Three Card Poker strategy
One rule is the entire optimal strategy. Here it is, why it is exactly right, and what the common mistakes actually cost.
The short answer
Play any hand of Queen-6-4 or better. Fold everything worse. This single rule is optimal and holds the Ante and Play edge to 3.37% per ante.
The weakest hand you should ever play.
How to read it at the table
You do not need to memorize a chart. The rule decodes to a few plain checks:
- Any pair or better: always Play.
- Ace-high or King-high: always Play.
- Queen-high: Play when your second card is a 7 or higher. If your second card is a 6, Play only when your third card is a 4 or higher. Otherwise fold.
- Jack-high or lower: always fold.
Why Queen-6-4 is the cutoff
The cutoff is not a rule of thumb. It is the exact break-even point, derived by enumeration. Folding forfeits one ante, so its value is fixed at −1.000. For any hand, the engine computes the expected value of making the Play bet by dealing out every possible dealer hand from the remaining 49 cards. You play whenever that value beats −1.000.
| Hand | EV of playing | EV of folding | Correct |
|---|---|---|---|
| King-2-3 | −0.552 | −1.000 | Play |
| Queen-7-2 | −0.976 | −1.000 | Play |
| Queen-6-4 | −0.993 | −1.000 | Play |
| Queen-6-3 | −1.003 | −1.000 | Fold |
| Queen-5-4 | −1.021 | −1.000 | Fold |
Queen-6-4 is the last hand on the Play side of the line. This EV-optimal decision matches the Q-6-4 rule for all 22,100 hands, with no exceptions.
What mistakes cost
The strategy is forgiving near the boundary and expensive away from it. Playing or folding the exact edge hand barely matters. The costly errors are the systematic ones.
| Strategy | Edge per ante | Extra cost |
|---|---|---|
| Optimal (Q-6-4) | 3.37% | baseline |
| Mimic the dealer (play any Queen-high) | 3.449% | +0.076% |
| Over-fold (play only King-high or better) | 4.986% | +1.613% |
| Never fold (always play) | 7.654% | +4.281% |
One useful takeaway: playing every hand the dealer would qualify with, Queen-high and up, costs only about 0.076% over perfect play. The two real leaks are folding too much and never folding at all. The full breakdown is on the common mistakes page.
Common questions
What is the Q-6-4 rule?
Make the Play bet with any hand of Queen-6-4 or better, and fold anything worse. It is the mathematically optimal strategy for the base game and the only rule you need.
Why is Queen-6-4 the exact cutoff?
Because it is the weakest hand where playing beats folding. Folding always costs one ante. Playing Queen-6-4 returns about minus 0.993 of an ante, slightly better than folding. Queen-6-3 returns about minus 1.003, slightly worse, so you fold it.
How do I read the rule at the table?
Any pair or better is always a Play. With a high-card hand, play if your top card is an Ace or King. If your top card is a Queen, play when your second card is a 7 or higher, or a 6 backed by a 4 or higher. Jack-high or worse is a fold.
How much does playing every hand cost?
Never folding raises the edge from 3.37% to about 7.654% of the ante, about 4.281% worse. Folding correctly on the weak hands is where the strategy earns its keep.