Official Poker Rules BoardDocument OPR-628 · Updated 28 September 2026

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Three Five Seven Rules

Three Five Seven is a Guts game played in three stages, with hands of three, five and seven cards and a different wild rank at each stage. At each stage players declare in or out: if several stay in, the losers pay the winner an amount equal to the pot, and if only one stays in, that player earns a leg. The first player to collect three legs wins the pot.

Also known as 3 5 7, 3-5-7

Cards: 3, then 5, then 7 per player
Wild cards: Threes, then fives, then sevens
Betting: Declare in or out at each stage
Pot: Won by the first player to three legs

Article 1Players, deck and objective

1.1

A standard 52-card deck without jokers is used. Seven cards per player are needed, so one deck serves up to seven players.

1.2

The object is to win the pot by collecting three legs. A player earns a leg by being the only player to stay in at any stage. Legs are usually marked with tokens.

1.3

Along the way, players who stay in and lose at a stage pay the winner of that stage directly. These payments do not go into the pot.

1.4

The wild rank changes at each stage: threes in the first, fives in the second and sevens in the third. Only the rank for the current stage is wild. With wild cards, five of a kind is possible in the five- and seven-card stages and normally ranks above a straight flush. See hand rankings.

Article 2Antes and the three stages

Players who declare out at a stage keep their cards and take part in the later stages.

Stage	Cards held	Wild	Hands compared
One	3 face down	Threes	Three cards: triplets, then pairs, then unmatched cards
Two	5 (two more face down)	Fives	Best five-card poker hand
Three	7 (two more face down)	Sevens	Best five cards from seven

2.1

At the start, every player antes and the dealer deals three cards face down to each player.

2.2

After the first declaration, every player, including those who declared out, is dealt two more cards face down, making five.

2.3

After the second declaration, every player is dealt two more cards face down, making seven.

Article 3Declaring and settling each stage

3.1

After each deal, the players declare whether they are in or out. The declaration may be in turn or simultaneous, as agreed in advance or announced by the dealer. For simultaneous declaring, see Guts.

3.2

If no one is in, nothing happens and play moves to the next stage. If no one is in at stage three, the cards are thrown in and there is a new ante and deal.

3.3

If exactly one player is in, that player takes a leg.

3.4

If two or more players are in, the best hand among them wins. Every other player who was in pays the winner an amount equal to the pot. If several hands tie for best, each loser pays that amount to every winner. Nothing is added to or taken from the pot.

3.5

At stages one and two, the players who are in compare hands privately, passing them face down so that players who are out do not see them. At stage three, the hands are shown.

3.6

Stage one ranking. Three of a kind beats a pair, and a pair beats unmatched cards. Straights and flushes do not count.

Article 4Winning the pot

4.1

As soon as a player collects a third leg, at any stage, that player takes the whole pot and the game ends.

4.2

If no one has three legs after stage three, everyone keeps their legs, the cards are thrown in, every player antes again, and the next dealer starts a new round with three cards each.

Example

Stage one: a wild three makes triplets

The pot holds 40. Two players stay in at stage one.

Player A holds 3♥K♣K♦. The three is wild, so A has three kings.

Player B holds Q♠Q♥9♣, a pair of queens.

Three of a kind beats a pair, so Player B pays Player A 40. The pot stays at 40, and neither player earns a leg.

Article 5Common variations

One published version (onlinepoker.net) has only the lowest hand among the players who stay in pay the highest hand, and requires a player to win five hands in a row, rather than collect three legs, to take the pot. The dealer shall announce which version is played.
Groups differ on whether the declaration is in turn or simultaneous. This shall be agreed before play.
A related game, Napalm (also called Whipsaw), plays its three stages as two cards for high, five cards for low and seven cards for high.

Article 6Frequently asked questions

What is wild in 3-5-7?

Threes are wild in the three-card stage, fives in the five-card stage and sevens in the seven-card stage. Only the current stage's rank is wild.

Do straights and flushes count with three cards in 3-5-7?

Not in the pagat.com rules. With three cards, three of a kind beats a pair and a pair beats unmatched cards. Some groups use three-card poker rankings, in which they do count, so agree this before play.

How do you win the pot in Three Five Seven?

By collecting three legs. You earn a leg each time you are the only player to stay in at a stage. Players who stay in and lose pay the winner of that stage directly.

Can you stay in after dropping out in 3-5-7?

Yes. Dropping out only applies to the current stage. You keep your cards, receive the next two cards and can declare in at the next stage.

Final authority

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.

Three Five Seven Rules · OPR-628 · officialpokerrules.com/three-five-seven/

OPR-628Uncontrolled when printed