an accompanying Ante wager.
The game’s appeal is its simplicity. While it has a small element of skill, it is easy to learn. The house edge is reasonable to most players. It is typically a friendly crowd at the tables.
How to Play Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is one of the simplest table games in Las Vegas to learn. There is only one rule related to skill to understand.
#2: Raise or Fold – Players and the dealer are dealt three cards face down. Players look at their three cards and decide whether to raise. If the player has queen-six-four or higher, the player should raise. The Raise bet is equal to the amount of the Ante. If the player does not raise, he folds. The dealer then looks at the house hand and compares it to each player.

- If the dealer beats the player, the Raise loses.
- The Ante loses if the player has less than a straight, keeping in mind that a straight ranks higher than a flush in Three Card Poker.
- Antes push if the dealer does not make at least queen-high.

Flush or Higher Payouts
If the player makes a flush or higher, the Ante is paid based on the following chart, regardless of whether the player wins or loses:
- Straight Flush: 5-1
- Three of a Kind: 4-1
- Straight: 1-1
Pair Plus Payouts
The Pair Plus is paid whether the player wins or loses. It pays based on the following:
- Straight Flush: 40-1
- Three of a Kind: 30-1
- Straight: 6-1
- Flush: Either 4-1 or 3-1
- Any Pair: 1-1

If you are not in Las Vegas, you can still play Three Card Poker against a live dealer and get a Vegas experience.
Playing Three Card Poker at Las Vegas Casinos in 2018
3 Bet Poker Clothing
| Casino | Game | Min Bet | Max Bet | # of Tables | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Queens | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
| Aliante Casino | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Aria | Three Card Poker | 10 | 1000 | 3 | No |
| Aria | Three Card Poker | 25 | 1000 | 1 | No |
| Bally’s | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 7 | No |
| Bally’s | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 1 | No |
| Bellagio | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 3 | No |
| Binion’s | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
| Boulder Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 50 | 1 | No |
| Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
| Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 7 | No |
| Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 2 | No |
| California | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Casino Royale | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 1 | No |
| Circus Circus | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
| Club Fortune | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Cosmopolitan | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Cromwell | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 2 | No |
| Cromwell | Three Card Poker | 15 | 300 | 1 | No |
| Downtown Grand | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| El Cortez | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Encore | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Excalibur | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Fiesta Henderson | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Flamingo | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 7 | No |
| Flamingo | Three Card Poker | 15 | 300 | 1 | No |
| Fremont | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Gold Coast | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
| Golden Gate | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 2 | No |
| Golden Nugget | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 2 | No |
| Green Valley Ranch | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
| Hard Rock | Three Card Poker | 10 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Harrah’s | Three Card Poker | 5 | 300 | 2 | No |
| Harrah’s | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 5 | No |
| OYO | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Joker’s Wild | Three Card Poker | 2 | 25 | 1 | No |
| Linq | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 3 | No |
| Luxor | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 2 | No |
| M Resort | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 2 | No |
| Main Street Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 50 | 1 | No |
| Mandalay Bay | Three Card Poker | 10 | 1000 | 2 | No |
| Mandalay Bay | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 1 | No |
| MGM Grand | Three Card Poker | 25 | 1000 | 3 | No |
| Mirage | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 3 | No |
| Monte Carlo | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
| NYNY | Three Card Poker | 10 | 200 | 2 | No |
| Orleans | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 3 | No |
| O’Sheas | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 1 | No |
| Palace Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 1 | No |
| Palazzo | Three Card Poker | 15 | 2000 | 3 | No |
| Palms | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Paris | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
| Paris | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Planet Hollywood | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
| Planet Hollywood | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Plaza | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Railroad Pass | Three Card Poker | 3 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Red Rock | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 2 | No |
| Rio | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
| Rio | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 2 | No |
| Sam’s Town | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Santa Fe Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Silver 7’s | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Silverton | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| Sahara Las Vegas | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 1 | No |
| South Point | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 3 | No |
| Stratosphere | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
| Suncoast | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
| The D | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 2 | No |
| Treasure Island | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 2 | No |
| Tropicana | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Venetian | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
| Westgate | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
| Wynn | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 4 | No |