The goal
Every hand is you against the dealer: the better three-card hand wins. First you bet the ANTE and, if you like, PAIR PLUS. Once you've seen your cards, you either stay in by making the PLAY bet or fold.
Chips and limits
You sit down with 500 chips and bet with 5, 25, 100 and 500 chips. The ANTE is required and runs from 5 to 100. PAIR PLUS is optional and also runs from 5 to 100.
The PLAY bet always matches the ANTE, so the table only takes an ANTE you can cover twice, plus your PAIR PLUS. That way a hand never stalls halfway for lack of chips.
The chips are play money: you can't buy them, they aren't worth anything and they can't be cashed in. Three Card Poker on Selminha.com runs in demo mode and is just for fun.
The deck and the deal
The table uses a single 52-card deck, reshuffled before every hand. With your bet down, tap DEAL: you get three cards face up, and the dealer gets three face down.
Hand rankings
With three cards the order is different from five-card poker: a straight beats a flush, and three of a kind beats a straight, because they're harder to get. From highest to lowest:
- Straight Flush
- Three cards in a row of the same suit.
- Three of a Kind
- Three cards of the same rank.
- Straight
- Three cards in a row in mixed suits.
- Flush
- Three cards of the same suit, not in a row.
- Pair
- Two cards of the same rank.
- High Card
- None of the above: your highest card counts.
The ace is the highest card, but it also makes the lowest straight: A-2-3 is the lowest straight and Q-K-A the highest. K-A-2 is not a straight.
Breaking ties
- Pair against pair: the higher pair wins; with the same pair, the higher third card wins.
- Flush and high card: compare the highest card, then the second, then the third. Queen-7-3 beats queen-6-4.
- Straight, three of a kind and straight flush: the higher one wins.
- Hands with the same ranks tie. Suits don't break ties.
Your move: play or fold
- PLAY
- You put the same amount as the ANTE on PLAY and the dealer turns over the cards.
- FOLD
- You drop out of the hand and lose the ANTE and the PAIR PLUS on the table.
When the dealer qualifies
The dealer needs queen high or better to play. If the dealer doesn't qualify, the ANTE pays 1 to 1 and the PLAY bet comes back to you.
If the dealer qualifies, the hands are compared: the higher hand takes the ANTE and the PLAY bet, 1 to 1 each. If the dealer wins, you lose both. On a tie, both bets push.
The ANTE bonus
If you played one of these hands, you get a bonus on the ANTE, even if the dealer doesn't qualify and even if the dealer wins:
- Straight Flush
- 5 to 1 on the ANTE.
- Three of a Kind
- 4 to 1 on the ANTE.
- Straight
- 1 to 1 on the ANTE.
PAIR PLUS
PAIR PLUS looks only at your hand. With a pair or better, it pays:
- Straight Flush
- Pays 40 to 1.
- Three of a Kind
- Pays 30 to 1.
- Straight
- Pays 6 to 1.
- Flush
- Pays 4 to 1.
- Pair
- Pays 1 to 1.
It pays whether you beat the dealer or not, and even if the dealer doesn't qualify. Without a pair, the bet loses. If you fold, you lose PAIR PLUS along with the ANTE.
Table options and the end of the night
- Before you sit down, you choose the card design.
- The Repeat last bet box comes checked: the next hand starts with the same bet. CLEAR takes the bet back so you can build a new one.
- HANDS shows the hand rankings and what each one pays, with sample cards.
- CASH OUT leaves the table with the chips you have. That amount is your score and goes on the top-five leaderboard.
- If your chips can no longer cover the minimum ANTE and PLAY bets, 10 chips, the night is over.
- On a computer, J plays, X folds and H asks for a HINT.
Tips for beginners
- Play queen-6-4 or better and fold anything less. That's the right play, and it holds the house to about 3.4% of the ANTE.
- Never fold a pair or better: it has a good shot against the dealer, and it pays PAIR PLUS too.
- When in doubt, tap HINT: the table tells you whether to play or fold.
- Remember that with three cards, a straight beats a flush.
Three Card Poker variations
Tables vary from casino to casino: the PAIR PLUS paytable may pay less on a flush or a straight, the ANTE bonus may use different amounts, and some tables add side bets like the 6-Card Bonus. On Selminha.com, the rules on this page apply: PAIR PLUS pays 1, 4, 6, 30 and 40, and the ANTE bonus pays 1, 4 and 5.