Baccarat vs. Poker: What are the differences?

Gameplay

Baccarat and poker offer experiences that differ greatly from one another in terms of gameplay. Baccarat relies a lot on the luck of the draw, whereas poker requires more strategy and skill.

In baccarat, the goal is to predict whether the player or banker has the higher hand, or if they are tied. The rules are simple – you bet on which hand you think has the higher value. The values work as follows: Aces are worth 1, cards 2 – 9 hold face value, and the face cards are zero.

Baccarat has a fixed betting system where the dealer makes all the decisions and is responsible for any actions in the game.

There are many types of poker games, each with slightly different rules. The most popular are Texas Hold’em and Omaha. The game is significantly more complex than baccarat, as players compete to have the best hand. The 5-card hand is made using community cards as well as the players’ own cards and is built up over multiple rounds of betting. Players need to conceal whether they have a good hand or not and must try to convince the other players that their hands are inferior.

In poker, the betting structure depends on the type of game you are playing. The game requires more interaction from the players, as wagers can increase as the game continues, depending on the variant being played. The most common structures are pot-limit, no-limit, and limit.

Number of Players

For both games, the number of players can vary. Poker will generally have between 4-9 players at a table, while up to 14 players can be accommodated by baccarat tables. Most online cash poker games tend to accommodate anywhere between 6-10 players, with tournaments also usually seating anywhere between 6-10 players per table as well, save for heads-up tournaments which are only two players per table.

Betting Strategies

If you’re the type of person who enjoys learning strategy, then poker is a preferable game for you. There are many types of poker games, all requiring their own strategies for winning. Poker takes time to master and is a more challenging experience overall.

Baccarat is a much simpler game, relying mainly on chance. The player only needs to choose whether to bet on their own hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie. There is little to no need for strategy.

Required Skills

Like with betting strategies, baccarat does not require any special skills. It is a simple game based on chance, and most variants only require the player to decide how much they’d like to bet.

On the other hand, poker requires a much wider set of skills. You need to have a good knowledge of tactics, as well as some knowledge of psychology. You also need to be able to read people well, as that is one way in which you can increase your chances of a win at times. Players also need to be adaptable, as the game can change from round to round, depending on the cards dealt.

Winning Potential

If you want to maximize your chances of winning, then baccarat is preferable to poker. The game has a low house edge of only 1%, unlike poker, which can have a significantly higher house edge, depending on the variant being played.

Poker can also have a lower winning potential, due to the different variants favoring different skill levels. If you’re a beginner playing a game aimed at more experienced players, for example, you’re going to have a significantly lower chance of winning than if you were playing an easier variant.

Choosing Between Baccarat and Poker

While both games are lots of fun to play, your personality, skills, and gameplay preferences will determine which is best suited to you.

Baccarat is a high-stakes game that requires minimal skill, making it perfect for players who enjoy the thrill without having to work too hard for it. If you’d like to play online, consider reading about choosing a baccarat site in B2C to make sure you choose a reputable site that offers fair gameplay. Poker is best suited to those who enjoy taking time over a game, and who prefer strategy-based gaming. Poker games can take time to complete and require a level of critical thinking. It’s similarly important to carefully consider where you’re going to play poker—in person or online, and choose a table with the correct stakes to suit your bankroll.

Baccarat will often require a higher initial investment than poker, so if you’re on a tight budget, poker might be better suited to you due to requiring a lower buy-in. It is important to remember to stick to your budget and manage your finances carefully, no matter which game you choose to play.

Typically speaking, online casinos offer virtual games that are powered by RNGs, including video slots, virtual table games, instant win games, and much more.

However, all major US online casino brands also feature live dealer casino platforms, where you can play against living and breathing dealers who spread some of the most popular gambling games out there.

If you are a fan of live casino action, live dealer games are ideal for you, as they mimic real-world casino sensations at the highest level.

For players new to live casino games, we take a look at some of the most exciting and entertaining live dealer games you can play at US online casinos today.

Lightning Roulette

Evolution is easily the number one software development studio for live casino games in the world, and Lightning Roulette is one of their most entertaining games.

Fans of roulette will be familiar with most of the rules of this game right off the bat. The game features a classic European Roulette wheel and betting table, along with all the usual betting options.

However, there is a massive catch to Lightning Roulette, and it comes in the form of random multipliers, which are assigned to anywhere between one and five numbers on each spin.

The multipliers are assigned after all betting is done, and the maximum multiplier assigned to a number can be worth 500x the bet.

While the numbers with multipliers will pay out some massive wins, all wins on other numbers are significantly reduced. Instead of the usual 35:1 payouts, Lightning Roulette offers 29:1 on all numbers without the multiplier.

