Three Card Poker Rules

1. Three card poker may be played only on tables displaying the three card poker layout. A single deck of cards will be used. Each player may play only one hand following each shuffle of the deck. The rank of hands in three card poker, from highest to lowest, is: straight flush, three of a kind, straight, flush, pair, and high card.
2. Each player will make at least one initial bet in the amount specified at the table by the retail licensee, and will place the bet(s) in either one of, or both, the “pair plus” and the “ante” wagering areas in front of the player’s position. The pair plus bet is placed to play for hand value only; the ante bet is placed to play against the dealer; both bets may be placed if the player wishes to play both ways.
3. Any dealer tip delivered as a wager may be placed on either one of, or both, the “pair plus” or “ante” hands, provided that the player has placed a personal wager on the same hand(s). If a player continues play with a “play” wager, the dealer’s tip on the “ante” may remain in play whether or not the player adds a “play” tip wager for the dealer.
4. Immediately prior to the commencement of play and after each round of play has been completed, the dealer shall shuffle the cards. Following shuffle and cut, the dealer deals three cards to each player and to the dealer, either face downward and one at a time in rotation among the players and the dealer, or in a three card group dispensed by a mechanical shuffling device. The first player to receive a card, or cards, is the player to the left of the dealer; the dealer receives cards last.
5. An incorrect number of cards dealt to a player constitutes a misdeal to that player only. The player receiving the misdealt cards retains the player’s ante and any bet. An incorrect number of cards dealt to the dealer constitutes a misdeal for the hand, and all players retain their antes and any bets. Any number of exposed cards does not constitute a misdeal. If the dealer exposes a card, the dealer will turn the card over and continue dealing.
6. Wagers are collected or paid in this order: play, ante bonus (if applicable), ante, pair plus.
7. For the dealer’s hand to qualify to play against the players’ hands, the dealer’s hand must have a value of queen high or better. If the dealer’s hand does not qualify to play, all ante bets are won by the players and paid at the rate of 1 to 1. If the dealer’s hand does not qualify to play, all play bets are pushes.
8. If a player has placed an “ante” wager and does not wish to play, the player has the option to fold and forfeit the ante bet. If a player who has placed a pair plus wager does not receive at least a pair, the wager is lost and the player should fold the player’s cards. After all players who wish to fold have folded, the dealer collects the ante and/or the pair plus wagers and the cards from each player who folded. All bets will be collected in the order in which the players fold. As the dealer collects the cards, the cards are spread face down to count them, and then placed in the discard rack. A player may view the folded hands upon request.
9. If a player who has placed an “ante” wager wishes to stay in the hand, the player must place an additional wager in an amount equal to the ante in the “play” wagering area in front of the player’s position, and will place the player’s hand under the wager in the “play” area.
10. After all players have acted, the dealer exposes the dealer’s cards and creates the best possible three card poker hand, ranking the cards from the dealer’s left to the right and allowing the players to see the hand.
    1. If the dealer does not have a qualifying hand, there is no action on the play bets; the ante bonuses are paid on all straights or better; all ante bets are paid, and all pair plus wagers are paid or taken.
    2. If the dealer has a qualifying hand, the play wagers are paid or taken; the ante bonuses are paid on all straights or better; the ante is paid or taken; and the pair plus wagers are paid or taken.
11. If after ranking the cards, the dealer finds that the dealer’s first two cards are a tie with a player’s, the third card will determine the winner. A tied hand is a push on the play and on the ante; however, the bonus on the ante and the pair plus wagers are always paid if applicable.
12. If a player beats the dealer’s qualifying hand, the player wins the player’s ante and play bets, both of which are paid at the rate of 1 to 1. If the dealer’s hand has a higher poker rank than the player’s hand, the player loses both the player’s ante and play bets. Tied hands are pushes.
13. The following hands are always paid a bonus on the ante as the bonus does not play against the dealer: straight flush, three of a kind, and straight.
14. If a player has bet on “pair plus,” and the player’s hand contains a pair or better, the player wins, regardless of the dealer’s hand. If the player’s hand contains less than a pair, the player loses.
15. The retail licensee may offer the game using any one of the following four pairs of pay schedules. The pay schedules in use, or payouts derived from the pay schedules, must be displayed on the table layout or on signage at the table:
    
    

    Pay Schedule 1 Player Hand Ante Bonus Pair Plus Straight Flush 5 to 1 40 to 1 Three of a Kind 4 to 1 30 to 1 Straight 1 to 1 6 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 One Pair 1 to 1

    Pay Schedule 2 Player Hand Ante Bonus Pair Plus Straight Flush 4 to 1 40 to 1 Three of a Kind 3 to 1 25 to 1 Straight 1 to 1 6 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 One Pair 1 to 1

    
    
    

    Pay Schedule 3 Player Hand Ante Bonus Pair Plus Straight Flush 5 to 1 40 to 1 Three of a Kind 4 to 1 30 to 1 Straight 1 to 1 5 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 One Pair 1 to 1

    Pay Schedule 4 Player Hand Ante Bonus Pair Plus Straight Flush 5 to 1 40 to 1 Three of a Kind 4 to 1 30 to 1 Straight 1 to 1 6 to 1 Flush 3 to 1 One Pair 1 to 1