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Casino Hold’em: How Does it Work?
Casino Hold 'em is quite the young buck compared to other table and poker games; it was invented in 2000 and first played in UK casinos in 2007, giving it little under 20 years of existence for UK players. Modern casinos all over the globe offer Casino Hold'em, a fast-paced poker variation where players compete against the house rather than each other (unlike Texas Hold 'em).
Playing poker against the house is possible in a number of different variations, including casino stud poker, three-card poker, and four-card poker. The main distinction is that Casino Hold’em is played up Community Card poker rules, as opposed to Stud or Draw Poker.
However, the overall technique for playing Casino Hold 'em remains the same whether you are playing at a land-based casino or on an online casino, so if you’re familiar with the poker basics you should have no issue getting up to speed with Casino Hold’em.
How to Play Casino Hold’em
In contrast to games like blackjack, which can use as many as eight decks of cards, Casino Hold'em Poker uses a conventional 52-card deck.
Making the best possible five-card hand with a mix of two hole cards (your private cards) and five community cards is the objective of Casino Hold'em, similar to Texas Hold'em.
Learning the typical ranks of poker hands is the first order of business when playing Casino Hold 'em, and these are the same as most poker games. A recap can be found below:
- Royal Flush: A royal flush is the best hand possible. It is made up of an A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same number.
- Straight Flush: A straight flush is made up of any straight cards that are all the same suit.
- Four-of-a-Kind: Also called 'quads' a four-of-a-kind hand has four cards of the same value.
- Full House: This hand has three cards of the same value and two cards of a different value.
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit.
- Straight: Five cards in a numerical sequence that are all different suits.
- Three-of-a-Kind: Also called 'trips' this hand has three cards of the same value.
- Two-Pair: Two-pair hands are made up of two sets of cards of the same value.
- One-Pair: This hand has one pair of cards.
- High Card: This is the lowest value hand, and occurs when none of the other hand types can be formed. In this instance, the best outcome would be a high card hand with an Ace, with the worst possibility being a 2.
Now you know what you’re aiming for, in the next section, we will explore the rules of Casino Hold’em and how a typical round plays out.
Casino Hold’em Rules
To start a round of Casino Hold’em players must put an "ante" wager on the "ante" section of the table. This is similar to the 'blind,' a mandatory wager seen in many poker variants. If playing Casino Hold 'em online, you’ll be able to decide how long you need to wager, in live variants the dealer will open and close the betting window and deal out the cards.
The dealer will give you a pair of cards once you've wagered your ante these are your ‘hole’ cards and are dealt face down. As in Casino Hold’em Poker you play against the dealer the dealer will also give themselves two face-down hole cards.
After the dealer deals out all of the hole cards, the flop, which is the first three community cards, is dealt. In Casino Hold 'em, there is no betting round between the dealing of the hole cards and the flop in contrast to that of Texas Hold’em.
Once the flop has been revealed players decide whether to play ‘call’ or fold. To call, you must wager twice as much as your ante. By folding you forfeit the round, and in an online game, you can avoid seeing the dealer's or your own remaining cards by skipping to the next stake, or you can wait for the round to naturally conclude.
If you decide to call, the turn (community card 4), and the river (card 5), will be dealt face up. In traditional poker, each card is drawn and separated by a round of betting, but this isn’t the case in Casino Hold’em.
Then both the player and the dealer reveal their hole cards, and the winner is the participant who has achieved the strongest hand as ordered by the card ranks discussed earlier.
Casino Hold’em Tips
Due to its simplified rule set and gameplay which condenses multiple rounds in traditional Hold’em Poker, into just two, Casino Hold’em is an incredibly accessible game to play, and is ideal for poker newbies wanting to learn and hone their poker skills before playing some of the more traditional variants. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of top Casino Hold’em tips, which you can use to up your game.
Learn the Basics
By reading this article you’re already one up on our top tips, as by learning the basics you can avoid the rookie mistakes that can cost amateurs a chunk of their bankroll. For example, less knowledgeable players might read ‘hold’em’ and instantly assume Casino Hold’em is just another name for Texas Hold’em, but as we’ve learned, while similar in regards, the games are drastically different in terms of gameplay, which could be a costly mistake for those not in the know.
Know the About Terminology
Poker games have a variety of terms and to accurately follow the gameplay, you need to understand what is meant by the most common terminology. Here are some Poker Terms that all players need to know:
- Hole Cards: These are the two cards you are dealt face down and are yours alone to combine with the community cards.
- Community Cards: These are cards dealt face up and are shared by all players to combine with the hole cards to form the best hand.
- The Flop: This refers to the first three community cards dealt
- The Turn and the River: This refers to the fourth and fifth community cards dealt, in Casino Hold’em these are dealt at the same time.
- Ante: The wager you make at the start of the game.
- Call: In Casino Hold’em this is when you opt to play, and will need to increase your ante to do so.
- Fold: This is when you forfeit a round by declining to play on.
Set Budget Limits
This is a tip which should be applied no matter the casino game you are playing. Before playing any online or live casino game for real money be sure you follow responsible gaming practices. Always set a session and budget limit, and stick to them. If it helps write this information on a post-it note and stick it next to your monitor, or even write it on the back of your hand if gaming on the go on a mobile device.
If you notice your mood souring, or that you are becoming frustrated, stop playing and end your session early. The adage goes; when the fun stops; stop, and this is because playing when in a negative mood is more likely to lead to reckless wagers and loss-chasing.
Utilise The Side Bets
When you submit your 'ante' wager, you will also be given the option of placing a 'bonus' bet. This bonus bet is a side bet that pays 'Aces or Better' on the flop.
If you are dealt 7♠ A♢ as your hole cards and the first three community cards are A♠ 9♡ 10♡, the side bet will pay out as a pair of aces has been achieved. If you can create a higher hand value than an Ace pair on the flop you will also win (as this is the 'better' part of the sidewager), The amount you receive if you win this side bet is determined by the strength of your hand and the casino's pay table. An example of a paytable for Casino Hold'em is found below:
Hand Type | Ante Payout Odds | Side Bet Payout Odds |
Royal Flush | 100:1 | 100:1 |
Straight Flush | 20:1 | 50:1 |
Four-of-a-Kind | 10:1 | 40:1 |
Full House | 3:1 | 30:1 |
Flush | 2:1 | 20:1 |
Straight or Lower | 1:1 | - |
Pair of Aces up to a Straight | - | 7:1 |
Casino Hold’em Strategy
Understanding optimal Casino Hold’em Rules can ensure you play with the most optimal RTP. Of course, no strategy can guarantee wins or reduce the house edge beyond its stated minimum, but the choices you make can decrease your theoretical RTP below optimal levels if you aren’t playing smart.
There are plenty of Casino Hold’em Strategy guides out there, but you don’t have to use these if they’re not your thing. Instead, bear in mind the following tips for optimised strategic gameplay:
- Never call without at least a pair.
- When playing Casino Hold'em with a single betting round, if you hold an ace or king, always call.
- Call if you hold a queen or jack unless the initial three community cards are of the same suit and you do not possess any cards of that suit.
- Call if you have a flush or straight and you need just one more card to finish it. Do not call if you need 2 or more cards.
- Call if your two hole cards are of higher value than all community cards. These cards are known as 'over cards'.
- Fold if neither of your hole cards is worth more than 10 unless any of the above criteria apply.
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