Let’s talk a minute about finding casino games online. Most casinos will have the same options – blackjack, various table games, video poker, and slots. There are few exceptions. Those exceptions include variations, like live table games, 3D slots, or something “rare” like multi-wheel or multi-ball roulette. Step 1: Get on a List. The first thing you're going to need to do is to sign up on the queue or list for a game with the poker host or manager. There will be a podium in almost every casino poker room where there's a list either on a board or, more likely, on video monitors that list every game going on and who is waiting to sit down.
The first thing that many casino players think of when they picture the inside of a casino are the slot machines, because slots tend to take up the most space. But there are also plenty of other options when it comes to casino games. As you continue reading below you will find a list of popular casino card games and descriptions of each.
The list on this page is extensive, but I can’t claim it to be 100% complete, as there are new games developed every day and there are obscure games that pop up now and then. But if you familiarize yourself with the card games on this page you won’t have any trouble finding a game to play at any of our top casino sites.
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Blackjack
Blackjack is by far the most popular casino card game. Almost everyone has either played blackjack or has seen it being played, but if you need a refresher here is a quick rundown on how to play.
Each player receives two cards and the dealer receives one card face down and one face up. Each player in turn then decides whether to stand pat, receive another card or cards (hit), split, double down or surrender (where available). Once all of the players have either busted (exceeded a total of 21) or stand the dealer flips their hole card over and completes his or her hand.
Dealers always hit when they have 16 or less and stand when they have 18 or more. Depending on the house rules, they always stand on hard 17’s but in some places they will hit on soft 17 and in others they will stand on soft 17.
This is just a basic overview, so if you want to play blackjack you should study the rules and table variations before investing a great deal of money. You can also play for free at most online casinos before playing for real money which is a great way to learn more about the game.
There are many different varieties of blackjack. A few of them are covered below, like Spanish 21, but you will find 21 game variations in just about every casino. They are almost always based on the same basic concept of getting a higher total than the dealer without going over 21 but will have different rule variations beyond that.
For example, there are blackjack games where both dealer cards are played face up and games where you are dealt two hands and the second cards on each hand can be switched. The most important thing to do is make sure you understand the rules and content of the deck before playing. The reason I mention the content of the deck is because some forms remove certain cards from the deck.
For an example of one of these games see the Spanish 21 information below.
3 Card Poker
3 Card Poker, also called Tri Card Poker, is a game where you play a three card poker hand against the dealer’s three card hand. The dealer has to qualify with a queen high or better in order to pay off on the raise bet. To start play you place a bet on the ante circle. You also may place an optional wager on the pair+ circle. After you receive your three cards you either fold, which surrenders your ante bet, or you raise by placing a bet the same size as your ante bet in the raise circle.
If you raise and the dealer does not qualify you receive even money on your ante bet and the raise bet is a push. When you raise and the dealer qualifies and you have a better hand than the dealer your ante bet and the raise wager both receive even money. There are bonuses paid on your ante bet for certain hands.
A common pay table for ante bonuses is a straight pays 1 to 1, three of a kind pays 4 to 1 and a straight flush pays 5 to 1. The pair plus has different pay tables at different casinos, but a common one pays 1 to 1 for a pair, 4 to 1 for a flush, 6 to 1 for a straight, 25 to 1 for three of a kind and 35 to 1 for a straight flush.
4 Card Poker
4 Card Poker is played much like 3 Card Poker except the dealer always qualifies. The player receives five cards and the dealer receives six, with five down and one face up. Each forms his or her best four card poker hand.
The player antes to start play and must place another wager of one to three times the ante to remain in the hand after receiving his or her cards. Bonuses are paid for certain hands and there are side bets available.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a casino card game that is played for some of the highest stakes around the world. When you start playing Baccarat you must place a bet on the banker, the player or a tie. After placing your bet all of the rest of the action is completed based on very strict rules, making this one of the easiest casino card games to play.
The object is to have the hand you bet on score a higher total than the other hand, or for the two hands to tie in the event you bet on a tie. Scores only go up to 9, as any digits in the tens column are dropped.
For example, a hand with a 10 and an 8 will score as an 8, not an 18. A hand containing an ace and 6 scores a total of 7.
Winning bets on the player pay 1 to 1 and winning bets on the banker pay 1 to 1 minus a small house commission, usually 5%. The tie bet usually pays 9 to 1, but it can vary.
