Card games have been a source of excitement and thrill for people for centuries and today they are gaining momentum. Timeless games such as poker and blackjack are not going away, on the contrary, card games are some of the most successful games in casinos. Why are card games so successful? Let’s take a closer look.
Strategic card games are lucrative games for casinos and exciting games for customers, where you can not only test your luck but also your wits and try out different approaches. If a card game enthusiast is well versed in the rules and knows how to use his knowledge successfully, it is possible to win some pretty hefty sums that would please just about anyone.
But how do you become a good player? Where and how to start? Which casino to choose? In internet casinos, it is definitely worth trying card games, and in most cases you can try your hand at it for play money. This way you can practice, learn the rules and improve your knowledge. However, you don’t have to risk anything yet.
Two timeless games – poker and blackjack
For anyone who knows a little about card games, the names Blackjack and Poker will no doubt come to mind. In casinos, both are always present, and what’s more, there are usually many different variations of these games. You can usually play either directly in a web browser or by downloading the card game software onto your computer. This may seem cumbersome at first glance, but in reality, downloading the software to your PC provides a good gaming experience, as the graphics, sounds and other aspects of the game experience are excellent.
If you’re a person on the move and often use a smartphone or tablet, you’ll be glad to know that many games are also available on your mobile device, making gaming even more convenient. Move around and play cards in between, wherever you are!
Here are the rules
The rules of both card games are actually quite simple and even a beginner can pick up the basics pretty quickly. However, to become a really successful player, you need good skills and lots and lots of experience. If you try to play poker without a proper understanding of the rules, winning and making any progress becomes difficult. So it’s definitely worth investing the time to learn!
The most important aspect of poker is having strong cards, stronger than your opponents, of course. Luck, of course, also plays a huge part in this game, as it is pure chance that you will be dealt a hand. But strategy and knowledge are not to be underestimated. You’ve probably heard of “bluffing”. It’s another thing that doesn’t come naturally and easily to everyone, but it’s a skill that can make a big difference to your chances of winning. Bluffing is, more precisely, trying to give your fellow players the impression that you hold the strongest cards.
Of course, you can’t go around or over different combinations of cards or “hands”. To get the strongest hand, you have to use the cards you are dealt and/or combine them with the cards you have on the table. The card combinations are (starting with the strongest): royal masse, masse, four of a kind, house, rook, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and a strong card. The best hand wins, just know how to combine successfully and correctly.
Blackjack, on the other hand, is one of the world’s most popular card games played against the casino. There may be several players in the game at the same time, but each of them is playing with the dealer (which is the casino), not with other players.
The basic variations of the game:
- You get exactly 21 points from the first two cards dealt (this is what Blackjack is) so that the dealer doesn’t get it.
- You get a stronger score than the dealer, but not more than 21 points.
- The dealer “goes bust”, i.e. exceeds 21 points.
- You “go bust”, i.e., exceed 21 points.
Luck and chance also play a big part in this game, but so does skill. The cards that come out of the deck are completely random, but a player can create a strategy and keep track of the cards that have already been dealt, for example in a live casino. This, of course, requires a good and trained memory.
Card scores
The value of an Ace can change, it is either 11 or 1 point, at the dealer’s or player’s discretion.
All face cards are worth 10 points.
All number cards score according to their number (3 is three points, 2 is two points, etc.).
There are many different variations of blackjack and the minor nuances of the rules can be a little different in places. It’s a good idea to check the exact rules on the casino’s website before you start playing for real.
Should you choose an online casino to play at?
There are thousands of different and exciting casino games available to play online and they are very popular. But is it worth choosing an online casino for card games, for example? It’s definitely worth it, and we’ll explain why.
Everyone has heard of the casino house advantage, which in a nutshell means that the casino must always remain in the black. However, card games are worth playing at online casinos precisely because they have a much lower house edge than other games. For example, when playing slots, it is much higher.
Card games are developmental, and they also offer the possibility of strategy. After all, you have to constantly think, make decisions and use your cunning. In addition, it helps enormously if you have learned the rules properly and know them practically by heart. That way, your chances of winning at card games are always increasing. In an internet casino, you are actually in the most comfortable place for you (e.g. on your sofa at home) and this is probably the most relaxed environment, which helps you to make decisions in a calm and considered way.
Online casinos offer good bonuses and other opportunities all the time. It’s worth keeping an eye out!
There is sometimes a perception that online activities hide you away from the world and make you forget about real interaction. In fact, playing card games at an online casino is a great way to socialise, meet players from all over the world and even make new friends.
With card games, you have more control over your money.
If your favourite games are card games, it’s probably good to know that card games won’t make your casino play money go down too quickly. Card games and table games have a much slower pace than slots, for example, so you’ll take longer to decide and be more aware of how much you’re spending.
To sum up, if you’re interested in card games and poker in particular:
- Before you start playing for real money, the best advice for you is to do your homework first – learn the rules, card combinations, visit online forums on the subject, read books and articles and talk to some experienced players.
- Only now is it time to try playing for real, conveniently in an online casino.
- When playing online, analyse the playing style of your opponents.
- Start with small stakes, so you can spend the whole evening without losing any significant money, gaining valuable experience and enjoyment.
- Don’t be in a hurry to raise the stakes. Only do this when you can stay solidly in the black with small bets.
- Train yourself to lay down your cards at the right time. A good poker player can do this, and it is a very necessary but elusive skill.