Dave Dealer
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“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand”
Card Games Guide — Introduction
I adore casino card games not just because they are fun and lucrative, but also because they give you more power and control over the situation. Even though the result still partially depends on your luck, you need to have some skills and knowledge to win in a card game — and that’s what excites me.
When it comes to online card games, there are two kinds of them: live-dealer ones and virtual ones. If you are interested in making your bets at the live table, please find my selection of the best live card games. And if you are looking for a good virtual card game and a reliable casino to play it — welcome to my guide and let’s get started.
The Most Popular Types of Casino Card Games
Once you start thinking of card games, three titles immediately come to mind: Blackjack, Poker, and Baccarat. These are the titles you can come across in each real money pokies app in Australia. So let’s start with these three and take a closer look at the rules and interesting facts.
Online Casino Blackjack
Also known as the 21, Blackjack is the most played game both in brick-and-mortar and online casinos all over the world. The reason for such popularity is that Blackjack is fun, easy to play, and can bring significant wins to a lucky player, even to a beginner.
Even though you’ll need to remember some information to play online Blackjack successfully, the rules of the game are quite simple. The main goal of the player is to get more points than the dealer but never get more than 21 points. To cut it short, you win if your hand is worth more than the dealer’s, you lose if it is worth less, and the one who gets more than 21 points loses as well.
The standard blackjack is played with a 52-card deck, although some variations are possible depending on the game type. Face cards are worth 10 points, an Ace is worth either 1 or 10, and cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value.
This is how a Blackjack game is played step-by-step:
- First of all, the player places a bet.
- Both the player and the dealer get one card face up.
- The player gets one more card face up, the dealer gets one more card face down.
Now, this is what can happen next. If you get 21 points with your first two cards, it’s called natural and you win, providing the dealer’s face card is not a face card, Ace, or 10. If this is the case, the face-down card is turned. Now you can either lose or get a tie if the dealer’s hand is also worth 21.
If a player doesn’t get Blackjack, the game continues in two possible ways: you can either stand or hit. Standing means keeping the cards, hitting means drawing one or more until you either decide to stand or get more than 21 points and lose.
Basically, that’s it. Of course, there are some more details and strategies that I’ll disclose later in my upcoming Blackjack guide, so these are just the basic online Blackjack rules that you need to start betting right now.
In online casinos, you’ll find a lot of Blackjack variations. While the rules are more or less the same in every Blackjack game, there might be differences in:
- The number of hands played at the same time;
- The number of decks;
- Split and insurance options;
- The deck type;
- Betting rules, etc.
If you want to see how Blackjack works without risking your money, you can try one of the free demo games here on my website. I recommend starting with the Classic Blackjack Gold by Microgaming or Premium Blackjack by Playtech as these games have the highest RTP. And once you are done with playing for fun and get ready to play card games online for money, just hit the button and get redirected to one of the Australian online casinos.
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Pragmatic Play
Play'n GO
Play'n GO
Play'n GO
Play'n GO
NextGen
Online Casino Baccarat
Baccarat is a slightly less popular card game, but it still has a lot of fans among online gamblers. There are three main types of Baccarat: Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer, and Baccarat Banque, but also the first one is played in online casinos, so this is the one we are talking about here.
Baccarat is purely a game of chance, which means you can’t influence the outcome of your gambling session — just make the right bet in the right Australian online casino and wait for your win or your loss. It doesn’t make online Baccarat less exciting though.
The game is played with either 6 or 8 standard card decks, and the cards are valued differently than they do in Blackjack or other card games. An Ace is worth 1, 10s and face cards are worth 0, and cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value. There are two hands you can place your bet on — a Banker and a Player, and you can also bet on a tie, which has lower chances of winning but pays the most. Whatever hand is closer to 9 — wins.
If one of the hands values 8 or 9, it’s called a natural win. If both hands value 8 or 9, it’s a Tie. In any other case, the game continues and the third card is dealt to define the outcome of the game. A total can never exceed 9 points, so if the final score is a two-digit number, only the last digit counts (i.e. 7+6 equals 3, not 13).
Here on my website, you’ll find a bunch of different Baccarat games, but they are all pretty similar, I must say. So if you don’t know which game to try first, start with the Baccarat Professional Series by NetEnt or Baccarat Gold by Microgaming — these are the games with decent RTP and made by reputable providers, so the chances of winning are high.