Pai Gow Poker
In Pai Gow Poker, the dealer and player each receive seven cards. These seven cards are divided into a five card poker hand and a two card hand. The five card hand has to be higher than the two card hand.
In order to win, the player’s five card hand has to be better than the dealer’s five card hand AND the player’s two card hand must be better than the dealer’s two card hand. When the player wins the casino collects a commission, usually 5%.
When both of the dealer’s hands are better than the players the player loses their wager. The outcome of the majority of hands is a push when the dealer has one better hand and the player has the other better hand.
Caribbean Stud Poker
Caribbean Stud Poker is a popular casino card game that usually has a side progressive jackpot wager available. Players start by placing an ante wager and the optional progressive side bet if they want. The player and dealer each receive five cards with only one of the dealers turned face up.
The player then either folds or raises. A raise is twice the amount of the original ante. The dealer only qualifies with a hand of ace king or higher. If the dealer does not qualify all ante bets are paid even money and all raises are pushed.
When the dealer qualifies and the player has a better hand both the ante and raise bets win for the player. The ante bet pays 1 to 1 and the raise wager is paid from a chart.
A common pay out chart is 1 to 1 for a pair or less, 2 to 1 for two pair, 3 to 1 for three of a kind, 4 to 1 for a straight, 5 to 1 for a flush, 7 to 1 for a full house, 20 to 1 for four of a kind, 50 to 1 for a straight flush and 100 to 1 for a royal flush.
Let It Ride
Let It Ride Poker is a version of five card stud where each player receives three cards and two cards are turned face up on the table. The two face up cards are used in combination with each player’s three cards to form their best poker hand.
Players do not play against the dealer. They are paid based on a pay table starting with a pair of tens or better.
Each player starts by placing three equal sized wagers. After they receive their three cards they may pull one wager back or let it ride. After the first face up card is dealt they can pull a bet back or let it ride.
So the player will always have at least one wager on the table at the end and may have up to three. A common pay table pays 1 to 1 for a pair of tens or better, 2 to 1 for two pair, 3 to 1 for three of a kind, 5 to 1 for a straight, 8 to 1 for a flush, 11 to 1 for a full house, 50 to 1 for four of a kind, 200 to1 for a straight flush and 1,000 to 1 for a royal flush.
Spanish 21
Spanish 21 is played like regular blackjack but all of the 10s have been removed from the deck. So instead of a 52 card deck you use a 48 card deck. Almost all of the other rules are favorable to the player so if you learn correct strategy the house edge on Spanish 21 can actually be lower than on most blackjack games. Pontoon is the name of a game very similar to Spanish 21 that is popular is Australia.
Casino War
Casino War is one of the easiest games you will ever play. You place a bet and receive a card face up. The dealer then receives a card face up. The higher card wins.
If you win you get paid even money and if you lose you surrender your entire wager. In the event of a tie you can either fold and get back half your bet or double your bet and go to war.
The war round has the player and dealer each receive four down cards and then a face up card. The higher face up card wins. If the dealer wins you lose your entire wager. If you win then you receive even money on half your bet and the other half is a push.
Super Fun 21
Super Fun 21 is a variation of blackjack. It is played just like blackjack but only pays even money on a player’s blackjack. Other rules are more favorable to the player like the ability to double down at any time during the hand, being able to split up to four times and a player blackjack always wins even when the dealer also has a blackjack.
Vegas Three Card Rummy
In Vegas Three Card Rummy the goal is to get a lower score than the dealer. The player and the dealer each receive three cards and the total is calculated for each hand. The dealer must score 20 or lower to qualify.
The player must place an ante bet to start and place an additional wager to stay in the hand after they receive their cards. There is also a side bonus bet that can be wagered on. When the player stays in the hand and has less than the dealer he or she receives even money on their ante.
When the player stays in and the dealer qualifies and the player has a lower score than the dealer the player wins 4 to 1 on a score of 0, 2 to 1 on a score of 1 to 5 and 1 to 1 on a score of 6 to 19.
Card values for face cards and tens are 10, aces are 1 and all other cards are their face value. Pairs, triples, two card suited runs and three card suited runs count as 0.
Texas Holdem
Texas holdem, along with the next two games (Omaha and 7 Card Stud), are not always included in a list of casino card games even though they are often offered in the poker section of land based casinos. They usually aren’t offered in the same software package as online casinos, though many online casinos also have poker rooms offered on different software. So I decided to include the three main poker variations here at the end because they do fit the overall theme.
