An Introduction to Casino Table Games

Blackjack

Online blackjack is one of the easiest table games to learn and one of the most popular. The game is played with several decks of cards and the aim is to build a hand of 21. The player is up against the dealer and must try to reach 21 without exceeding it and going bust. By going bust, the hand automatically loses. All number cards are worth their face values. The picture cards Jack, Queen and King are all worth 10. As for Aces, they can be worth either 1 or 11. Thus, in order to form Blackjack – the strongest hand in the game – the player must try and combine a 10 value card with an Ace.

There are many variants of blackjack that have their own unique set of rules. The most popular blackjack variants include European Blackjack, Vegas Strip Blackjack and Atlantic City Blackjack. Each of these variants has slight differences in rules and gameplay. However, the same basic principles are kept for these games.

Essentially, the player must try and beat the dealer’s hand. If their hand is stronger, they will be paid even money. If the dealer’s hand is stronger, the round is lost. If the player and dealer hands are equal, the round ends in a push, with the bets returned. In most blackjack games, forming a Blackjack hand will pay 3:2.

A round is played with the dealer serving two face up cards to the player and taking a face up card and face down card themselves. After doing so, the player can choose to hit, stand, double down or split. To stand means to keep their hand as it is. To hit means to take on an additional card, with the option to take more cards. To double down means to take only one more card and double their bet in doing so. To split, the player must have a pair, doubling their bet and splitting their cards into two hands.

There are of course more rules and nuances, but these basics will help you get started with this thrilling game.

Roulette

Another popular table game that has been around for more than 300 years is Roulette. The game is played with a wheel, divided into sectors with black and red numbers from 0-36 and a ball. The ball is spun on the wheel and will land in a sector to determine the outcome of a round.

There are three main variants of online roulette, namely, European Roulette, French Roulette and American Roulette. Both European and French roulette tables have 37 numbers – 1 to 36 and a green 0. American Roulette has 38 numbers, as the game has a green 0 and a second green 00.

Before a round starts, players must place their bets on the betting area. A roulette betting area will have all numbers listed, including the 0 and 00. Players can choose to either bet on a single number outcome or on more general bets. These are known as Inside and Outside bets.

Inside Bets are placed on single numbers, numbers adjacent to each other or a triplet of numbers. Because these have a very low chance of landing, the payouts are extremely high.

Outside Bets are more general as they can include odd or even numbers, or red or black numbers. These bets have a higher chance of coming (almost 50/50) so the payouts are not as big.

Once the bets have been placed, the croupier will spin the white ball on the wheel before it eventually lands in a slot. Depending on where the ball has landed, the player will either win their bet or lose. Once a round has been completed, the bets are paid out or lost, the table cleared and a new round can begin.

Baccarat

An incredibly easy to learn table game is Baccarat. The game is popular at both land-based casinos and online gambling sites. In fact, it is also a hit in Asia, and it has become the game of choice for many high rollers

Baccarat is played with either six or eight decks of cards that are shuffled together. There are two positions on the table, the Player position and the Banker position. All you have to do is bet on which position you think will win. In order to win, a position should be as close to 9 as possible once all cards have been dealt. The bets include the Player, the Banker or a Tie. The Player position goes first, the Banker position goes second.

When a round starts, the Player position is dealt two cards, then the Banker position is dealt two cards. Numbered cards from 2 to 10 are worth their numbered values. As for Jacks, Queens and Kings, they are all worth 10. Aces are worth 1. The cards are added together to make a total. If the hand is larger than 10, then 10 is subtracted from the total. An example of this is having the cards Jack and 5. In this case, the value is 5, as the 10-valued Jack is subtracted.

Once both the Player and Banker have received two cards, the round is finished. However, in some scenarios, a third card is dealt to both sides. After the third card is dealt, the round is over, and a resulting payout is made – depending on which position you have bet on.

Casino Poker

Casino Poker is one of the most popular casino table games online and is based on the original game of poker. There are different variants of Casino Poker, such as Casino Hold’em Poker, Omaha Stud Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Red Dog Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker. The difference between Casino Poker and regular poker is that in Casino Poker, players take on the house rather than their fellow players.

Instead of going through the different rules and gameplay for each of these casino poker variants, the best place to start would be with the hands. Poker hands vary in strength with the stronger hands winning and weaker hands losing. To beat an opponent or the dealer, you must try and form a stronger hand than theirs.

Here is a list of poker hands from strongest to weakest:

• Royal Flush is the strongest hand and is made up of 10, J, Q, K and A all from the same suit.
• Straight Flush is five consecutive cards with the same suit, such as 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Hearts.
• Four of a Kind is made up of four cards that have the same value, such as the 5 of Clubs, 5 of Spades, 5 of Diamonds and 5 of Hearts.
• Full House compromises of a triplet of cards and pair. An example of this is having three 7s and two 8s.
• Flush is a hand where all cards have the same suit. An example of this is the 2, 5, 7, 9 and K of Spades.
• Straight is a hand where five consecutive cards create a sequence. An example of this is A, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Aces can be at either end of the table (10, J, Q, K, A).
• Three of a Kind is made up of three matching cards. An example is three 4s.
• Two Pair is made up of two pairs of numbers. An example is two 2s and two 3s.
• One Pair is made up of a singular pair. An example is a pair of Jack.
• High Card is the weakest hand as it only depends on your highest cards value.

Craps

Craps is a table game that is a hit among land-based casinos and online gambling sites. It is played on a table that can be tricky to read for new players. The game involves rolling a pair of dice. Every craps table is identical. It has different sections that refer to the types of bets a player can place. On the table, there are several zones that reflect the different types of bets. Those zones include:

• Passline
• Come
• Don’t Pass
• Don’t Come
• Place Bets
• Big 6/Big 8
• Field
• Hardway Bets
• Any Seven
• Any Craps
• Horn Bet

In addition, there are two dealers in Craps. Namely, two base dealers, the Pit Boss and the Stickman. Bets are won or lost depending on what the player has bet on and the numbers which the Shooter has rolled. Once you start playing Craps, the gameplay becomes easier to follow.