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Introduction to Red Dog

December 5th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Sometimes called Red Dog Poker, Red Dog is a fun card game that is becoming increasingly popular in online casinos.  This is true despite the fact that its popularity in land-based casinos has declined over the years.

Red Dog Poker is played on a blackjack-sized table with a standard 52-deck of playing cards.  It can actually be played with up to eight decks of cards and the house edge decreases with each deck.  For example, the house edge with one deck is 3.155%, but drops to 2.751% when playing with the full eight.  This is unlike blackjack and other card games in which the higher the deck, the greater the house edge.

If Red Dog is foreign to you, do not worry because the game is very simple to play and can be learned fairly quickly.  In fact, if you can remember the number “seven” and know simple subtraction, you can play this game just about as well as anyone else.

How to Play Red Dog Poker

The game of Red Dog is played with three cards, and a player’s hand is ranked as it would be in traditional poker.  Aces are high and suits are irrelevant.  Bets are made and then two cards are dealt face up.  When the game begins, there are essentially three possible outcomes:

If the cards are in sequential order, such as a two and three, or a queen and king, the hand is considered a push and no winner is produced.  When this is the case, the player gets their original wager back.

If the two cards have an equal value, the players receive a third card.  If the third card is of equal value, the player is paid out at 11 to 1.  If not, the hand results in a push.

For example, should the cards be a value of two and seven, then a spread is announced to determine the payout, and a third card is dealt.  A player can choose to double their wager before receiving a third card.  If the value of the third card falls somewhere between the first two, the player is then paid out according to the spread.  If not, their wager is lost.

Red Dog Payout

Opening bets in winning Red Dog hands are always paid out at even money.  Raise bets are paid according to the spread, which is structured as follows:

Spread    Payout

1-card     5 to 1

2-card     4 to 1

3-card     2 to 1

4-11-card  1 to 1

The odds are set by house and based on the simple principle of the narrower the spread, the higher the potential payout.

Object of the Game

In the game of Red Dog, players make an opening bet and receive two cards from the dealer.  The object of the game is wagering on the probability that the rank of a third card will fall between the first two.  If the third card falls between them, the player wins.  If not, they lose.

Of course the players have the option to raise the bet, and this is where the spread factors in.  The spread is simply the number of card values between the first two cards.   Cards from 2 to 10 have face value, while a jack as valued at 11, a queen at 12, king at 13, and aces at 14.  The spread is the most intriguing aspect of Red Dog.  It is essentially an optional bonus wager that allows the player to go after an additional payout.

Red Dog Strategy

Even when eight decks of cards are used, Red Dog does not offer the favorable odds in comparison to other casino games.  In fact, this is purely a game of chance that requires little strategy to be employed.  Perhaps the most important factor to keep in mind is that a player should only raise when the spread is statistically in their favor, which is seven or more cards regardless of the number of decks.

With a “spread 7,” seven cards will give the player a winning hand.  Because there are a total of 13 cards from the two to ace, only six cards would cause the players to lose.  This is about the only edge a player has to work with.

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The Lowdown on Razz Poker

December 1st, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Razz is a poker variant based on seven-card stud rules.  The unique aspect of this game is that instead of the highest hand winning, the lowest, or worst hand, tops out.  In Razz, the lowest hand is an ace, two, three, four, and five, since aces are considered low.  The lowest hand in Razz possible, the ace to five straight is often called the “wheel” or “bike.”

Unlike Omaha and other hi-lo spilt games that produce two winners who split the pot, there is no “eight or better” component when playing razz.  In a hi-lo game with eight or better rules, in order to be considered a low hand, the winning hand cannot contain a card greater than eight.

However, since only the low hand wins in Razz, any hand has the possibility of winning, even those that contain low pairs.  Although this scenario is possible, it is also very unlikely as most winning hands will not include a pair.

Razz Rules

Razz is structured by five rounds.  For fixed limit games, all of the raises and bets must be equivalent to the low or high bet limit, which all depends on the round.  During the initial two rounds, every raise and bet must match the low bet limit. However, in the third through fifth rounds, all raises and bets must match the high bet limit.

For example, if a 3-6 limits game, every bet in rounds one and two would be three dollars, and all bets in the final three rounds would be six dollars.  Razz poker allows up to three raises per each betting round.

Razz Betting

Third Street – Each player receives two face-down cards, followed by a face-up card.  The player holding the highest card showing is required to “bring in” by betting half of the low limit bet.  However, you have the option to raise and bet the entire low limit.  In a game of razz, play goes clockwise with each player opting to call, fold, or raise.

Fourth Street – Each player receives a face up card.  The player who is holding the lowest hand will be the first one to take action.  However, if there are two or more players who tie for the lowest held hands, then player who is the first one to the left of the dealer will take the initial action.  They have the option to fold, check or bet.  Play goes around the table clockwise just as before.