This reduces the RPT of the game significantly, but the extra wins you get from multipliers bring it back up while significantly increasing the game’s volatility.

Lightning Roulette is the ideal game for players who like to put it all on the line, take big risks, and win big rewards in return.

Football Studio

This live dealer casino game is ideal for all the soccer fans out there, but also all Baccarat or Dragon Tiger players who are looking for a fun way to spice up their favorite gambling game.

The game is presented by live commentators standing on a set that resembles a TV studio from which popular sporting competitions might be broadcasted.

The announcer is miked up and will keep talking about the latest news from the soccer world while the action is going on, which is a great way to stay in the loop on what’s new in sports while actually playing.

The game itself is a version of Dragon Tiger, where you will get to bet on one of two hands, win at even money if you get it right, or as much as 11:1 if you can guess a draw.

Instead of betting on Dragon or Tiger, you will be betting on Home or Away, but the rules by which points and winners are decided are exactly the same as they are in the more popular version of this gambling game.

Football Studio is a fairly low-volatility casino game but one that can be quite rewarding, especially when played at higher stakes. The fun soccer news and commentary you get along the way will keep the action entertaining and keep you from falling asleep, as the hands tend to get a bit mundane after a while.

Golden Wealth Baccarat

Baccarat is an extremely popular game among high rollers — including Poker Hall of Famer Phil Ivey — but one that can admittedly get relatively boring after a while, with wins paying just even money (unless you bet on ties).

For that reason, Evolution came up with Golden Wealth Baccarat, a novelty version of the game that introduces extra multipliers and allows you to win much more on lucky hands.

The general rules of Golden Wealth Baccarat are very standard, with the hand closest to nine in total score taking down the hand.

However, in each hand of Golden Wealth Baccarat, five Golden Cards are picked by the system. If you are dealt these Golden Cards, you will get multipliers on your total win, ranging between 2x and 8x.

The multipliers in Golden Wealth Baccarat stack up, allowing you to win up to 512x your bet on Banker and Player bets and as much as 262,144x on Tie bets, which is something most Baccarat players never found possible.

The downside is that you have to pay an extra 20% Golden Fee every time you play a hand, but this extra bet can be easily won back with some lucky Golden Cards and a few straight wins.

Lightning Blackjack

Much like Lightning Roulette and Golden Wealth Baccarat, Lightning Blackjack is a game designed to make playing this classic card game a lot more fun.

When playing Lightning Blackjack, you will be paying a 100% Lightning Fee on every bet you make, but you will also be playing for some significant multipliers.

In each hand, the RNG will assign a random multiplier between 2x and 25x to various hand value ranges. Depending on your score in that hand, a multiplier will be awarded should you win the hand.

This multiplier will be carried over to the next hand you play (it doesn’t have to be the very next hand), and you will get to apply that multiplier to any win you get in that hand.

To get the most out of your multipliers, you will need to get lucky and win two consecutive hands, but this will often reward you very handsomely.

Lightning Roulette is a game that gives the house a significant edge in the long run, but also one that can pay you a lot more than regular Blackjack in any given hand.

If you love playing Blackjack and learning new ways to bet the house, playing Lightning Blackjack should be super fun, as you will need to delve deep into the strategy to figure out the best way to play in different situations in relation to the multipliers in play.

Dream Catcher

Dream Catcher is a casino game derived from the popular “Wheel of Fortune” game show, but one that also has quite a few similarities with the game of roulette.

In Dream Catcher, the announcer spins a wheel made up of 54 segments which contain values between 1 and 40 and two multiplier segments (2x and 7x).

On each spin, you get to bet on as many of the multipliers as you want. If you get it right, your bet will be multiplied by the number displayed on the segment.

Whenever the wheel stops on the 2x or 7x multipliers, the announcer will spin it again, and the multiplier will be applied to the segment on which the wheel stops.

For example, if you bet $5 on the green 10 segments and the wheel stops on 7x and then one of the green segments, you will win $5x7x10, for a grand total of $350.

Dream Catcher offers an RTP of over 96% and a very casual and fun live dealer casino atmosphere that you can enjoy even if you are not someone who enjoys gambling too much.

Another great thing about Dream Catcher is that you can play it for very small bets, which means anyone can enjoy it without a massive monetary risk involved.

Huge runs at table games are not unheard of, legendary gambler and poker player Archie Karas went on the heater of a lifetime, amassing over $40 million playing primarily table games. Despite the presence of runs like this in the past, the casinos remained skeptical. While the Borgata paid the players out for their five winning sessions, Crockfords withheld the winnings. Their skepticism was present not only due to the amount of money won, but also due to a few requests made by the gamblers.