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Evolution
Evolution
Pragmatic Play
VIVO
Evolution
VIVO
Online Casino Poker
There are hardly any more famous card games than Poker. We’ve all seen it played in movies, we’ve all played it with friends, and now it’s time you got the real wins and played it in an online casino. Poker is a game of skill, which means you’ll need to invest some time into learning the rules and practising, but the result is totally worth it.
Regardless of the Poker variation you are playing, the rule is simple — you need to collect a higher combination to beat the dealer. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, although in some cases Jokers can be used as well.
Here are the Poker combinations to remember:
- High card. The highest card in a hand plays.
- Pair. Two cards of the same rank.
- Two pair. Two different pairs.
- Three of a kind. Three cards of the same rank.
- Straight. Five cards of a different suit in a sequence.
- Flush. Five cards of the same suit, not in a sequence.
- Full house. Three of a kind + a pair.
- Four of a kind. Four cards of the same rank.
- Straight flush. Five cards of the same suit in a sequence.
- Royal flush. A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.
Now let’s talk about the most popular Poker variations in more detail.
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Evolution
Evolution
Playtech
Playtech
Playtech
Evolution
Online Texas Hold’em
Whether you play Poker in a brick-and-mortar or an online casino, Texas Hold’em is going to be the leader of every table. In Texas Hold’em, you use 7 cards to make a 5-card hand. Two of them are your private cards, while the other 5 can also be used by a dealer.
Once the bet is made, both the dealer and the player get two cards. Then, you can either call (raise) or fold. If you call, three community cards are dealt. Now your choice is to call or stand. The procedure repeats until the last community card is dealt and the dealer cards are turned face-up. The higher combination wins.
If you need a perfect example of Texas Hold’em Poker, check Texas Hold’em Professional Series Low Limit by NetEnt or Texas Hold’em by Bgaming for free, and then try your luck in one of the Australian online casinos from my list.
3 card Poker
The rules of the 3-card Poker are the following. The player gets 3 cards face-up, the dealer gets 3 cards face-down. Now you can either call or fold. If you call, the dealer's cards are turned face-up and the higher combination wins.
Obviously, you can’t make as many combinations with just 3 cards, so it’s a simpler version of Poker perfect for beginners. If you are interested in starting your Poker journey with a 3-card variation, check the Three Card Poker by Scientific Games, Trey Poker by Bgaming or Three Card Rummy by Betsoft.
5 card Poker
So how to play 5 card poker? The 5-card Poker is played just exactly like the previous game, with the only difference being 2 more cards in your and the dealer's hands. You get 5 cards face-up, the dealer gets 1 card face-up and 4 cards face-down. If the player calls, the dealer’s cards are turned face-up and the higher combination wins.
I’m not a frequent player of 5-card Poker, but when I do play this game, I usually opt for Cyber Stud Poker by Microgaming casino software, Caribbean Stud by Felt Gaming, or Caribbean Poker by BGaming.
Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker, also known as double-hand Poker, is based on a Chinese domino game. For this reason, most of the online Pai Gow games you’ll meet in online casinos will be designed in a Chinese-like style.
In this game, your goal is to create two combinations out of 7 cards: one 5-card combination and one 2-card combination. As always, the higher combinations win.
To get acquainted with this kind of Poker, try playing Pai Gow Poker by Playtech, or Pai Gow Poker by Play'n Go, or any other you see on this page.
Video poker
Video Poker is not exactly a traditional Poker game, but it’s definitely worth mentioning on this page. Video Poker is a mix of Poker and a pokie machine. Yeah, you heard me right. There is no dealer, so you play by yourself, and the goal is all the same — to make the highest combination possible. In most cases, Video Poker is played by the 5-card Poker game, also there might be some variations. For example, in some Video Poker games:
- Jokers are used;
- Pairs are not counted;
- Only certain kinds of pairs are counted, etc.
Some Australian online casinos with Poker games put Video Poker in a separate section, while the others will mix it with the rest of the card games.
I’m a big fan of Video Poker and play it a lot. My favourite games are Jacks or Better by iSoftBet, Deuces Wild by NetEnt, and Joker Poker by Habanero.
Other Kinds of Online Card Games
The world of card games is divorced and not limited to just Poker, Blackjack, and Baccarat. In online casinos from my list, you’ll find some rarer card games that are not less lucrative and exciting. Let’s take a look at them.
Casino War/Top Card Trumps
Despite the frightening title, Casino War is the easiest card game you can imagine. Both the player and the dealer get one card, and the higher card wins — that’s it. If your and the dealer’s cards are of the same value, you can “start a war” by drawing one more card each. In this case, you have a chance to either keep your bet, double it, or cut it in half.
