Texas Hold’em, a variation of poker played with community cards, has overwhelmed the gaming industry in recent years to become far and away the most popular poker variant available. Casino Hold’em is a hold’em deviation that pits the player against the dealer and not the other players. This removes the element of bluffing and features only one round of betting rather than four.
Casino Hold’em is a game for action junkies since the optimal strategy dictates that players should stay in the hand to completion 82% of the time. In addition to play against the dealer there are also bonus payouts for high hands.
Casino Hold’Em History
Fans of hold’em, a community card variation of poker, have a near-microscopic television camera to thank for the astounding growth and popularity of the game over the past two decades. The undetectable camera is small enough to slip under the felt of a poker table and read a player’s hole cards. That innovation made hold’em a television sensation and when poker exploded online it was the hold’em variation that swept the Internet. In land-based casinos so many hold’em tables crowded into poker rooms that they almost drove the old standard-bearer of poker – seven-card stud – extinct.
The most popular variation of hold’em today was played in the American state of Texas dating back to the early 1900s. When a group of professional Lone Star State gamblers came to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and eventually started the World Series of Poker with the game, it became known as Texas Hold’Em. The appeal of the game was obvious to gamblers – there were four betting rounds instead of the two in draw poker. This put a premium on strategy and bluffing by skilled players.
One of those skilled players was Stephen Au-Yeung of Birmingham, England who specialised in backgammon and blackjack before Texas Hold’em arrived in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Taken immediately by the game Au-Yeung became deft enough to win the British no limit Hold’em Championships in 1992. Eight years later he developed Casino Hold’em Poker that enabled poker players to compete against the house instead of other players. Casino Hold’em is now a casino staple in 30 countries and available in over 1,000 online casinos.
How To Play Casino Hold’em
Casino Hold’em is dealt from a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. The table layout features buttons for an Ante Bet, a Call Bet and a AA Bonus Bet. Before the deal players make a mandatory Ante Bet and decide on an optional AA Bonus Bet. This is separate of the game play and pays out if the player receives a pair of Aces or better on the first five cards in play: the player’s two hole cards and the first three community cards known as the “flop.” Bonus hands of Ace-Ace up to a straight return 7 to 1 and a flush or higher pay 25 to 1. The house edge on this side bet is 6.40%.
The Casino Hold’em hand is dealt by delivering two cards face down to the players and dealer. The three-card flop is then dealt to the board. Players have the decision to fold or place a bet 2X the Ante into the Call button. If at least one player in the hand makes a Call bet the dealer then deals two more cards to the board for a final total of five community cards. All hands in play are matched against the dealer’s hand to resolve bets; the dealer must show at least Fours or Better to qualify. If the dealer’s hand fails to qualify all Ante Bets pay for the players remaining in the hand pays even money and the Call bet is returned. If the dealer’s hand qualifies any player’s hand that trumps the dealer’s is paid for on both the Ante and Call bets, plus a bonus from a pre-set paytable for hands better than a straight. If the dealer’s hand triumphs the player loses all bets. Hands that tie are considered a push.
Casino Hold’em Tips & Advice
Casino Hold’em is a game for card players who enjoy action – accepted optimal strategy holds that a player should Call and remain in the game to see the final two community cards 82% of the time. Only hands with two personal cards that are unsuited and low compared to the flop should be considered hopeless and mucked.