Casino Games - Cards
NeonSlots offers a wide range of free to play casino card games, including 21, Blackjack, Poker and Baccarat. Traditionally, a deck of cards has 52 playing cards, each card has its own numbered value and suit without repetition. Although if you are playing games that include more than one deck, the same cards will be repeated. Read more about playing card values, the usual types of card games that you can find, as well as some of the more unusual gambling games below. You can try your hand at playing card games online for free, before you play for real money, after all you have to be in it to win it!
Playing Card Values
Playing cards are divided into four suits, namely: Hearts, Spades, Diamonds and Clubs. Hearts and Diamonds are red whilst Spades and Clubs are black. There are 13 ranks and there is one card of each rank in every suit. These are: 2 (two), 3 (three), 4 (four), 5 (five), 6 (six), 7 (seven), 8 (eight), 9 (nine), 10 (ten), Jack, Queen, King and an Ace. The cards’ denomination depends on each particular game. It is natural to assume that the Ace is the highest ranking card, however, this is not always the case. There are games in which the Ace is the lowest ranking card and in other games the denomination of cards is not a feature of the game at all. In general, in casino card games, the ranking of each particular suit is not important. Although there are card games where the rank of the suit is relevant and this will be described in the rules of these particular games.
Online casinos have a number of commonly featured card games that each have their own set of rules. These games allow the player to make various decisions which affect the number of possible outcomes. These include:
Blackjack
The most played card game in casinos is blackjack. The object of the game is to obtain enough points from the cards you have been dealt so that you can beat the croupier. The maximum combination in blackjack is 21 points. Should the player or dealer receive more than 21 points, then they lose automatically. Therefore, in Blackjack, it is often more important to score a high enough number so that you can beat the dealers hand, than to get a score of 21.
In Blackjack, the probability of a particular card being dealt depends on which cards have already been dealt. Therefore, and unlike roulette (where the probability that a particular number is the winning number does not rely nor is influenced by previous winning numbers), Blackjack is a game to which intelligence may be applied. There are players who use their knowledge and ability to gain a mathematical advantage when playing Blackjack at casinos. There are various basic strategies (for each specific rule, a separate strategy) which permits a regular player to optimize their game. There are many versions of Blackjack in the world, with similar rules including: Pontoon, Spanish 21 and Blackjack Switch. Read more about Blackjack on NeonSlots.
Poker
The most famous card game of all is Poker, even outside of casinos. In this case, there are two basic ways of playing, namely: poker between players and poker against the casino.
Even before the appearance of casinos, players bet against themselves. Poker, known to most people around the globe, is based on this principle: the game is played among players. While all casino games are based on the fact that players do not bet against each other, rather, against the house, which regulates the games and is responsible for honesty and security as well as the players. Poker among players is the most played game in Texas Hold´em Poker and Omaha Poker, together with some other lesser known versions. In said game of Poker, not only do the casino organise games, but also private clubs and people play games at home and at parties. In casinos, championship poker is played, the largest of which is the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which is held in Las Vegas in the USA. A diverse range of Poker tournaments and championships take place around the world in land based casinos and via the Internet. Owing to the game’s intellectual component, some countries recognise Poker as a sport. They play Poker and only for money, the so-called cash games, when each bet within a game carries with it its own equivalent in cash. Poker against the casino is a completely different game. When a gambling house is the opponent, the rules change. In fact, in such games there is no room to bluff, because the croupier acts in strict accordance with a pre established scheme and the amount bet by the player (within the rules of the game) are unimportant. Oasis Stud Poker is the most famous version of this type of poker. There is a casino game adapted to Casino Texas Hold´em Poker in many gambling establishments. In 2004, in Russia and within the area of the commonwealth of independent states, appeared another version of poker which became Russian Poker and a version loved by professional poker players which is based on oriental poker traditions (Chinese Poker). These versions of poker, as well as many of their variants, may be played online for free.
As there are a great many versions of poker, it is always advisable to specify exactly which version is being played, given that this term can relate to a wide range of completely different rules. Read more about all types of poker on NeonSlots.
Baccarat
Baccarat: surrounded by an aura of bounties and being the most played game in Asia. In baccarat, each player can bet on who wins the next hand of cards: the ponte or the Banker, is a version of baccarat often called North American Baccarat. The baccarat rules are simple, the cards are dealt, two for the ponte and two for the banker, then, depending on the cards obtained, a decision is made about whether or not to give another card to each of the opponents’ hands. The winner is the player who has accumulated the most points (though not more than 9), which are awarded by a pre-determined system.
At the beginning of the 19th century, baccarat was a game among players (just as poker), but finally became a casino game, where the gambling institution always honors the bets. Baccarat is similar to the simple combinations of red and black in roulette. The players receive 2 cards: they look at and compare them. Often, the function of revealing the cards is not entrusted even to the players, rather, the casino distributor. The charm of Baccarat is in the emotion, in the players’ cards, in the passion and high stakes. Compared to blackjack and the intelligence required in poker, baccarat does not require such ability. More information regarding baccarat can be found in the corresponding article on NeonSlots.
Other Casino Card Games
There are many different types of card games which may be played in gambling establishments, as much in their real forms as in their virtual versions. Some of these are popular in certain regions, whilst others are only available in establishments with very specific bets. Some have become obsolete, others are still gaining ground. For example, there are games that are unlike blackjack or poker, described above, as in: War of the Casino, Red Dog, Trap the Wave, Stos, Rummy.
In any event, each time a player sits at the table, be it in a real or virtual casino on the internet, they must make sure that they read the rules of the game thoroughly! Even if the name of the game appears familiar, the rules can differ drastically to those with which you are familiar. To avoid misunderstanding, consult casino staff on all principles of the game. Learn more about playing card games at online casinos by reading our article on how to play for real money.
