Poker lovers have many options to get in on some action. While traditional poker tables make for some entertaining, social, and occasionally rowdy fun, players lose out on the experience of casino games and the rush of competing against the house directly. By learning 3 card poker rules, players can enjoy a normal table game based on the fundamentals of poker.

To begin a standard game of 3 card poker, players make an ante wager. The dealer will then deal three cards out to each player and to himself. The dealer’s cards are face-down. Players then judge whether or not they think their hands can beat the dealer’s, and then either raise or fold. If a player chooses to raise his wager, he must place a bet equal to the ante next to his initial wager. Players who decide to fold lose their ante wager and do not play for the rest of the game.

The remaining players then watch as the dealer flips up his three cards. If the dealer has less than a queen high card, all players who raised receive 1:1 on their ante only. Raise bets push. However, if the dealer has a queen high card or better, the dealer “qualifies,” and it is simply a game of beat the dealer. All players with a higher hand than the dealer receive 1:1 on the ante and raise.

In addition, 3 card poker rules have added twists to keep the game fresh and exciting. Players with exceptionally good hands receive an ante bonus, even if the dealer has a high-ranking hand. In most casinos, a straight pays 1:1, a three of a kind pays 4:1, and a straight flush pays 5:1. With these bonuses, players have more incentive to get excited over big hands in 3 card poker than in traditional poker rooms.

However, there is a second bet that pays out even greater for good hands called the pair plus. Players may wager on the pair plus bet in addition to or instead of the ante. The pair plus pays solely on the quality of a player’s hand, without any regard to the dealer’s. A pair pays 1:1, a flush pays 3:1, a straight pays 6:1, a three of a kind pays 30:1, and a straight flush pays an impressive 40:1.

Players looking for a new way to play poker should check out 3 card poker. It keeps the skill element of poker alive while combining exciting 3 card poker rules to make it a refreshingly fun casino game.