Jun 25 2008
Three Card Poker: Ante and Play
Alright. The other half of Three Card Poker. We’ve already gone over Pair Plus. The other two bets, which are related, is the Ante and Play. The ante must be placed before the cards are dealt. The cards will be dealt, and the player given an opportunity to look at their cards. They may then either place money in the “play” spot, or fold their hand, sacrificing the ante and the pair plus bet (if one is made). The bet in the play must be equal to the bet in the ante.
This is essentially a bet that the player will have a better three card hand than the dealer. If the dealer has a queen or above, the hand qualifies, and any hand which beats the dealer’s will be paid even money on the ante and the play. Keep in mind that, as listed on the layout, the hand order is different than in traditional poker. If the dealer has a jack high or lower hand, the hand does not qualify. In this case, if a player beats the dealer, they will be paid on the ante and push on the play.
Some casinos offer bonuses for certain winning hands as well, and this information will be listed on the table layout. Remember, other than when folding a hand, the pair plus and ante/play bets are really separate games. It is possible to win one and lose the other. For instance, a player could have an A high, and lose the pair plus, but beat the dealer’s Q high, thus winning the ante and play.
