Stepping into an actual casino makes players look forward to playing a nice game of poker. But even in the online world, players have considered poker as one of their go-to-games. With live dealers facilitating the tables, players at home can still enjoy the same luxury of being involved in a live casino poker game.
With online casinos, players have been able to sit in their most comfortable spots at home and enjoy this popular table game. We have some of the best live games including poker that will get you hooked in no time.
Most of our poker games are under the live casino section but we also have online poker games that aren’t real-time. 3 Hand Casino Hold’em and Fruit Poker are just a few of the poker variants we have that are not live casino games. With Tsars’ play for fun feature, you can try out these poker games before you go all in! So, what are you waiting for? Play poker now with Tsars and bluff your way to victory!
Types of poker
Poker, in general, has been loved by so many people throughout the years. One special thing about the classic table game is that it comes in different variants, giving its players more options. Following almost the same mechanics, here is a quick run-through on the different variants of poker!
Texas Hold‘em
Considered as the most popular form of poker, Texas Hold‘em is generally the regular choice of most poker players. In fact, this poker variant tends to be the most featured one in online casinos. With Texas Hold’em, every player will be dealt with two face-down cards each (hole cards). Then, three other cards will be dealt face-up on the table (community cards) one by one.
The game begins with the initial betting or the ante. This takes place before the cards are dealt. Then, the community cards will be dealt on the table one by one, each with a betting round right after. To win the game, you must have the best poker hand.
Omaha
Omaha is similar to Hold’em. In this game, each player is dealt with four hole cards instead of two. Then, players are dealt with three community cards that each come with a betting round right after as well. However, this one is different because the players can make their best poker hands with the help of their four hole cards that can work as their options.
The best poker hand still gets to determine who will win the game. Omaha also has some sub-types of its own. Here are some of them:
- Omaha Hi
- Omaha Hi-Lo
- Pot Limit Omaha (PLO)
- No Limit Omaha Poker
- Fixed Limit Omaha Poker
- 5-Card Omaha
Seven Card Stud
Before Texas Hold’em became popular, seven card stud was the most popular poker variant. This one requires skill, memory, and strategy. With seven card stud, players are dealt with two hole cards, with one being dealt upward. After that, three more rounds of face-up cards are dealt one by one with a betting round right after. Then, a final downcard will also be dealt before the final betting round.
The players will eventually end up with seven cards, four faced upwards and three faced downwards. Upon checking the cards, the player with the best five cards gets to win the pot. Similar to Omaha, seven card stud also has a few variants of its own, namely the Seven Card Stud Hi and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo.
Razz
Razz is another type of poker which is a bit different from the popular ones. The game resembles some concepts of lowball and seven card stud. Although the gameplay of this format resembles that of the seven card stud, the goal is different.
With Razz, players will also be dealt with seven cards. However, unlike the typical poker games, the main goal of this variant is to have the lowest set of cards. Here, aces hold a low value while flushes and straights have no effect on the value of the hand.
Others
Aside from the poker variants mentioned above, there are lots of other poker types that were developed through the years. Here are the less known variants of poker you may also want to learn more about.
- 2-7 Triple Draw
- Badugi
- HORSE
- Chinese Poker
- Short Deck
- Pineapple
Poker hands
After knowing the different variants of poker, you must also know how to determine the best poker hands in order for you to win. Although you cannot predict what cards you’re going to have, it is best that you know the winning combos. Here is a list of the poker hands arranged from highest to lowest!
Royal flush
This is the best hand in poker. A royal flush contains the five highest cards in a standard deck (A, K, Q, J, and 10). These five cards should also be of the same suit for you to be able to call it a royal flush.
Straight flush
Considering that there are no wild cards included in the deck, the straight flush consists of five sequenced cards of the same suit such as 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. This would mean that a royal flush, which is the best poker hand, is the highest ranking straight flush.
Four of a kind
Next to the straight flush is the four of a kind. This one is made out of four cards of the same rank. To complete a poker hand, this will be combined with another card whose value and suit doesn’t matter. At times, four of a kind may also be referred to as ‘quads’.
Full house
To make a full house, you must have three cards of the same value matched with a pair of cards that also share the same value. Here, the suit of the cards won’t matter.