Fifth Street – Each player receives a fifth card face up.   Like the first four rounds, the player holding the lowest hand will initiate the action.  However, in this round, every raise and bet is required to match the high bet limit, whereas bets and previous rounds must equal the low bet.

Sixth Street – Each player receives a sixth card face up.  Play proceeds around the table as it did in the previous round.  Just as before, all bets and raises need to be equivalent to the high limit bet.

Seventh Street – Each player receives the seventh and final card face down.  Play proceeds just as it did in the six round, with all bets and raises required to match the high limit.  In the event that all players are still in the game at this point, which is very rare, then the number of cards would not be sufficient for every player to receive a seventh card.  When this happens, one community card that all players can freely use is placed faced up in the center of the table.

Showdown -   All players who have not folded after the seventh round now have the chance to reveal their hand and try to win the pot.  The player who bet last shows their hand first, and the showdown proceeds clockwise around the table.  Each player can either show their hand, or fold for the final time.  Many times, players will fold their hand when they know they will not win because they do not want their playing strategy exposed.

Conclusion

Razz is a fun game and if you can play seven-card stud, then you should have no trouble with this variant.  All you have to do is keep in mind that the object of the game is to assemble the lowest hand possible.  Also remember that straights and flushes are not counted, so this will have no affect on your hand if you happen to have either.

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Introduction to Pai Gow Poker

November 27th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

The traditional game of Pai Gow that originated in Asia was played with tile pieces now referred to as Chinese dominoes.  Pai Gow poker is an American version played with a standard 52 -deck of playing cards in which the rankings of the hands are based on traditional poker.

Today, Pai Gow Poker is one of the many variations of poker widely played online and in live rooms around the world.

Pai Gow Poker Rules

As we mentioned, Pai Gow poker is played with a standard 52-deck of cards.  What we did not mention is that there is one joker added to the deck.  The joker can either be used as an ace or a wild card.  The wild can be used to make up a straight, flush, or straight flush.

Pai Gow can be played with up to six players and the banker, who the players are competing against.  While the casino typically acts as the banker, players have the opportunity to bank if they choose to.  This would require that there be enough money to cover all player bets at the table.

If the casino is acting as the banker, the dealer must abide by the “House Way,” which essentially means that the dealer must set their hand according to house rules.  If you are confused or unsure of how to play, you can ask the dealer.  They will use the House Way to show you how the house would play your hand.

Playing Pai Gow Poker

The players make their bet and receive seven cards each.  The goal of the game to assemble two hands: a standard five-card poker hand and a two-card hand.  The five-card hand is often referred to as the high, big or behind hand, while the two-card hand is called the small, big, or in front hand.

When a player forms a hand from the seven cards, the five-card hand must be higher than its two-card counterpart.  For example, if you receive two aces, a three, five, seven a ten and Jack and cannot assemble a flush out of it, you must use the pair of aces with your five-card hand.  Should the player make a mistake, and their two-card hand happens to be higher, a “foul” is called and the player automatically loses.  If both of the player’s hand beat the banker’s two hands, they win.  However, if only one hand beats the banker and the other loses, then a push results and no winner is produced.

If a player’s hand, however, has the exact same value as the banker’s then a copy results, which is simply a tie in which the banker wins.  Obviously, if the banker has two hands that beat of the player’s hands, then the player loses.

Pai Gow Poker Fees

All casinos have fees for playing Pai Gow Poker.  This could either be a fee that must actually be paid to play each hand, or a giving the house 5% of your earnings with each win.  In either scenario, these fees allow the casino to earn money on each hand played as the time required to play each round of Pai Gow Poker can take away from their profit margin.

Co-Banker

The co-banker is essentially the same as the banker.  The exception is that the casino pays 50% of the winnings and the player acting as the banker must arrange their hand according to the House Way.

Pai Gow

In Pai Gow poker, “Pai Gow” is a hand that consists of no pairs.  An example would be a two-hand consisting of a queen and nine, or a five-card hand consisting of a king, seven, eight, six and four.  If a player gets a Pai Gow, the results are often bad.  On the other hand, when the dealer gets Pai Gow, the table is often cheerful as most players will have winning hands.

Conclusion

Pai Gow poker is simple to learn and can provide hours of exciting play on a fairly small bankroll.  It makes an ideal poker variant for laid back players and even the thrifty gambler.  If you have wore out the No Limit tables and Draw Poker has become stale, give Pai Gow a try.  We think you will agree that it is a nice change of pace.

