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In Three-Hole Poker, each player is dealt three cards and turns two of them face up, one at a time, with all players choosing simultaneously. The exposed cards do double duty: each player's final hand is all three of their own cards plus any two other cards showing on the table, including cards exposed by players who have since folded. There are three betting rounds.
Also known as 3-Hole Poker
Three-Hole Poker was contributed anonymously to pagat.com. It is best for two to six players and uses a standard 52-card deck with no wild cards.
Hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings.
A player's hand is exactly five cards: all three of their own cards plus two other cards showing on the table. A player may not leave out any of their own three cards.
Every player antes, and each player is dealt three cards face down.
Players look at their cards, and the first betting round takes place.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Deal | Three cards face down to each player; betting round 1 |
| First exposure | Each active player turns one card face up; betting round 2 |
| Second exposure | Each active player turns a second card face up; betting round 3 |
| Showdown | Remaining players show their last card |
After the first betting round, each player who has not folded chooses one of their cards and places it face up on the table.
All players make this choice at the same time, so that no player's choice is influenced by another's. The usual method is for each player to select a card face down and for all the selected cards to be turned up together.
The second betting round follows.
Each player still in the hand then exposes a second card in the same way, and the third and final betting round follows.
A player who folds after exposing cards leaves those cards face up on the table. They remain available to the other players' hands.
All players still in the pot show their final card.
Each player's hand is all three of their own cards plus the best two other cards showing on the table. Cards exposed during betting rounds 2 and 3 count, including those of players who have folded.
The source does not state whether other players' final cards, revealed only at the showdown, may be used as table cards. The dealer shall announce this before the deal.
The best hand wins the pot. Identical hands split the pot.
A full house from the table
Anna has exposed K♠9♦. Ben has exposed K♥4♣. Cara exposed 9♥ and then folded.
Anna's final card is K♣. Using her own K♠9♦K♣ with Ben's K♥ and Cara's 9♥, she has kings full of nines.
Ben's final card is 4♦. With his own K♥4♣4♦ plus Anna's K♠9♦, he has two pair, kings and fours. Even if Anna's final king could count for him under rule 4.3, his best would be kings full of fours. Either way, Anna wins.
Every card you expose can help your opponents as well as you. Exposing a card that pairs another player's upcard can hand them a strong hand.
The card you keep hidden is your only private information at the last bet. Keeping back the card that completes a hand makes a strong holding harder to read.
Because all three of your own cards must play, three unrelated cards are hard to rescue even with good table cards.
Yes. Any card left face up on the table can be used, including cards exposed by players who folded in the later betting rounds.
Yes. Your hand is always all three of your own cards plus two other cards showing on the table.
Three: one after the deal, one after the first card is exposed and one after the second card is exposed.
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-Hole Poker Rules · OPR-583 · officialpokerrules.com/three-hole-poker/