How to Actually Play 3 Card Poker (and When to Say “Girl, Bye”)

♣️🪙♥️🃏♦️🎴♠️

You ever sit down at a 3 Card table thinking, “This is gonna be my night,” only to realize ten minutes in that the table had other plans?

Yeah. I see it all the time.

As a Vegas dealer, I’ve watched people burn through stacks trying to feel their way through a math game. Some win, most lose, and a few blame the dealer (hi, it’s me, I’m the problem apparently).

So here’s a strategy guide. No fluff, no fake hype. Just real-deal tips so you don’t get smoked in the first five hands.

Simple enough for beginners. Solid enough for the pros who think they already know.

Let’s heat check your game.

What Is 3 Card Poker, Really?

You get three cards. The dealer gets three cards.

Then you make one decision:
Do you fold, or do you play?

If you play and your hand beats mine, you win.
If I beat you, you lose both bets.
If you fold, you lose your Ante and you’re out of that hand.

There are also optional side bets (Pair Plus and Trips), but we’ll get to those in a sec. First, let’s get your main game tight.

Queen–Six–Four: The Strategy You Can’t Ignore

Here’s the rule 99% of players forget, or never learn in the first place:

If your hand is Queen–Six–Four or better, you PLAY.
Anything worse? You FOLD. No excuses.

What does “Queen–Six–Four or better” actually mean?

Easy. Look at your three cards from highest to lowest and compare them to this:

• • If your first card is a Queen or higher, move to the next.

  • If your second card is a Six or higher, check the third.

  • If your third card is a Four or higher, you’ve passed the heat check.

That’s the minimum “playable” hand, according to actual game math. Not vibes. Not superstition. Math.

Real Examples:

• Queen–Seven–Three?
  ✅ Play. It’s better than Queen–Six–Four.

• Queen–Five–Five?
  ❌ Fold. The second card is too low.

• King–Two–Four?
  ✅ Play. A King is already stronger than Queen.

• Jack–Ten–Nine?
  ❌ Fold. Doesn’t meet the minimum.

If this feels like too much to memorize, don’t worry. Just remember:

👉 Play if you have Queen–Six–Four or better. Fold everything else.

That alone puts you ahead of half the players at the table.

The Side Bets: Pair Plus & Trips

Let’s talk about the spicy stuff.

Pair Plus (aka Player Bonus)

• • You win if you have a pair or better

  • You don’t care what the dealer has

  • The better your hand, the more you get paid

  • You lose the bet every time you don’t have a pair or better

It’s flashy, fun, and high variance. Play it if you’re okay losing a little to chase a big hit.

Six Card Bonus

• • Pays when your best 5-card hand (using your 3 + dealer’s 3) is a Three of a Kind or better

  • Bigger payouts the higher your hand. A royal flush is the dream

  • Doesn’t depend on whether you win or lose the main hand

  • Hard to hit, but hits harder than your ex’s rebound

I tell people:
Pair Plus is fun with a friend. Six Card Bonus is fun with delusion.
Take it if you’re feeling lucky, but don’t build your night around it.

Wait, What Does “Qualifying” Mean?

The dealer needs at least a Queen-high hand to “qualify.” If I don’t qualify:

• • You still get paid on your Ante

  • The Play gets pushed (you just get it back)

Cool to know, but don’t base your strategy on whether I’ll qualify.
Just focus on playing your own hand right.

🖤♠️💰♠️🖤♠️💰♠️🖤

gabro’s 3 Card Cheat Sheet

Here’s a cheat sheet you can screenshot or print:

Play if you have:
✅ QUEEN–SIX–FOUR or better
✅ Any KING or ACE-high hand
✅ PAIRS and up

Fold if you have:
❌ QUEEN–SIX–THREE or worse
❌ JACK-high, TEN-high, or lower

🖤♠️💰♠️🖤♠️💰♠️🖤

Final Thoughts from the Pit

3 Card Poker isn’t deep strategy. It’s just knowing your line and sticking to it.

Play when it makes sense. Fold when it’s trash. And if your hand looks like disappointment in card form?

Take a sip, lean back, and say it with love:

“Girl, bye.”

You’ll save your chips. And I’ll respect your game.

See you at the table.

🖤

🍒🎰🧃🌈🫦🎲🫦🌈🧃🎰🍒

If you just learned Queen–Six–Four is not a brunch reservation, tip your new card coach. 👑

👇

🍒🎰🧃🌈🫦🎲🫦🌈🧃🎰🍒

If you gamble, ALWAYS 🔗gamble responsibly.

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