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Pokeno: Poker and Keno with a Bingo Twist

November 21st, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

What happens when you merge the popular games of poker and keno together?  You come out with an exciting and addictive hybrid game known as pokeno.  Often referred to as poker keno and spelled po-ke-no, pokeno is a board game that can be just as exciting whether it is played for money or just for fun.

While pokeno wraps the thrill of poker and suspense of keno into a single package, it actuality mimics bingo the most.  Although pokeno is currently only played sparingly online, pokeno is a big hit in the homes of families throughout the United States and beyond.

Important Game Elements

Whether the game is played online or offline, pokeno generally involves the following elements:

A variety of different game boards to accommodate 2 to 13 players

200 game (pokeno) game chips

A standard 52-deck of playing cards.

The Buy-in and Side Pots

Just like poker, the game of pokeno usually requires a predetermined buy-in.  Some players like to include additional side pots to enhance the intrigue of the game.  Two of the most common side pots are designated for 3-across and 4-corners.

In most cases, players are required to put up antes for these side pots in addition to the main buy-in in order to enter the game and qualify to win them.  After putting up your bets, you are provided with a certain amount of pokeno chips and can select the boards you want to play with.

Pokeno Rules

The game boards in pokeno feature pictures of various cards.  In the typical game, there are five squares across and five squares down, making a total of 25 squares per board.  A designated player acts as the dealer and flips the cards over one at a time, calling them out while doing so.

Each player with cards on their board that match the number places a pokeno chip over the appropriate square.  The first player with five squares in a row, either horizontal, vertical or diagonally wins the game, signaling their victory by chanting “pokeno!”  In a standard game, the winner is designated as the dealer for the next round.

Similar to bingo and poker, pokeno has its variants, with 4-corner and cover-all being among the most popular.  Another common element the game borrows from bingo is the implementation of rules that declare the winner as being the first player to forum a certain letter on the board or cover all 25 available squares.

Many groups of players choose to play other variations to add to the intrigue and excitement.  One of the most common involves incorporating poker rules into the game.  Therefore, instead of trying to cover five squares in a row to win the game, it can be played where all players wait until everyone have covered five squares and whoever has the best hand wins the round.

Likewise, players can also hide their cards on the board and then bet on the poker hands assembled by those cards.  Just like in a game of poker, players have the option to gamble with real money and can check, fold, call, and raise.

Online Pokeno

Although pokeno is a popular hybrid game mainly played in the home setting, there are also electronic versions that can be played online in a select few virtual casinos.  These variants allow you to play against computer generated hands and a larger number of players as well.  Some online casinos offer games that offer 12 additional boards that allows up to 24 players to play at one time.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, pokeno is not a new game.  It has simply ascended into the mainstream like most things that revolve around poker these days.  Despite its fast growing popularity, you probably will not see this game being played in nationally televised tournaments any time soon.

While pokeno is incredibly fun to play, just like bingo, it is not exciting to watch other people compete.  This minor drawback aside, it would nice to see pokeno become more widespread in online casinos and even better if you could one day grab a few boards at a land-based facility.  Time will tell.

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The Ins and Outs of Let it Ride Poker

November 18th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Let it Ride is a popular poker variant that was first introduced to casinos in the early 1990s.  In fact, it was actually created by Shuffle Master Inc., the company best known for manufacturing automatic card shuffling devices.

What makes Let it Ride poker so popular and exiting is the potential for higher payouts.  Since you are playing against the house and not trying to beat other players or the dealer, amity often develops among the table, which can make for a very fun and exciting atmosphere.  Let it Ride poker is relatively easy to play and adopting a good strategy is something that can be accomplished quickly.

Playing Let it Ride Poker

In a casinos, Let it Ride poker is played on blackjack-like tables.  It is essentially a game of man vs. machine.  On the table, there are three circles marked “1,” “2,” and “$.”  To begin, you must make three wagers of equal size in each circle.   The cards are then dealt out three at a time.

Once each player has their cards, the dealer discards one card, which leaves them with two hole cards in front of them.  From there, the machine counts the remaining cards in the discard tray.  Once this occurs, players can then view their hand.

You now have the option to take back the bet you placed in the first circle or “Let it Ride.”   In order to take your bet back, you simply move your cards in towards you or form a brushing motion with your hand.

Once all players at the table have made their decision, the dealer turns over the first of two community cards, which are right front of them.  All players can use this card as the fourth card for their hand.  At this point, you have the option of taking back your second bet or choosing to Let it Ride.  Take note that even if you let your first bet ride, you can still take back the second one.  However, you can’t take away, or put your first bet back up.