The two requested to play with a specific deck and to never have the deck changed during their sessions. They also requested a Mandarin-speaking dealer, presumably for superstition, but really so Sun could speak in her native language. They also requested to play mini baccarat, where the dealer is the only one to touch the cards. This request appears to have been made in order for the pair to look as though they could not manipulate the deck, such as by marking cards. All of these requests were done so to give them an edge over the house using the, at the time, relatively unheard of technique edge sorting.

Edge sorting is when someone with an incredibly keen eye can see tiny imperfections in the edges of the backs of cards. The player would make a mental note of which cards are good and bad based on the imperfections in these edges. After playing through the deck enough times, a player who can edge sort would be able to know all the cards by their imperfections, and place bets accordingly. This would give them an edge over the house and lead to a higher likelihood of winning big.

Ivey and Sun have been involved in legal proceedings both in the UK and US over the winnings withheld in London, and those paid out in Atlantic City. To date, every court proceeding has resulted in a victory for the casinos. While Ivey claims edge sorting is a legitimate advantage play, the casinos argued their requests were made with misleading intentions. Gaming officials now recognize edge sorting as a form of cheating, rather than an advantage play like counting cards at blackjack.

The winnings and court cases have, to some, taken over as a defining point of Ivey’s Poker Hall of Fame career. Despite this being a captivating story, we should NOT let this define who Phil Ivey is in the eyes of poker players and gamblers. It is time that we all move on from this salacious story and remember Phil Ivey for who he is: one of, if not the, best poker players of all time.

Here are five reasons why we all need to move on from the edge sorting scandal:

It has nothing to do with poker

Phil Ivey’s career has been defined by his unbelievable ability to win at the poker table. Ivey is regarded amongst his high stakes peers as one of the best to ever play the game. And not just No Limit Hold’em, but any poker game. Ivey has been a regular at the table since he was a teenager, using a fake ID to get into the poker rooms of Atlantic City. When people mention his name, that should bring to mind his 10 WSOP bracelets, his insane bluffs on shows like High Stakes Poker, or the tales of the nosebleed games in Macau.

The more this story is talked about and promoted, the less people remember Ivey as one of the all-time greats at the poker table. I personally don’t care about what he’s done off the felt. Of course the stories of high stakes golf or marathon sessions at the craps table are fun to hear about, but it doesn’t have anything to do with his poker prowess. Phil Ivey should be regarded as a poker great and nothing else. The more we talk about the edge sorting, the less Ivey is remembered as he should be.

Ivey gave the casinos a taste of their own medicine

Casinos are predatory in nature, especially when it comes to table games and slots. They offer patrons games of chance that significantly favor themselves. Despite all of the gaming odds information being readily available to the public, it is still a predatory industry. Ivey and Sun simply did what casinos have been doing to their patrons for centuries.

Ivey and Sun used their status to gain an edge over their opponent in a game of chance. Where casinos use their infrastructure and gaming licenses as their status, Ivey used his fame as a way to create a favorable gambling situation. I see no reason why we should be against Ivey when he was simply doing what casinos do to everyone else. In fact, I applaud him for being able to pull one over on the casinos at a game that should favor them.

It isn’t really cheating

Despite gaming commissions condoning edge sorting as a form of cheating, it doesn’t really feel like it is. For example, most people assume counting cards at blackjack is considered cheating, but they are wrong. Counting cards is a legitimate form of advantage play. Casinos have the right to refuse service to anyone and back card counters off of their tables, but it is not illegal. Card counting is using a skill that was practiced and applying it to the readily available information to make informed betting decisions based on the cards that are most likely to come next. Edge sorting is similar, where the skill of noticing small imperfections is used to determine if the next card is good or bad for you. They aren’t exactly the same, but they are pretty similar.

Classifying edge sorting as cheating puts it in the same category as marking cards, bet capping, or slot machine manipulation. This is a gross over-exaggeration of what edge sorting is. They are not manipulating the cards by marking them or stealing money by adding large chips after they know they’ve won. To categorize edge sorting as cheating is ridiculous. Phil Ivey should be considered an advantage player, NOT a cheater.

It is being handled by the courts

There have been numerous court proceedings for this case at this point, so there are no more mysteries about it. People no longer need to speculate about exactly what occurred. Ivey willingly gave testimony outlining exactly what they were doing and why they made their requests. He never denied edge sorting, but said it was a legitimate form of advantage play and not cheating. Unfortunately, so far the courts have disagreed with Ivey, and more proceedings are coming.

