Poker is a card game where you and your opponent(s) use 5 cards to make up the best possible poker hand. This article will show how to play three-card poker beginner rules correctly following all three-card poker beginner tips.
Poker Rules for Beginners
The basis of every Poker game is the 6 playing card ranks that are common to all games, from high (ace) to low. The rank of the cards determines which hand is better. If one player has a higher rank of cards than his opponent, he wins. If two players have equally ranked hands, the pot is split between them.
Three-Card Poker Hand Ranks
- Royal Flush: Best possible hand in Poker consisting of 10 through Ace all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit.
- Four Of a Kind: Four cards of equal rank.
- Full House: Three matching cards of one rank combined with a pair of another rank.
- Flush: Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
- Straight: Five sequential cards of differing suits.
- Three Of A Kind: Three cards of equal rank (three Aces is an exception).
- Two Pair: Two separate pairs of two different ranks (aces count as high or low, whichever is better).
- One Pair: Two cards that have the same rank; three unmatched cards that are also the same rank (ace-high). High Card: The hand containing no pairs and no straight. One unmatched card of the highest rank and four unmatched cards of other ranks (aces count as high).
What You Need To Play Three-Card Poker Rules
Three-card poker requires the same playing equipment that is necessary for standard poker games, such as a dealer button, chips, and an agreement on how to deal with disputes. However, three-card poker only uses five community cards (three each at one point in time), not seven like in regular poker games. If all this brings an itch for some poker you can check out onlineunitedstatescasinos.com.
How To Play Three-Card Poker Rules
The player with the lowest three-card hand starts by placing his ante in the pot. Each player around the table has to place equal bets in both rounds of betting and take turns placing blind bets.
Once the first round of betting is finished, each player will have three cards before him on the table. The player with the highest hand wins this round and his ante bet is then returned to him. The next card dealt is face up and known as a burn card or a “fifth street”. The person who won the first round now has to deal out another three-card poker hand, or “sixth street”, face down for each player. An extra bet equal to both players’ ante bets goes into the middle of the table to act as a “kicker” in case two players tie for a high hand at this point by having equal poker hands among their six cards (for example K-K-x-x-x and 9-9-A with five common cards). Once again, the player with the highest hand wins this round.
The final card is dealt face-up, called “seventh street” or “the river”, which is followed by the last betting round. If no players have tied for high hand at this point, or if all ties are eliminated during prior rounds of betting, each player shows his four-card best poker hand (sixth street) before turning over their fifth/seventh street cards. At that time, even though it does not affect the pot odds or payout percentages listed below, a player may change his initial fifth/seventh street three-card hands depending on what he observed other players holding. The player with the highest hand will win this round. If there is a tie, the pot is split equally between the tying players.
How Poker Hands Work
1. Royal Flush
This hand consists of five cards in numerical sequence and all of the same suit. An ace can count as either high or low so A-K-Q-J-10 is an example of a Royal Flush. As soon as any other rank is used, it no longer becomes a Royal Flush.
2. Straight Flush
Any poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards in sequence, all of the same suit (other than a Royal Flush). When more than one Straight Flush is possible from among different suits, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
3. Four Of A Kind
This hand contains four cards of the same rank and one unmatched card. When more than one Four Of A Kind is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
4. Full House
A Full House consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank (a pair). When more than one Full House is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
5. Flush
Any poker hand consisting of five cards all of the same suit (other than a Royal Flush). When more than one Flush is possible from among different suits, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
6. Straight
Any poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards in sequence, all of the different suits. When more than one Straight is possible from among different suits, then kickers are used to break the tie.
7. Three Of A Kind
This hand contains three cards of the same rank and two unrelated kicker cards. When more than one Three Of A Kind is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
8. Two Pair
This hand consists of two distinct pairs and a kicker card. When more than one Two Pair is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to break the tie.
9. One Pair
One pair plus three unrelated kicker cards. When more than one One Pair is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
High Card: This hand contains five cards that do not qualify in any of the above hands, nor have a pair or better. When more than one High Card hand is possible from among different ranks, then kickers are used to breaking the tie.
The kicker card determines the winning hand in the event of a tie between pairs or sets of equal rank.