Free 3 Card Poker / 3 card poker strategy
3 card poker strategy
Play any hand that is queen-6-4 or better and fold anything worse. That is the whole strategy for the Ante bet. It is the mathematically best play-or-fold decision for every hand, and it holds the house edge to 3.37% of your Ante.
The cheat sheet
| Your hand | Do this |
|---|---|
| Any pair, flush, straight, three of a kind or straight flush | Play |
| Ace high, any other two cards | Play |
| King high, any other two cards | Play |
| Queen high with a 7, 8, 9, 10 or jack second | Play |
| Queen-6-4 or queen-6-5 | Play |
| Queen-6-3, queen-6-2, queen-5 or lower second | Fold |
| Jack high or lower | Fold |
Read a high-card hand from the top card down. Compare the first card to Q, then the second to 6, then the third to 4. The first card that is higher means play. The first card that is lower means fold.
Examples
- Q♠6♥4♦ Queen-6-4: play. This is the lowest hand to play.
- Q♣6♦3♥ Queen-6-3: fold. One step below the line.
- Q♥7♠2♣ Queen-7-2: play. The 7 beats the 6, so the third card doesn't matter.
- K♦3♠2♣ King-3-2: play. Every king high is a play.
- J♥10♠8♦ Jack-10-8: fold. No queen, no pair.
- 2♣2♦5♠ A pair of 2s: play. Every pair is a play.
Why queen-6-4 is the line
Folding always costs exactly one Ante. Playing costs a second bet but gives you a chance to win both. The right choice is whichever loses less on average. The dealer needs queen high to qualify, and when the dealer doesn't, your Ante wins no matter what you hold. That keeps weak queens alive.
Run every possible dealer hand against queen-6-4 and playing it loses about 0.993 Antes on average. Folding loses 1.000. So playing is slightly better. For queen-6-3, playing loses about 1.003 Antes, slightly worse than folding. The line falls right between them.
What other strategies cost
We ran every hand against every dealer hand for each strategy. The house edge is per Ante bet:
| Strategy | House edge |
|---|---|
| Play Q-6-4 or better | 3.37% |
| Play any queen high or better (copy the dealer) | 3.45% |
| Play only king high or better | 4.99% |
| Never fold | 7.65% |
Copying the dealer's rule costs very little. Never folding more than doubles the house edge. Folding too much is worse still: playing only pairs gives the house about 39% of the Ante.
Pair Plus has no strategy
Pair Plus has no decision: your three cards pay or they don't. It also doesn't change the play-or-fold rule. Every hand you fold under Q-6-4 is a high-card hand, which loses Pair Plus anyway. Pair Plus.
What strategy can't do
Q-6-4 is the best play, not a winning system. Every bet in 3 card poker has a house edge, so over many hands you will lose a small share of what you bet. No betting pattern, streak reading or bet sizing changes that. What the rule does is keep that share as small as the game allows. 3 card poker odds and house edge.
Get it right every time
The rule is simple, but queen-high hands come up often enough that people slip. Our table checks every play and fold you make against Q-6-4 and tells you right away when you missed. Practice with the trainer.
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Questions
What is the best strategy for 3 card poker?
Play queen-6-4 or better and fold everything worse. It is the best decision for every hand, and it gives a house edge of 3.37% of the Ante.
What is the Q-6-4 rule?
It is the cutoff for playing a high-card hand. Compare your top card to a queen, then your second card to a 6, then your third to a 4. At or above the line, play. Below it, fold.
Should I play every hand in 3 card poker?
No. Never folding raises the house edge from 3.37% to 7.65% of the Ante. Folding hands below Q-6-4 is part of correct play.
Is it OK to just copy the dealer and play queen high?
It is close. Playing any queen high or better has a house edge of 3.45%, a small step up from 3.37% with Q-6-4.
Does a Pair Plus bet change when I should fold?
No. The hands you fold under Q-6-4 are all high card, which loses Pair Plus anyway, so the rule stays the same.
More: How to play 3 card poker · 3 card poker rules · 3 card poker payouts · 3 card poker hands · 3 card poker odds · Pair Plus in 3 card poker · The 6 Card Bonus in 3 card poker · How to win at 3 card poker · Practice 3 card poker