Texas holdem is the most popular version of poker and is often the game you see televised. Play starts with two players placing small forced bets called the blinds. Each player receives two hole cards face down and then there is a round of betting.
Three community cards are placed face up in the middle of the table followed by another betting round. Another community card is turned face up followed by another round of wagering and then the final community card is turned face up.
The final round of betting is completed and the remaining players make their best five card poker hand using any combination of their hole cards and the five community cards. You can play Texas holdem for limit, pot limit or no limit.
Omaha
Omaha is played almost exactly like Texas holdem except each player starts with four cards instead of two and at the end each remaining player must use exactly two of his or her four hole cards and exactly three cards from the board to make the best five card hand. Omaha can be played as limit or pot limit and can also be played for high and low.
7 Card Stud
7 Card Stud starts with each player placing an ante and receiving two cards face down and one card face up followed by a betting round. The fourth, fifth and sixth cards are dealt to each player face up followed by betting rounds and then the seventh and final card is dealt face down to each player followed by the final betting round. 7 Card Stud is played for limit or pot limit stakes and is usually just played for high, but can be played for high and low.
This page is partly based on contributions from Kim Scarborough, Janet Levy, Scott Grengs and Rachel Hooley. The historical introduction draws on an article by Franco Pratesi: Casino from Nowhere to Vaguely Everywhere (originally published in The Playing-Card Vol XXIV No 1 July/Aug 1995 pages 6-11)
Introduction
Casino is the only fishing game to have become popular in English speaking countries. Although it is traditionally supposed to have originated in Italy, there is no direct evidence of it having been played there, at least under that name, though many other Italian fishing games are known. Casino first appears in the card game literature at the end of the eighteenth century in London, and shortly afterwards in Germany. In the late nineteenth century it became fashionable in America and a number of new variations were developed. There is a dispute about the correct spelling of the name - the earliest sources use the spelling Casino, but a tradition has grown up among later writers to spell it with a double 's': Cassino.
The aim in Casino is to capture cards from a layout of face up cards on the table. A card is captured by playing a matching card from hand. It is also possible to capture several cards at once if their values add up to the value of the card played. Captured cards are stored face down in front of the player who captured them and scored at the end of the play. Cards from hand can also be combined with table cards into builds, which can only be captured as a unit.
This page describes the most usual Anglo-American version of Casino in which picture cards, not having a numerical value, can only capture an equal picture. There are many variants in which picture cards also have numerical values. In English-speaking countries this type of game is known as Royal Casino, and interesting versions of it are popular in various parts of the world. On other pages of this site there are descriptions of:
- Royal Casino and the version played in the Dominican Republic, which features different scoring in the endgame;
- Casino in Southern Africa (Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa), where cards can be from opponents' capture piles can be reused in builds;
- Casino (Kasino) in Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway and Finland) which is usually played without building;
- Krypkasino, a reverse variant from Sweden in which the aim is to avoid capturing cards.
We would like to thank the following partner sites for their support:
Since 2017, the website casinotopp.net has been helping Norwegian gamers to find safe places to play online. Reza Shojaei and his team of writers at Value Marketing in Oslo aim to provide objective reviews of online casinos and slots and all the information needed for players to find the casino that suits them best. In 2019 the English language partner site casinotop.com was opened, where journalists and copywriters from the Malta office provide a similar service for the Canadian market.
Ionut Marin's Casino Bonus CA was launched in 2018 to provide up to date information in English and French on casino bonuses and offers in Canada.
A large collection of ice hockey cards, including many interesting and rare examples, is displayed at www.icehockeycards.com.
Players and Cards
The game works best with from 2 to 4 players, though in theory more could take part. It has the distinction of being one of the few games which will deal out evenly to two, three, or four players. Four players can play in partnerships, two against two, with partners sitting opposite each other.
A regular 52 card deck is used. Each numeral card (ace-ten) is counted as its numerical value (ace = 1, two = 2, etc). Picked up cards are accumulated in a pile to be counted at the end of the round.
The Deal
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the centre (these centre cards are laid out separately so that all are visible). Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards to each other player, two to the table, then two to the dealer, then repeat. However, some players prefer to deal the cards singly. The remainder of the deck is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards, another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining cards, but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal. After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this continues until all 52 cards have been dealt (this takes 6 deals for 2 players, 4 deals for three players, 3 deals for 4 players). The dealer must announce 'last' when dealing the last cards. After the last cards have been played and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for the next round.