Casino War is a perfect game for the moments when you are tired and don’t want to think over each move you make. Just have fun and play Casino War by Pragmatic Play or Top Card Trumps by Betsoft.
Dragon Tiger
Dragon Tiger is a combo of Casino War and Baccarat. The player places a bet on the Tiger, the Dragon, or the Tie. Each hand gets one card, and the highest card wins. Important note: in Dragor Tiger, an Ace is the lowest card and is worth only 1 point.
This game might vary from one provider to another. To see the difference, try playing Dragon Tiger by Habanero and Dragon Tiger by Pragmatic Play, and then let me know which one you like more.
Solitaire
The Solitaire casino game is the one we all remember from the pre-Internet era and let’s be honest, it’s not the most exciting card game out there. But nevertheless, it’s a classic game that has quite a lot of fans among online gamblers. If you are one of them and want to play Solitaire for money or for fun, I recommend 7 Solitaire by Spigo or Retro Solitaire by Gamevy.
Of course, there are dozens of other card games like Gin Rummy or Cassino, but it would take hours to describe them all, so let’s stop for now and move on to choosing the best Australian online casino for your card games bets.
Picking the Best Card Games Casino | Step-by-Step Guide
Knowing which card game to play is not enough, you also need a good Australian online casino that can serve it to you. When choosing a casino for playing in it myself and recommending it to you, I use my 5-step strategy.
Five steps to finding the best online casino with card games:
If you don’t have time to make those steps yourself, you can pick an Australian online casino with the best card games from my list below.
1. Make sure the casino is reliable
Winnings are important, but safety is a must. There is no point in playing even the best card games if the casino of your choice is not reliable enough — it can lead to data leaks and non-payments. So the casino security is the first thing I check when looking for a gambling website for my card bets.
The most prominent signs of a secure casino is the presence of a reliable license (MGA, UKGC or Curacao), a fairness certificate issued by eCOGRA or iTechLabs, and a high level of data protection. All this information should be clearly described on the casino website and if you can’t find it — better stay away from this casino.
Fortune Clock is a safe online casino with a perfect reputation among Australian and international players. It’s properly licensed, uses 128-bit SSL data protection, and offers a good choice of card games of all kinds.
2. Take a look at the list of payment options
Fast deposits and easy withdrawals casinos — that’s what you need and can get with the best paying online casino in Australia. A good online casino should offer a vast choice of payment options, both for deposits and withdrawals, and shouldn’t exhaust its players with long Know Your Customer procedures. So when choosing an online casino to play card games, always check its banking list before you make your first deposit.
Cyber Casino 3077 is a great option for players who want to make their deposits and withdrawals using Bitcoin and a variety of other cryptocurrencies. Other payment options are available as well. No extra fees are charged, and most of the withdrawals are performed within 48 hours.
3. Check the welcome bonus term
You don’t play a card game without claiming the bonus. Not every sign up bonus is worth claiming though, so make sure to read the bonus terms to find out all the necessary details — from wagering requirements to validity time and cashout possibility. Or look for the best casino bonuses for Australian players on my list.
In King Billy casino, all new players have a chance to get 4 bonuses for their first 4 deposits — up to $ 1000! The selection of card games in this casino is also nice, so give it a try.
4. Test the mobile version
Betting on the go is the new level of comfort. In a mobile-friendly online casino, you can play Poker or Blackjack literally wherever you are, providing you have a strong internet connection. So if you are thinking of going remote with your card game bets, make sure the casino of your choice is compatible with mobile devices, has all the features working, and don’t irritate you with crashes or log-offs.
StickyWilds casino is a great example of a mobile-friendly gambling website where you can play all your favourite card games on the go.
5. Have a chat with customer support
Even professional players need help sometimes, no matter how easy withdrawal casino are. Every online gambler runs into difficulties with deposits, withdrawals, registration, and any other stage of the betting journey. And there should always be someone to provide you with professional assistance. And when I say “always”, I mean “24/7 via a convenient live chat”.
In Abocasino, customer support is available around the clock, and I always get my messages replied fast and in the most professional way.
Conclusion
I love card games, and I love to play card games for money. They are fun, exciting, and can bring you great wins, especially if you know where to play them. On this page, I’ve selected the best card games according to my personal taste and preferences, but you can always take a look at the full list and use the filter on the right side to pick out the games you like made by providers you like.
Don’t forget to try the demo versions, but don’t spend too much time on them — they might be nice, but they’ll never bring you the real money. I wish you good luck and the best Poker/Blackjack/whatever-card-game-you-like session of your life!
