Casino game · House-banked
In Four Card Poker, each player receives five cards and the dealer six, one of them face up. Each side makes its best four-card hand. After seeing their cards, players fold or make a play bet of one to three times the ante; the dealer always plays, and a player who equals or beats the dealer wins even money on both bets.
Four Card Poker is a house-banked game. Each player plays only against the dealer. The object is to make a four-card hand that equals or beats the dealer's four-card hand.
The game is played with a standard 52-card deck with no jokers.
The game was invented by Roger Snow and is owned by Shuffle Master.
A player may bet the ante, the optional Aces Up side bet, or both.
Four-card hands rank differently from five-card hands. Three of a kind is harder to make than a flush or straight with four cards, so it ranks above them.
| Rank | Hand | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Four of a kind | 9♠9♥9♦9♣ |
| 2 | Straight flush | 8♥7♥6♥5♥ |
| 3 | Three of a kind | K♠K♥K♣2♦ |
| 4 | Flush | A♣J♣7♣3♣ |
| 5 | Straight | Q♦J♠10♥9♣ |
| 6 | Two pair | 10♠10♦4♥4♣ |
| 7 | One pair | A♠A♦8♣5♥ |
| 8 | High card | K♦J♥6♠3♣ |
Hands of the same rank are compared by their highest cards, as with the standard poker hand rankings. Suits have no rank.
Full houses do not exist in Four Card Poker, because a hand is only four cards.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before the deal | Player places the ante, the Aces Up bet, or both |
| The deal | Each player receives five cards face down; the dealer receives five face down and one face up |
| Decision | Player folds, or places a play bet of 1x to 3x the ante |
| Showdown | Dealer reveals all six cards; each side uses its best four |
After seeing their five cards and the dealer's face-up card, each player who bet the ante shall either:
3.1(a) Fold and lose the ante; or
3.1(b) Play by placing a play bet of at least one and at most three times the ante.
Each player keeps their best four cards and discards one. The dealer does the same with six cards, using the best four of them.
There is no qualifying hand. The dealer always plays.
If the player's four-card hand is equal to or better than the dealer's, the ante and the play bet each pay 1 to 1. Ties go to the player.
If the dealer's hand is better, the player loses the ante and the play bet.
The ante bonus (Article 5) is paid on qualifying player hands whatever the dealer holds.
Three of a kind with a 3x play bet
Player: 9♥9♦9♠K♣3♦. Best four: 9-9-9-K, three of a kind.
Dealer: Q♦Q♠8♣8♥4♠2♦, with Q♦ face up. Best four: Q-Q-8-8, two pair.
The player antes 10 and plays 30. Three of a kind beats two pair. The ante wins 10 and the play bet wins 30. The ante bonus adds 2 to 1 on the ante (20). The player wins 60 in total.
A tie goes to the player
Player: A♥K♠8♦5♣2♥. Best four: A-K-8-5.
Dealer: A♦K♣8♠5♥3♣2♠. Best four: A-K-8-5.
The hands are equal, so the player wins even money on the ante and the play bet.
The ante bonus is paid automatically to a player who holds one of the hands below, regardless of the dealer's hand. Pay tables vary by casino; this is the most common.
| Player's hand | Ante bonus pays |
|---|---|
| Four of a kind | 25 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 20 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 2 to 1 |
The Aces Up bet is settled on the player's best four-card hand alone. The dealer's hand is irrelevant.
The bet wins if the player has a pair of aces or better and loses otherwise. Several pay tables are in use; the most common is below.
| Player's hand | Aces Up pays |
|---|---|
| Four of a kind | 50 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 8 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Two pair | 3 to 1 |
| Pair of aces | 1 to 1 |
Six: five face down and one face up. The dealer uses the best four of them. Players get five cards and use their best four.
No. The dealer always plays, unlike in Three Card Poker.
The player. If your four-card hand equals the dealer's, your ante and play bet are both paid at even money.
Yes. With only four cards, three of a kind is rarer than a flush or a straight, so it ranks above both.
Your play bet can be anything from one to three times your ante.
Where any doubt remains in the application of this document, Rob is right.
Hand rankings, high to low: royal flush · straight flush · four of a kind · full house · flush · straight · three of a kind · two pair · one pair · high card. Suits never break ties.
Four Card Poker Rules · OPR-803 · officialpokerrules.com/four-card-poker/