The Play
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and continuing clockwise, each player in turn must play one card out from hand face up on the table. This card may or may not capture one or more cards from the table.
- In case of a capture, when the other players have had an opportunity to see the capturing card, the player picks up this card and the captured cards and stores them all face down in a pile.
- If there is no capture the played card remains face up on the table.
Irrespective of whether a capture was made or not, the turn passes to the next player.
In detail, the possible types of play are as follows:
Example:The Q and Q are on the table, and the Q is played. The player may capture one of the queens from the table but not both.
- cards which are part of a build (see below) can only be captured by a card of the rank announced for that build;
- when sets are captured, each captured card can only be counted as belonging to one such set.
Example If an eight is played it could capture one, two or three eights from the table. It could also capture a five and a three, or a four and two twos. If the following cards are on the table: A 2 3 5 6 8, then an eight could capture 8 6 2 5 3 or 8 5 2 A, but not all six cards.
- A single build consists of two or more cards whose capture values add up to the capture value of the build - for example a 5-build made of a 2 and a 3, or a 10-build made of A-4-5.
- A multiple build consists of two or more cards or sets of cards, each of which equates to the capture value of the build - for example a 5-build made of a 2 and a 3 plus a 4 and an ace, or a 5-build made of A-4 and 5, or a 9-build made of two nines, or a 9-build made of 6-3 plus 5-4 plus 9.
Examples
- If there is a 5 on the table, a player holding a 3 and an 8 may put the 3 on the 5 and announce 'building 8'; this single build can now only be captured by an 8.
- If there is an ace and a two on the table, a player holding two threes and a six could play one of the threes and either:
- capture the two and the ace;
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a single build, announcing 'building 6';
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a multiple build, announcing 'building 3';
- You may add a card from your hand to a single build, increasing the capturing number, provided that you also hold a card which will capture the new build. At the same time you may incorporate additional cards from the table into the build, if they are equal to the new capturing number. In this case the build will become multiple. You can never use a card from the table to change the value of a single build.
Example A The table contains a build consisting of two threes, announced as a build of six. If you hold a two and an eight, you can add the two to the build announcing 'building 8'. The next player, holding an ace and a nine, could then add the ace and say 'building 9'.
The capturing number of a multiple build can never be changed. If the original build of two threes in the above example had been announced as building three (rather than building six), it would not be possible for a player holding a two and a five to add the two to the build, making five, not for a player holding a two and an eight to add the two making eight.
Example B The table contains an ace, a two and a four; the ace and the four have been combined by a previous player into a build of five. You hold a three, an eight and a ten. You can play your three onto the single five-build and announce 'building eight', but you are not allowed to incorporate the two from the table into this build to make it a build of ten.
Example C The table contains a three and a four, built into a seven, and a separate nine. You hold a two and a nine. You can play your two, combining it with the seven-build to make nine, and at the same time incorporate the nine on the table into the build, converting it to a multiple build and saying 'building nine'.
- You may add to any build, single or multiple, by playing a card from your hand which, either alone or combined with other cards on the table which are not yet in builds, matches the existing capture number of the build, provided that you hold a card which can capture the combined build.
Example The table contains a 9-build consisting of a 5 and a 4, and there is also a 3 on the table. You hold a six and two nines. You can play your 6, combining it with the 3 and the existing build to make a new multiple build of 9. Then on your next turn (provided that no one else captured) you could add one of the nines from your hand to the build. Finally, on the following turn, you could capture the whole build with your second nine.
Note that when making or adding to a build, you must contribute a card to it from your hand. You cannot just combine various cards which are already on the table to form a build. Note also that once a build contains more than one card or sets of cards which add to the capturing number, it is a multiple build and the capturing number can no longer be changed.
Example. There is a multiple 8-build of 3-5-8 on the table, and there is also a loose 6 on the table. In your hand you have 2, 8, 8, 10. You may add one of your 8s to the build, making 3-5-8-8, or to add your 2 together with the 6 on the table, making 3-5-8-2-6, still with capture value 8. You cannot use your 2 to change the capture value to 10.
When all the cards have been played in the final deal, the last player who made a capture also wins any cards which are left on the table (these cards are sometimes known as the residue). That is why it is important that the dealer should announce 'last' when dealing the last cards.
