When you walk into a casino for the first time, it can be a very exciting experience. The sights and sounds will titillate your senses and prepare your body and mind to put down your first bet.
Walking into a casino for the first time can also be an intimidating experience, though. From slots to roulette to craps, there are so many different casino games to choose from. Which one should you play?!
A casino card game is usually your best bet. There are quite a few casino card games that are perfect for those who are just getting their feet wet in a casino setting.
By picking and playing the right casino games, you’re going to give yourself a great chance to win. Here are five casino card games that are easy enough for beginners to play.
1. Blackjack
If you were to ask someone to name the first casino card game that comes to mind, they would probably respond, “Blackjack!” At this point, it’s safe to say that blackjack has become one of the most popular, if not the most popular, casino card games.
People love blackjack because it’s so simple to play. As long as you can add up to 21, you’ll stand a chance at the blackjack table. Your goal is to put together a hand that’s as close to 21 as you can get it without going over while also being a better hand than the one put together by the dealer.
Outside of being easy to play, blackjack offers better odds than almost any other game found in a casino. You can sit down at a blackjack table with $50 and play for an entire day without running out of money if you use the right strategy.
The key is developing a winning strategy over time by gaining experience at the blackjack table. Find an online casino that offers this casino card game and go to town.
2. Video Poker
While blackjack is likely the easiest casino card game to learn for beginners, video poker is a very close second. You can pick up on how to play video poker in a minute or two when you sit down and take part in a few hands.
A typical video poker hand goes like this:
- You receive five cards
- You get the option to keep as many of the cards you’re dealt as you want
- You throw out the cards you don’t want and pick up new cards to replace them
- You try to make a hand that consists of a pair of jacks or better
- You collect winnings based on how strong your hand is
When you’re playing video poker, you’re not playing against any other players. You don’t have to worry about bluffing when you have a bad hand or using any other complicated strategies like you do when you play other types of poker.
3. Three-Card Poker
Three-card poker isn’t quite as easy to learn as video poker. But there’s still not a whole lot to it. Beginners should be able to pick up on how to play after playing through a few hands.
Unlike in video poker, you will be playing against the dealer when you play three-card poker. This means you need to keep a close eye on both your hand and the dealer’s hand while making decisions.
Here is what will happen when you take a seat at a three-card poker table:
- You ante up and put down your bet
- You receive three cards from the dealer, and the dealer deals themselves three cards
- You get the option to either fold your hand if you don’t like it or continue playing with it by putting down another bet
- You and the dealer both reveal your hands to see who the winner is
Some beginners get confused over the second round of betting. It’s important for you to remember that it exists and to carefully consider if you want to make a second bet before proceeding.
4. Baccarat
Of all the casino card games on this list, baccarat might be the most intimidating one to play. It’s often played off to the side in most casinos and seems like it would be too exclusive of a game for beginners.
But don’t let appearances fool you! You can (and should!) try baccarat to see what it’s all about. And when you do, you’ll find that it’s not as complicated as it might seem.
The game is played like this:
- Players start by betting on either the dealer or the player
- The dealer deals out two cards to themselves and two cards to the player
- The hand that is closer to nine wins
- Bets can also be placed on ties between the dealer and player
This might seem difficult to understand at the start. But most people are able to pick it up in a hurry.
5. War
War isn’t available in all casinos. But if it is, you should take full advantage of it during your first trip to one.
In a game of war, two players each receive a card and the higher one wins. Or, if they receive the same card, they go to “war” and are dealt three cards face down and one face up. The player with the higher card face up after the “war” wins.
Most kids have played war by the time they turn 7 or 8. Put everything you learned about war when you were little to the test by playing war in a casino.
Which Casino Card Game Sounds the Best to You?
Once you’ve played casino games for a little while, you can graduate to playing games like roulette and craps. But for now, an easy casino card game is probably a much better option for you.
Which of these games do you like the best? Start practicing it so that you’re able to walk away a winner during your first casino visit.
Check out some of the other articles on our blog for more great gambling tips for beginners.