Straight
To make a straight, five consecutive values must be placed together. Unlike the straight flush, card suits are not important as long as the values are consecutive. Should a player be faced with another player who has a straight, then the one with the higher values win.
Three of a kind
This combination contains three cards of the same rank. Similar to four of a kind, this combination would also need more cards to go with it. For the two other cards, the value and the suit won’t matter. At times, three of a kind may also be referred to as ‘trips’.
Two pairs
This type of poker hand consists of two pairs of cards which hold different values. As those two pairs count as four cards, a player would have to add one more card to complete the poker hand. Similar to four of a kind, the fifth card’s value and suit won’t matter.
One pair
True to its name, this poker hand only has one pair. The three other cards for this combination may be from other ranks and suits.
No pair
Not having at least one pair on your poker hand is the lowest ranking card. Technically, having this type of poker hand means you lose the game. When all of the players happen to have no pair, then the hands are rated by the highest card that each player holds.
Online poker betting actions
While there are a lot of poker variants that have turned up over the years, poker hands and betting actions almost always stay the same. There are five basic poker betting actions that you should be familiar with before you start wagering.
Bet – this is the initial or starting wager in poker
Call – to call in poker means that you would have to match the bet that was made by the player before you. Note that in order to call, you should have enough money to match the wager made.
Raise – as suggested by the term, this action means that you want to increase your wager.
Check – checking in poker means that you’ve decided not to bet when it is your turn. Checking is done by either saying the words ‘I check’ or tapping the table.
Fold – to fold means to discard your hand and give up any wagers you might have made beforehand. You can also choose to fold before you even wager anything on the table.
Tips on playing poker
Wondering how you can bag home those impressive jackpot prizes? Check out these tips!
Play with low stakes
Like any other online games, it is best for you to start with low stakes at first. No matter how much you are used to playing poker, going for low stakes in the beginning will help you adjust as you play further. This is a really helpful tip for new poker players.
Set your budget
Low stakes play and a well-managed bankroll marks a great start for new online poker enthusiasts. Before you play with pro poker players and rake in big amounts of cash, learn how to set a budget first and not go overboard with it.
Be attentive
To have a shot at winning, learn how to observe the flow of the game and the bets that are being made. By being attentive, you will have an idea of the cards that are being played by the other players next to you. Try to ‘raise’ occasionally and observe the reaction of your opponent can help you have a clue.
Our game providers
Our poker games, both live and online, have been made possible with the impressive technological breakthroughs in gaming by our featured cutting edge providers. With the right use of cameras and equipment, players can enjoy a live casino poker game with a high-quality video stream and stunning optical camera recognition system. This live casino technology has been well-adapted by our game providers which helped us further enhance the experience that we want to provide.
Our main game provider of live casino poker games here at Tsars is Evolution Gaming. In fact, two of our regular live casino games came from this provider.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming was founded in 2006 and has evolved further into gaming throughout the years. Partnered with several gaming operators, the company has also delved into mobile gaming. Around this period, Evolution Gaming also launched their first live Casino Hold’em broadcast. Since then, they have proven that they are capable of hosting live table games.
Fun facts about poker
Now that you have learned the different variations, poker hands, as well as some tips on how to play, then it’s time for you to know some fun facts about this really classic and exciting game.
Trivial facts
- People used to play poker with just 20 cards instead of the 52-card deck that had only been introduced in the 1800s. During those days, the game was just played between four players.
- Texas Hold’em, despite being the most popular form of poker, is illegal in Texas because of their gambling laws.
- Poker once used to be played with gold nuggets and coins. Soon, they were replaced with ivory, bone, clay, and wood. That move inspired the birth of poker chips.
- A man named Phil Laak holds the record of having played the longest poker session ever. In fact, he played for 115 hours straight at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas. He had around 117,000 witnesses.
- The longest poker game was held at The Bird Cage Theatre in Arizona and it was attended by many popular personalities. The game was played from 1881 to 1889, eight years, five months, and three days. Some sources say that the event had been stopped because it had been interrupted by flood.
- A man named Andrei Karpov was so confident with his playing skills that he bet his wife on the game but eventually lost it. Interestingly, Karpov’s wife really left him for the one who won the game.