When all players have decided whether or not to let their second bet ride, the dealer then turns over the second community card.  This card acts as the fifth and final card that everyone can use.  From here, the dealer pays out winning bets based on the following pay table:

Royal Flush: 1000 to 1
Straight Flush: 200 to 1
Four of a Kind: 50 to 1
Full House: 11 to 1
Flush: 8 to 1
Straight: 5 to 1
Three of a Kind: 3 to 1
Two Pair: 2 to 1
Pair of 10′s or Better: 1 to 1

Unlike other poker variants, there is no exchange of cards in Let it Ride.  The total value you obtain is based solely on your three cards and the two from the dealer.  And because up to 40% of the entire hand is concealed, players are not allowed to openly communicate at the table.  Thus, while there is often a harmony among the players, you are forbidden from knowing what other players are holding as it would create an unfair advantage over the house.

Let it Ride Strategy

When you implement a good strategy, the house edge for a basic game of Let it Ride poker is about 3.5%.  What you need to determine is when to Let it Ride, and when to take your hand down.  Here is a bit of simple strategy that works for many players:

Let Bet #1 Ride if:

You have a winning hand consisting of a pair of tens or better

You have a three-card Royal Flush

You have a three-card Straight Flush.

Let Bet #2 Ride if:

You have a winning hand consisting of a pair of tens or better

You have four-card Royal Flush

You have a four-card Straight Flush

You have four high cards

You have a four-card open ended straight

Conclusion

Let it ride can be a very fun game for the recreational poker player.  It moves along relatively slowly, which should give you the opportunity to learn as you play.  By taking the time out to familiarize yourself with the rules and game play, you can pick up on this one with ease and master it quickly.

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Introduction to Caribbean Stud Poker

November 15th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Caribbean stud poker has been incredibly popular over the last several years.  As the name suggests, this poker variant originated in the Caribbean islands.  From there, it became highly popular in America, Europe, and cruise ships sailing around the world.

Though Caribbean stud poker is a variant of traditional five-card stud, the unique aspect of this game is that it gives players the opportunity to make a side wager to win a progressive jackpot.   While the odds of hitting the jackpot are quite lopsided at 649,000 to 1, this still adds tremendous excitement to the game.

Playing Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean stud poker is based on traditional draw poker, therefore, you should be certain that you understand hand rankings before playing.   The big difference between this game and other variants is that you do not have to concern yourself with other players, as the goal here is to simply beat the dealer’s hand.

The game of Caribbean stud is played at a much slower pace than blackjack, making it more of a social card game, such as Let it Ride.  For this reason, the house edge, which is about 5% in the typical game, will not affect your bankroll tremendously if you play it smart and focus on smaller stakes.   However, this is not the case with the side bet for the bonus jackpot.

In Caribbean stud, the player is essentially wagering that they will assemble a hand that consists of a flush or better.  If the player’s hand qualifies for the bonus jackpot, they win the amount specified in the payout table.

Players typically receive 100% of the pot on a Royal Flush, 10% on a Straight Flush, and a predetermined amount on a Four of a Kind, Full House, or a Flush.  Keep in mind that these amounts vary depending on the casino.

To begin the game, each player makes an ante, which is the initial bet that must be equal to the table minimum.  This is the time where you also have the chance to make an additional side bet of one dollar towards the progressive jackpot.  The cards are then dealt with each player receiving five face-down cards.  The dealer receives four hole cards and one face up card.

Players observe their hands and decide whether they want to forfeit the ante bet by folding or making an additional bet by calling, which is double the size of the ante.  For example , if you are playing Caribbean stud poker at a five dollar table, than your call bet would be $10.

Once the players either fold or call, the dealer must reveal their hand.  In order to qualify, the dealer must have a hand with an Ace-king combination or better.   If not the dealer does not qualify, at which point all players at the table receive money to cover the original ante.  The second call bet results in a push, which means you neither win nor lose money.    If you beat the dealer, you are paid for your ante bet and call bet.  The call bet will pay out according to the following structure:

Royal Flush – 100 to 1

Straight Flush – 5- to 1

Four of a Kind – 20 to 1

Full House – 7 to 1

Flush – 5 to 1

Straight – 4 to 1

Three of a Kind – 2 to 1

Two Pair – 2 to 1

Pair – 1 to 1

Ace/King 1 to 1

Caribbean Stud Strategy

Similar to blackjack, Caribbean stud poker calls for you to take action before the dealer.  This means there will be times where you want to forfeit your hand to ensure that the dealer does not qualify.  With this game, you do not need to play every hand to win.  A good rule of thumb is to play your hand if you are holding an ace-king or better and fold everything else.  When it comes to the jackpot, keep in mind that you must have a flush or higher in order to qualify for the bonus payouts.

If you choose to make a side bet, it is important to know that you are eligible for the progressive jackpot whether the dealer hand qualifies or not.  What you have to do is let the dealer know right away before they pick up their cards.  In many cases, the dealer will pick up all the cards without turning them over so don’t be afraid to speak up.

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