Internet Three-Card Poker Rules

Three Card Poker is basically two games in one. It is made up of the Pair Plus game and the Ante/Play game. Each of these games can be played separately or together within the game of internet Three Card Poker by Microgaming. Pair Plus is simply an additional side bet made by the player who bets to see if he will be dealt a pair or higher, the ante is the first bet on the three Poker cards that are dealt to the player.

Rules of How to Play Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker may appear to be a complicated game to grasp when first learning the game but in fact it is one of the easiest versions of Poker to play and has many extra characteristics that make it a more flexible and enjoyable game to play. In order to play the game successfully it is important to first understand the terms and rules of the game and apply them in the right way.

Microgaming Three Card Poker is played online with a standard 52 deck of cards. In order for the game to begin, the player needs to place his Ante and Pair Plus bet. If he prefers only to place a Pair Plus bet or an Ante bet this is also acceptable. The bet is placed by clicking on the increase and decrease buttons on the side of the screen and clicking in the relevant space for the bet. An Ante bet must be placed before cards are dealt if the Ante/Play part of Three Card Poker is being played.

 

Once the bets have been placed the cards are ready to be dealt. The dealer will deal on the screen, three cards face up to the player and three cards face down to the dealer. The player will then see if he has any pairs or more which will help him realize his Pair Plus bet if he made one. If this is the case then the player is paid out his winnings according to the payout schedule. If the player has also placed an Ante bet then he has to decide at this stage if he wants to fold and therefore lose his Ante bet or to play. If the player decides to Play, by pressing the play button, another bet is placed, equivalent to his Ante bet. The dealer then reveals his cards. The dealer needs a Queen high combination or higher in order to qualify for the game. If the dealer does not qualify for the game then the player is paid his Play bet and double the Ante bet, regardless of the hand that he has.

Internet Three Card Poker Bonus Hands

Internet Three Card Poker by Microgaming includes bonus hand combinations. These are paid out at higher odds that other winning hands in the game, regardless of what the dealer has in his hand. But, if the player decides to fold, he loses all bets even if the dealer's hand did not qualify. If the dealer does qualify then his hand is compared to the players hand and the higher hand wins. If the player has a higher hand than the dealer, then he is paid out at odds of 1:1 on both the Ante and the Play bet.

How to Win At Three Card Poker

There are no set rules on how to win at Three Card Poker but a clear understanding of the rules and what the winning hands pay will help any player get closer to winning. In order to win any of the Pair Plus bonus bets then a Pair Plus bet needs to be made. The payouts of the Pair Plus winning hands are paid according to the hand that is dealt . A Straight flush will pay out odds of 40:1 whereas Three of a Kind will pay out odds of 30:1. After that the odds are still good but not as high, a Straight pays odds of 6:1 and a Flush pays odds of 4:1 whereas a regular pair pays odds of 1:1
As mentioned previously with the Ante and Play bets, if the dealer's hand and the player's hand are checked and the player has the higher hand then the player is paid out odds of 1:1 on the Ante and Play bet. The bonus hands that are paid with the Ante hand only relate to a Straight Flush, Three of a Kind and a Straight hand. The Straight Flush pays odds of 5:1, so if a dollar has been bet on the Ante then the players gets a Straight Flush he will walk away with six dollars. The Ante Bonus odds are not dependant on the value of the dealer's hand. A hand with Three of a Kind pays odds of 4:1 and Straight pays odds of 1:1
Remember that if a dealer's hand does not qualify i.e. he does not have a Queen high combination or higher then the player is paid back his Play bet and double his Ante bet.

Definitions and Terms for Three Card Poker

There are some important terms which must be remembered when playing Three Card Poker which can help you understand and play a better game:

Ante- This is the initial minimum bet that the game of Three Card Poker needs in order to commence. Without this bet, the cards cannot be dealt to the dealer or the player.

Pair Plus- this is the side bet that can be placed on the chance on the player's hand showing a pair or better.

Play- If the player is happy with his hand and believes it can beat the unseen dealer's hand, then the player presses play which will add another bet which is equivalent in value to the initial Ante bet.

Fold - If the player believes that his hand is weak and has no chance of beating the dealers hand then he can choose to fold. If a player folds he loses his Ante bet.

Straight Flush - this is a hand of three cards from the same suit that is in sequential order for example, a two, three, four, of hearts.

Flush - this hand is made up of three cards from the same suit but they do not have to be in sequential order.

Straight - this hand is three cards of any suit but in sequential order. For example it can be a two of clubs, a three of hearts and four of diamonds.

Three of a Kind - this hand needs to be three cards of the same denomination (number) but not necessarily from the same suit.

Pair - this hand is exactly as it sounds; it needs to be a pair of any denomination, no matter what the suit is.

Ace High - this is a hand with an Ace and any other two cards.

King High - this is a hand of a King and any other two cards which must be lower than the King i.e. if there is an Ace in the hand then the hand becomes an Ace High.

Queen High - this is a hand with a Queen and any other two cards that have a lower value than the Queen.