Hi Cathylee,
@papa_meester is exactly right. When you fold, you only lose your 1-bet Ante. But if you “Play” and the dealer qualifies and beats you, you lose both your Ante and your Play bet, for a total loss of 2 bets.
That’s why the Q-6-4 rule is the most important strategy in the game.
As @Elanor mentioned in her 3 Card Poker or Blackjack? post, the basic strategy is to “Fold any starting hand lower than Q-6-4.”
The reason is all about pure math and finding the smallest possible loss (this is called “Expected Value”):
- If you fold: Your guaranteed loss is 1 bet.
- If you have Q-6-4 and “Play”: The math shows your average loss over time is 0.99 bets. This is slightly better than folding.
- If you have Q-6-3 (the very next hand down): Your average loss is just over 1 bet. This is worse than folding.
So, Q-6-4 is the exact “tipping point” hand where it becomes cheaper to play than it is to fold.
Why Strategy Matters (House Edge Comparison)
Sticking to this matters a lot for how much the casino expects to win from you over time (the “house edge,” based on your Ante bet):
- Playing Q-6-4 or Better (Optimal Strategy): The house edge is around 3.37%. This is the best you can do.
- Playing Weaker Hands (like J-8-3 or better): If you decide to play hands weaker than Q-6-4, such as playing any hand that is J-8-3 or better, the house edge goes up. You’re making unnecessary -EV (negative expected value) plays compared to the optimal strategy.
- Never Folding (Playing Every Hand): If you just play every single hand you get, the house edge jumps dramatically to 7.65%! You lose coins much faster this way.
So, folding those hands below Q-6-4 really does save you coins in the long run compared to just playing everything or playing hands that almost seem good enough like J-8-3. You should fold everything below Q-6-4 and play everything at Q-6-4 or above!