Beginner

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How to Play: Live Poker Strategy

Poker is a hard game for beginners – at least the classic version of it. It's a lot simpler if you play against casinos, however, and especially live dealer versions. There's still casino poker strategy to worry about, though, and we're here to show you the topes.

With live poker, players will have the unique ability to play from the comfort of home while still having interactions with other players and the dealers. Live 3 Card Poker is one of the more exciting games, and these days it's widely available at live online casinos. Caribbean Stud Poker is not far behind either, though it's less popular of the two.

Although not being able to bluff, raise, or play the usual tricks limits your options, casino poker strategy is still something to worry about. In this strategy guide, we'll consider the best ways to approach the way you play poker at online casinos.

Before we begin, you might want to catch up on our live casino poker tutorial first. It will teach you the basic rules of Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker.

The very first thing to do when playing a live version of Poker online is to review the bets, odds, and rules that are supported at the table! Always know what you're getting into before risking your hard-earned money.

Table of Contents

Know the Rules

Stating that you should know the rules of poker seems obvious, but bear with us. What we have to say is important.

Anyone who wants to play poker at an online casino needs to understand that this is not a typical round of Hold’em. Classic poker is played with a pot and a number of players facing off against each other. There’s bluffing, raising, and different available moves depending on the table rules. However, the poker you’re thinking about has downsides. The house always takes a commission, and the complex poker strategies involved are very tough for beginners. It can also be difficult to get an online game going.

In contrast, casino poker is relatively straightforward. Knowing the basic rules is half the battle. Beginners can expect some blunders, but it’s not nearly as difficult as going up against veteran poker players. After all, you’re playing against the dealer, and the dealer hand always behaves in rather predictable ways. 3-Card Poker strategies can improve your odds somewhat, of course, but they’re relatively easy to understand. Moreover, you can play live casino poker at any moment by simply logging into your favorite live online casino.

On the other hand, casino poker always comes with a house advantage. The house edge is pretty much impossible to beat, which limits your results in the long run. Always keep that in mind while gambling at a casino, even with proper casino poker strategies.

Note

Winning casino games is more about managing risks than anything else. Know the bets, know the house edge for each one, and always play the best ones.

Choosing the Best Casino Poker Variant

Our casino poker variant showcases the two main forms of online poker available at online casinos: Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker. But your choice doesn’t end there.

Three Card Poker is generally the simpler of other two. It has a rather clear-cut strategy, and it relies more on luck. It is also very beginner-friendly due to its simplicity. That’s why we recommend beginners to start with this form of casino poker. It even comes in a special Indian version called Teen Patti.

Caribbean Stud Poker is slightly more difficult. For starters, it uses 5 cards per hand, which drastically increases the number of possible hands and combinations. More importantly, however, one dealer card is revealed to the player before playing the Call bet. This knowledge is useful to have, but this seemingly small variable is crucial to Caribbean Stud Poker strategy. In short, the number of possible situations you can find yourself in is exponentially bigger. Moreover, most Caribbean Stud Poker games have slightly higher RTP than the 3-Card version.

It’s also worth mentioning that Casino Hold’em is another way to play poker online. Texas Hold’em is still poker – and it’s also available in a casino-friendly version.

We strongly suggest you read up on all of these options before playing. Shop around, know what’s out there – and remember to check out our game reviews for the titles you’re interested in!

Pick between dozens of poker tables at the Mr Green live casino!

When to Fold in Casino Poker?

Knowing when to fold is absolutely crucial if you want to play poker at a casino successfully. It’s your one, all-important decision that directly affects the result of the game. Unfortunately, however, this isn’t blackjack – there is no exact 3 Card Poker strategy chart to tell you the ideal times to fold or call. There are way too many variables to consider, and this goes double for Caribbean Stud. We can, however, give you some general casino poker strategy advice.

Our first tip is that you should generally play aggressively. According to most statistics and simulations, you should fold less than 16% of all possible opening hands. Don’t be too shy.

Considering all the possible variations of this game, the main rule is to call whenever your hand is stronger than the dealer’s qualifying hand. In 3-card Poker, this means you should call on a Queen high or better. In Caribbean Stud Poker, this means you want an Ace and King.

The Best Moves in Casino Poker

We can be slightly more accurate, though.

In Three Card Poker, you the minimum you want to avoid folding is a Queen, Six, and a Four. As we said, Three Card Poker strategy is relatively clear-cut. There are almost no situations where this rule does not apply.

In Caribbean Stud Poker, however, you may want to at least get a Pair. An Ace+King combo is pretty much the best High Card hand you can have anyway, and beating that requires a Pair in most cases. Alternatively, you can have an Ace, King, and a relatively strong third card. Probably at least an 8. However, this also depends on the dealer’s up-card. Like we said, Caribbean Stud Poker strategy is not easy to get right.

Practice with Free Casino Poker Games

If you’re a bit frustrated with the strategies above – believe us, we get it. Look at it this way, though – the fact that there is no obvious best way to play poker at a casino is one of the game’s big charms.

There is something constructive you can do about it, though. You can practice poker online for free, without risking your real money. Unfortunately, most live dealer poker games are not available in demo mode. This means you have to put up actual money, which is not ideal if you’re a beginner. However, free RNG-based poker games are widely available online. They are not as fun or as enjoyable as our favorite live casino games, but that’s just a compromise you’ll have to make.

You can also check out our article about casino training software. It features a handy poker trainer app that you can use to practice before committing actual money.

The Best Casinos to Play Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker

Before we wrap up this strategy guide, we have one last bit of advice. Don’t waste your time with sub-par casino sites that only feature poker as an afterthought. Though these games are a niche, some sites still have amazing offers and opportunities.

For example, consider live casino bonuses. A good bonus can make your gambling session actually profitable even though no amount of skill will allow you to overcome the house edge. You just need an actually good offer – and a bit of know-how to complete wagering requirements without blowing through all the bonus money.

Moreover, playing at a good live casino is safer, more reliable, and a lot more convenient. Never underestimate the power of convenience – and definitely don’t underestimate the importance of safety with online gambling.

Here are a few suggestions for some of the best live casinos to play 3-Card Poker and/or Caribbean Stud Poker.

4.1/5

April 2024

LiveCasinos can confirm that William Hill live casino matches the reputation of the famous gambling site. The live dealer lobby is packed with quality titles, the banking terms are solid, and their mobile site and app are among the best on the market. William Hill’s customer satisfaction is not simulated. It is real, so feel free to become part of the WH story.

4.8/5

April 2024

VBet, for us, was a pleasant surprise, in so many ways. The brand grew from a medium-sized gaming room into a betting giant catering to Asian and European players alike. If you decide to join, you gain access to games from almost 20 different live casino game providers, which is the kind of variety almost unheard of in the industry.

4.1/5

April 2024

Ignition and ViG are a good tandem, combining into a solid casino with some great tricks up its sleeve. Although the game portfolio is limited and the payment options narrow, there’s a lot to love if you’re from the United States or Australia.

Live Casino Editor

Our Chief Editor is a live casino aficionado with years of playing casino games online under his belt. His vast knowledge of the industry’s ins and outs makes him a great leader of our LC team, while his penchant for learning new things has made him a great strategist. This has come particularly handy with our in-depth articles and editorials, where his expertise can shine to the fullest.