Three Card Poker is a casino table game where you play three cards against the dealer's three cards. You place an Ante, then fold or play with a bet equal to your Ante; the dealer needs queen-high to qualify. Raise with Q-6-4 or better for a house edge of about 3.37% on the Ante. You can play real money Three Card Poker (Tri Card Poker) in casino apps and mobile browsers.
- You versus the dealer with three cards each
- One decision: play or fold, with Q-6-4 as the cut-off
- Optional Pair Plus bet pays on a pair or better
- Play real money Tri Card Poker at Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV
Three Card Poker is the fastest way to play poker against the casino. You get three cards, the dealer gets three cards, and you make one decision: play or fold. It’s one of the most popular table games in casinos around the world, and one of the most searched poker games online. More and more players look for a Three Card Poker app to play it for real money on their phone.
This review covers the rules, hand rankings, payouts, house edge and the simple strategy that gets the most out of the game, plus the casino apps where you can play real money Three Card Poker online.
What is Three Card Poker?
Derek Webb created the casino version of Three Card Poker in 1994 and patented it in 1997. His goal was a poker game that played at the speed of other table games, and he succeeded: a round takes seconds, there’s no bluffing and you never play against other players, only against the dealer.
Online casinos sometimes give the game a slightly different name. At Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV it’s called Tri Card Poker, available in a Classic version and a newer, more streamlined version that works especially well on small screens.
Three Card Poker rules
The game is played with a single 52-card deck and consists of two separate games: Ante and Play against the dealer, and the optional Pair Plus bet.
- Place an Ante bet, a Pair Plus bet or both
- You receive three cards face up, the dealer three cards face down
- Fold and lose your Ante, or Play by placing a bet equal to your Ante
- The dealer needs queen-high or better to qualify
- If the dealer doesn’t qualify, your Ante pays 1 to 1 and your Play bet pushes
- If the dealer qualifies and you win, Ante and Play both pay 1 to 1
- An Ante bonus pays on a straight or better, even if the dealer wins
The hand rankings differ from regular poker, because it’s harder to make a straight than a flush with three cards. From high to low: straight flush, three of a kind, straight, flush, pair and high card.
Pair Plus side bet
Pair Plus is a bet on your own hand only. It pays whenever you get a pair or better, no matter what the dealer has. A typical pay table pays 1 to 1 for a pair, 3 or 4 to 1 for a flush, 6 to 1 for a straight, 30 to 1 for three of a kind and 40 to 1 for a straight flush. The exact table matters a lot: one common version has a house edge of about 2.3%, while a slightly stingier table pushes it above 7%. Bovada says its Pair Plus bet has a house edge of 2.32%.
Three Card Poker strategy
Three Card Poker strategy fits in a single line: play every hand of queen-six-four or better, fold everything worse. Bovada calls it the only thing you need to remember, and it’s the strategy that gives the lowest house edge on the main game.
- Play with any pair or better
- Play with Q-6-4 or higher, such as Q-7-2 or K-3-2
- Fold with Q-6-3 or anything lower, such as J-10-8
- Treat Pair Plus as a separate bet and size it to your budget
Three Card Poker house edge
With the Q-6-4 strategy, the house edge on the Ante is about 3.37%. Because you often bet twice (Ante plus Play), the edge measured against your total stake is closer to 2%. That’s higher than blackjack, but lower than American roulette, and the game moves quickly, so it’s wise to keep your bets in line with your budget.
How to play Three Card Poker on your phone
There’s no standalone real-money Three Card Poker app in the App Store or Google Play. You play it in a casino app or your phone’s browser:
- Pick one of the casino apps below and create an account
- Open the table games or poker games section and choose Tri Card Poker or Three Card Poker
- Choose your chip size and place an Ante, a Pair Plus bet or both
- Tap Deal, then Play or Fold
Most of these casinos also have a practice mode, so you can try Three Card Poker for free before you play for real money.
Where to play Three Card Poker for real money
US players can play real money Three Card Poker as Tri Card Poker at Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV. At Bovada you can choose chip values of $1, $5, $25, $100 and $500, and Slots LV accepts Pair Plus bets from $1 to $500. Below are the casino apps we recommend for Three Card Poker.
Mobile experience
Three Card Poker is one of the best casino games for a phone. There are only a few buttons, a round takes seconds and the cards are large and easy to read. The newer Tri Card Poker version at Bovada was designed with smaller screens in mind, with a cleaner layout than the classic table.
Three Card Poker vs other casino poker games
If you want more decisions and a lower house edge, Ultimate Texas Hold’em is the natural next step. Pai Gow Poker is slower and has many pushes, which makes your bankroll last longer, and video poker lets you play poker against a machine with some of the best odds in the casino.
More poker apps
See all real-money and free options in our poker apps guide. Prefer playing poker against other people? Our Texas Hold’em app guide covers real-money poker rooms. Want to practise for free first? WSOP Poker and Governor of Poker let you play with virtual chips.
Pros and cons
- Very easy to learn with one simple strategy rule
- Fast rounds that suit mobile play
- Pair Plus pays regardless of the dealer's hand
- Ante bonus on a straight or better
- Available at several popular US casino apps
- Higher house edge than blackjack
- Pair Plus odds depend heavily on the pay table
- Fast pace means more bets per hour
- No skill edge beyond the Q-6-4 rule
Play Three Card Poker in these 3 casino apps
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply · Min. deposit $20 · Wagering applies · Slots count 100%
Features
Three Card Poker app FAQ
Can I play Three Card Poker for real money on my phone?
Yes. Three Card Poker, often called Tri Card Poker online, is available in casino apps and mobile browsers at casinos such as Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV.
Is there a Three Card Poker app?
There's no standalone real-money app in the App Store or Google Play. You play Three Card Poker inside casino apps.
What is the best Three Card Poker strategy?
Play every hand of queen-six-four or better and fold everything worse. That simple rule gives the lowest house edge on the Ante bet.
What is the house edge in Three Card Poker?
About 3.37% on the Ante with optimal strategy, or roughly 2% measured against your total bet. Pair Plus varies by pay table, from about 2.3% to over 7%.
Why does a straight beat a flush in Three Card Poker?
With only three cards, a straight is harder to make than a flush, so it ranks higher.