Card games like Blackjack and Baccarat are some of the oldest casino games out there. So, it’s no surprise that they’re such a staple of both online and land-based casinos to this day.
Unlike slot games, card games feature a combination of chance-based gameplay and player decision-making that sets them apart. But that doesn’t mean these classic card games are all the same – classic Poker and live Baccarat look very different next to each other!
If you want to know the ins and outs of these classic card games, then read on.
Blackjack – Count to 21
Starting off with probably the most popular of the pack – Blackjack. Players aim to get a hand value that’s closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand. But if they go any higher than 21, then they go bust and forfeit their wager.
At the start of the game the player is dealt two cards, face up. The dealer is also dealt two cards in classic Blackjack, with one of those displayed face up on the table and the other left face down.
Players have a few options on their turn (assuming they didn’t get a hand totalling 21 in the initial draw). These options are:
- Hit – taking another card to increase the value of their hand.
- Split – if their initial hand has two cards of the same value, splitting them into two new hands that are played separately.
- Double down – doubling their initial wager in exchange for just one extra card.
- Stand – keeping their hand at its current value and ending their turn.
Once all players at the table have finished their turns – either by going bust or standing – play goes back to the dealer. At this point, the dealer’s face down card is revealed. If their hand is worth less than 17, they must hit until they reach at least that value and then stand.
Poker – Flop, turn and river
There are a few major varieties of Poker, but they all fall under the same umbrella. Players aim to either have the strongest hand at the table or bluff.
Texas Hold’em is the most well-known Poker format, where players are dealt two private cards, and the table is dealt five community cards. Hands are formed from a combination of the player’s held cards and a selection of the community cards to make a hand of five.
The community cards are dealt out in stages, known as the flop (the first three cards), the turn (the fourth card) and the river (the final card). Play progresses through rounds before and after each of these stages.
Different hands are assigned different values, ranging from a high card at the bottom to the royal flush as the strongest.
Baccarat – Shaken, not stirred
The game of Baccarat is probably most famous for its role as James Bond’s casino game of choice. It’s a straightforward game, with players wagering on one of three potential outcomes – the player, the banker or a tie.
At the start of play two cards are dealt to two hands which are known as the player and the banker. Whichever hand is closest in value to nine is considered the stronger, with cards valued at their face value from two to nine, Aces worth one and all tens or face cards worth zero.
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These classic casino card games are all available to play in a variety of forms, with plenty of modern spins on their core gameplay and rules.