Hint on tactics: it is often good for the dealer to hold back a face card to play last if possible; this will capture a matching face card on the table and thereby also win any other table cards that remain.
Scoring
Each player (or team) counts their score based on the pile of cards they have won. There are eleven possible points in each hand:
- whoever has the Most Cards gets three points;
- whoever has Most Spades is one point;
- each Ace is worth one point (capturing an ace with another ace is called 'cash' by some players)
- the ten of diamonds, called Big Casino or the Good Ten, is worth two points;
- the two of spades, called Little Casino or the Good Two, is worth one point.
If there is a tie for most cards or most spades, no one gets those points.
Whoever first reaches a total of 21 or more points, over however many rounds it takes, wins the game. If two people reach the target on the same round, whoever has the higher score wins. If there is a tie, another round is played.
Variations
Building Rules
Building is the most intricate part of the game, and there are several variations in exactly what is allowed when creating or capturing builds, and many of the card game books are ambiguous on this point. Some people play by more permissive rules, for example:
- Some players allow a player to trail a card and simultaneously make a build by combining other cards on the table, not including the card played.
- Some players allow a player who has a build on the table simply to trail a card on subsequent turns, leaving the build in place.
- Some players allow cards from the table to be used to help increase the value of a single build, provided that a card from your hand is also used to increase the value. In this variation, in Example B under rule 5 above, it would be legal when playing your 3 on the 5-build to incorporate the 2 from the table as well, making a single build of 10. On the other hand, if there was a 6-build and a 3 on the table and you had two nines in your hand, it would not be legal to combine one of your nines with the six-build and the three to make a multiple build of nines, because when changing the value of a build, the card you play from your hand has to contribute to the change of value.
- Some players treat a single build exactly like a single card of the same value, for the purpose of capturing it or extending the build. For example, if there is a build of 6 (5+A) on the table and a loose 4, a player who holds a 10 can capture the 6-build and the 4, and a player who holds two 10's can combine one 10 from hand with the 6-build and the 4 to make a multiple 10-build.
Sweeps
Many people play that a Sweep is worth one point. A sweep occurs when a player takes all the cards from the table, leaving it empty and forcing the next player to trail. Some players call this a clear. When making a sweep, the capturing card is stored face-up in the pile of won cards, so that the number of sweeps can be checked when scoring. It is possible to make a sweep with the last card of the final deal if it captures all the cards on the table, but if it does not, taking the remaining cards from the table because you made the last capture does not count as a sweep.
Scoring
Other targets for winning the game are possible:
- Some play to 11 points. In a two player game (or a 4-player game with partners), in each round the player with more points scores the difference between the points made by the two players or sides.
- Some play to 50 points.
Some people, instead of scoring three points for cards, award two points to the player with most cards and one point to the player who made the last capture during the game.
Some play that when deciding the overall winner, if more than one player or team reaches the target score in the same round, the points are counted in order: cards, spades, big casino, little casino, aces (in the order spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds), sweeps. If the aces are not sufficient to reach the target score then the player or team with more sweeps wins; if they have the same number of sweeps another hand is played to decide the winner.
Some players, when approaching the target score, count the points as they are earned - each sweep as it happens, aces, big and little casino as they are captured, and spades or cards as soon as one player has captured 7 or 27 of them respectively. In this case the play ends soon as a player correctly claims to have won by reaching the target score (even if the opponent has in fact scored more but failed to claim it). Some score sweeps as they happen, but the remaining points in a specific order, with an agreed order of suits for the aces.
Some books describe Spade Casino, a variant in which instead of counting a point for most spades, each spade counts 1 point and the jack of spades counts an extra point. The ace and two of spades still count an extra point as well, so that the total points available (excluding sweeps) are 24: cards (3) + ten of diamonds (2) + the four aces and the two and jack of spades (6) + the spades (13).
Other Variations
See also the pages on Royal Casino, African Casino, Nordic Casino and Krypkasino.
What Games Do You Play In A Casino Games
Software
With Mari J Michaelis's SpiteNET: Cassino computer program you can play against the computer or against a live opponent over the Internet.
What Card Games Do They Play In Casinos
You can download a freeware Casino program from Thanos Card Games.
What Games Should You Play At A Casino
Games4All has published a free Cassino app for the Android platform.
What Games Do You Play In A Casino Online
Carl Scafidi has published a free Casino app for iPhone or iPad.