Similarities

Four card and three card poker share some similarities. For instance, each version is essentially two games mashed into one. The basic game is against the dealer in the ante-play competition, similar to three card poker. The other piece of the game is Aces Up in which the player receives automatic payment for any hand that contains aces or better.

Game play

Four card poker is played on a blackjack table with a 52 card deck. On the table, there are three circles in front of each player that indicates Aces Up, Ante and 1x to 3x Ante. Game play commences with each player placing betting chips into the Aces Up or Ante categories. If the player chooses both circles, they must place equal bets.

The player is then dealt five cards face down. The object is to make the best four card hand. Conversely, the dealer is dealt six cards to make the best four card hand, with one card facing up. After reviewing the cards, the player can fold or place an additional bet. The minimum bet is equal to the original bet the player placed. The maximum wager is up to three times the original bet.

Ante Bonus

One perk is the ante bonus which is paid alongside the ante and any other bets if won. It is based on the player’s final hand. Three of a kind pays 2-to-1, straight-flush pays 20-to-1 and four of a kind pays 25-to-1. This payment structure may vary between casinos.

Aces up Bet

The Aces Up bet is separate from the dealer’s hand. Any player that has a pair of aces or better will be paid for the Aces Up bet which is based on that particular casinos payment chart. Luckily, even if the player loses the Ante bet, they can still win the Aces Up bet.

Four card poker is another easy game to pick up; it’s simply learning the different types of bets that can be made and the various opportunities to win. If you are proficient at Texas Hold’em, Five Card Draw or Stud or any other type of poker, you should have no problem picking this game up quickly.