Four Card Poker is a house-banked poker game where you get five cards, the dealer gets six, and each side keeps its best four. You can bet the Ante, the Aces Up side bet or both, and with the Ante you can raise up to three times after seeing your cards. There is no dealer qualifier, ties go to the player, and the house edge on the Ante is about 2.8% with optimal play.
Four Card Poker at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Roger Snow; marketed by Shuffle Master, now a Light & Wonder brand |
| Cards | Player gets 5, dealer gets 6 (one face up); both keep their best 4 |
| Bets | Ante, Raise (1x to 3x the Ante), optional Aces Up side bet |
| Dealer qualifier | None |
| Ties | Player wins |
| House edge (Ante, optimal play) | 2.79% (element of risk 1.30%) |
How Four Card Poker Works
Four Card Poker is a close cousin of Three Card Poker. As in that game, everyone plays against the dealer, not each other, and the hands of other players at the table do not matter.
- Place your bets. Bet the Ante, the Aces Up side bet, or both. Neither is required on its own, so you can play Aces Up without an Ante.
- The deal. Each player gets five cards. The dealer gets six, with one turned face up.
- Raise or fold. If you bet the Ante, look at your cards and either fold, losing the Ante, or raise one, two or three times the Ante. Your best four cards make your hand.
- The showdown. The dealer turns over all six cards and keeps the best four. If your hand beats or ties the dealer’s, the Ante and Raise both pay even money. If the dealer wins, you lose both.
Four Card Poker Hand Rankings
With only four cards in a hand, the order differs from regular poker. Three of a kind ranks above both a flush and a straight. From best to worst:
- Four of a kind
- Straight flush
- Three of a kind
- Flush
- Straight
- Two pair
- One pair
- High card
Ante Bonus Payouts
If you make three of a kind or better, you win a bonus on your Ante. It pays even if the dealer beats you. The common paytable is:
| Hand | Ante bonus |
|---|---|
| Four of a kind | 25 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 20 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 2 to 1 |
Basic Four Card Poker Strategy
There is no dealer qualifier, so the dealer plays every hand no matter how weak. That is a key difference from Three Card Poker, where the dealer needs queen high to qualify.
Compared with games like Ultimate Texas Hold’em, the strategy is simple. A beginner strategy that is easy to remember:
- Raise 3x with a pair of tens or better.
- Raise 1x with a pair of twos through nines.
- Fold everything else.
This simple strategy gives a house edge of about 3.4%. Full optimal strategy, which also raises some high-card hands 1x, cuts the edge to about 2.79%. Strategy never calls for a 2x raise.
Aces Up Side Bet
Aces Up is a separate, optional bet that pays on your own hand, whether or not you beat the dealer. You can play it alone or with the Ante. Paytables vary by casino, and the difference matters. These are two common versions:
| Hand | Paytable 1 | Paytable 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Four of a kind | 50 to 1 | 50 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 | 40 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 9 to 1 | 8 to 1 |
| Flush | 6 to 1 | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 | 4 to 1 |
| Two pair | 2 to 1 | 3 to 1 |
| Pair of aces | 1 to 1 | 1 to 1 |
| House edge | 1.98% | 3.89% |
Paytable 5 is the one most often seen in casinos. Other versions run from about 2% to more than 6% house edge, so check the felt before you bet.
Four Card Poker FAQ
Does the dealer need to qualify in Four Card Poker?
No. The dealer plays every hand, and your Ante and Raise are always in action once you raise.
Who wins a tie in Four Card Poker?
The player. If your four-card hand ties the dealer’s, your Ante and Raise pay even money.
What is the house edge in Four Card Poker?
About 2.79% on the Ante with optimal strategy, or about 3.4% with the simple strategy above. The Aces Up side bet ranges from about 2% to over 6% depending on the paytable.
How is Four Card Poker different from Three Card Poker?
You get five cards and keep four, the dealer gets six, you can raise up to 3x, there is no dealer qualifier, and ties go to the player.
For more carnival poker games, see our guides to Crazy 4 Poker and High Card Flush.
Gamble responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.