Due to everything being laid out in court, we don’t need to keep harping on the details. Let this play out and we should leave the past in the past as a community. Poker doesn’t need to be flooded with more non-poker content, especially of this nature, so let’s leave this one to the courts.

It’s burying Phil Ivey’s “return”

The poker community went years without seeing much of Phil Ivey. The days of Ivey headlining stellar High Stakes Poker lineups or being on the feature table of various WSOP tournaments seemed long gone. While we did get to see some of him and Tom Dwan in the Trition high rollers, it felt as if Ivey was retiring from the limelight for the nosebleed games in Macau. However, that has recently changed.

In a 2020 interview between Phil Ivey and close friend and colleague Barry Greenstein, Phil remarked that he has a reignited passion for poker. He is back to playing the game often and looking to crush the tables like he was back in the mid 2000s. Not that Ivey ever stopped crushing the tables, but it seems as though for the first time in years we will get to see more of him. Ivey is in the newest season of High Stakes Poker, a welcome sight for poker fans. It appears this reignited poker passion is going to be for everyone’s benefit. Plus, he’s been crushing it lately in poker tournaments, too!

Phil Ivey this week:

4th $387,000
5th $179,000
1st $1,170,000
2nd $504,000

4 final tables in 6 days

We have been friends for over 20 years and I’m always happy to see him crushing.

Imagine if he plays the WSOP this year? pic.twitter.com/YiW38NZ3xN

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) April 9, 2022

If we allow the edge sorting scandal to continue to dominate discussions and stories about Phil Ivey, we may miss the very thing many people have been waiting for: Phil’s full-time return to televised/streamed poker. Personally, I am a kid in a candy store seeing names like Ivey and Dwan headline televised poker games. The last thing I want is for the lede to get buried by everyone fixating on the edge sorting scandal.

Conclusion

I understand the fascination with the edge sorting story. Phil Ivey, one of poker’s biggest names, is embroiled in a “cheating” scandal with two casinos worth roughly $20 million. It makes for great headlines. Dig deeper and you hear stories of the pair making oddly specific requests to play baccarat for $150k per hand. All of this culminating in multiple lawsuits where the pair are losing at every turn. Of course that is an interesting story. But the story is played out. There are no more details to uncover, no more monster sessions to report, and no more surprises. It’s time to move on.

Let’s get back to the Phil Ivey coverage that matters. Nosebleed cash games, insane bluffs, six-figure golf outings, and everything else that made us come to love Ivey in the first place. Let sleeping dogs lie and let Phil Ivey be the man we know: one of the greatest poker players of all time.

Sure, you need luck to get favorable cards in blackjack and poker. But you have to rely on skills and strategies to win. That makes it competitive and intriguing.

And guess what? Competitiveness makes blackjack, baccarat, and poker more satisfying after a triumph. These titles are also profitable and easy to learn — other major reasons for their popularity.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best online casino card games to play. Let’s get started.

1. Poker

If you would love to make consistent money gambling online, there’s no better game to play than poker. For starters, it’s a game of skill; hence the potential for consistent revenue. Secondly, it comes in different variations. Finally, it can be profitable.

You need skills like bluffing and knowing when to call or fold to win. What’s more, experience comes in handy in choosing which poker tables to sit at, hiding tells, and exploiting your opponents’ weaknesses.

When it comes to poker variations, these are some of the most popular titles:

• Texas Hold’em
• Omaha Hi & Hi/Lo
• 5-Card Draw
• 7-Card Stud

Ideally, it’s in your best interests to learn how each variant works. After that, you can decide the best poker game for you.

Texas Hold’em is the most popular variation. It features four stages: pre-flop, flop, turn, and the river. In the pre-flop, every player receives two cards. Starting from left to right, each player gets a chance to call or raise the blinds (bet sizes) or to fold their cards.

If you proceed, three more community cards are dealt for the flop. Now, you have five cards and a clear indication of whether you have a strong hand — high-card, all the way to the royal flush. If you proceed in the hand, you’ll see a fourth community card (the turn) and a fifth (the river). At showdown, the player with the best hand wins.

With that in mind, it’s critical to choose a good poker site. You’ll benefit from high traffic of players, bonuses, quick payouts, and quality software.

As this Bovada Poker review explains, the best poker sites also support mobile gaming. That way, you don’t have to power up your cubicle desktop every time you need to play a little bit of Omaha and Texas Hold’em.

How much money can you make in poker? The short answer is that it depends on the game you choose, the limits at the table, its rules, your skills, and your budget. That said, winners of top-tier poker tournaments can make millions.

2. Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino card games. Here’s why. It’s simple to play. You don’t have to wait around for people to join your table. And importantly, you can use strategies to win.

The main goal is to defeat a casino’s dealer in producing a hand of 21. A hand close to 21 but better than the dealer’s hand is also a win. Anything beyond 21 is a bust — a loss.

You receive two cards facing up at the start of a game. The dealer also receives two cards, and you can view one of their cards. In light of that information, you can make the following moves:

• Hit, for another card
• Stand, not to receive an extra card
• Double down
• Surrender
• Split Cards

Truth be told, the moves you make also depend on the variation of blackjack you’re playing: Classic Blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Blackjack Switch, Spanish 21, or Vegas Strip Blackjack.

In Blackjack Switch, you receive two hands (four cards) at the start of a game. You’re allowed to switch the two top cards to form stronger hands. In perfect pairs, the side bet involves producing cards of the same face card value, same suits, or same color.

3. Baccarat

Blackjack might be popular in Las Vegas casinos, but in Macau, baccarat rules. How does this game work and why is it so famous?

Baccarat involves six to eight decks. It also features two hands:

• The Player
• The Banker

You can bet on the player, the banker, or a tie. The banker (1.06%), has the lowest house edge. The player comes second at 1.24% while a tie attracts a house advantage of 9.5%.

In other words, the banker is the best hand to bet on while a tie is the worst bet in baccarat. To win, you usually need a hand of eight or nine. The game uses regular cards — 2-9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace.

Cards 2-9 hold their face values. Cards 10, J, Q, and K are worth zero while aces are worth one.

What happens if you exceed a hand of 9? Unlike blackjack, you don’t lose. Let’s say you get cards 9 and 5. The total value is 14. Instead of losing, 4 becomes your new hand. In other words, the tens digit is annulled.

4. Red Dog

Also known as Yablon, Red Dog is a simple game of cards. It uses regular poker cards, which is why some people call it Red Dog Poker. However, it is different from poker.

With Red Dog, you receive two cards at the start of a game. Then you have to predict the value of the third card. As an example, you receive a 2 and a 7. You need to bet on whether the third card has a value of between 2 and 7 or if it’s a different value.

Red Dog is unique in a few ways. If you receive two consecutive cards, say 3 and 4, it’s considered a push. You have to play the game again. Secondly, rarely do you need to raise your bet. But it’s an option.

Another thing to note is that the payout in Red Dog depends on the number of values in between the two cards you receive. This is known as the spread.

To expound more, cards 2 and 4 have a one-value spread. In this case, you get paid 5:1 if you’re correct. Cards 3 and 6 have a 2-value spread. The payout is 4:1. If the spread is greater than 4, the payout is 1:1.

Answers to this question vary from streamer to streamer, but one thing that is clear is that there is a close relationship between poker variants such as Texas Hold’em – where no house edge is present – and casino games like roulette and blackjack, in which house edge most certainly is in play.

It is usually for this reason that many poker pros shun casino games because the very idea of them runs counter to a pro’s poker training, where every possible advantage and edge must be sought through study and practice.

However, there are some high-profile poker pros who, despite knowing that the odds are against them in most casino games, continue to play them anyway. Here we take a look at some of these characters and the exact games they like to play.

Image credit: Zynga

Las Vegas has seen many magical Phil Ivey moments, whether that is in a poker tournament or at a baccarat table surrounded by fascinated onlookers and fans

Phil Ivey – Baccarat

Phil Ivey is a legend in the poker world. Boasting perhaps the most menacing poker face in the game, he can get top players to fold the sorts of hands they would normally never lay down, such is his table presence. 2002 was his breakout year, when he won three WSOP bracelets, instantly eclipsing many of his more experienced peers who’d struggled to get their hands on just one. His incredible run that year earned him the moniker “The Phenom” and his legend has not stopped growing since.

When Ivey is not involved in some of the biggest high stakes poker games on the planet, he also likes to try his hand at select casino games. His most famous foray into the realm of casino games saw him using his skills as a poker pro as he sought an edge in the game of baccarat. Ultimately, the edge he gained over multiple casinos in the game of baccarat was deemed to be outside of the rules and he was ordered to return much of his winnings, but the whole affair only acted to further fuel the Ivey myth and legend, which has made him perhaps the most well-known figure in poker and casino-based gaming in general. With his edge taken away, it is unclear if Ivey will be seen back at a baccarat table anytime soon.

Jake Cody – Roulette

Roulette is probably the most commonly played casino table game, be that in land-based casinos or online casinos. The beauty of the game is that lots of people can play at the same time and therefore build a camaraderie round the table, as some go on incredible runs and others rue their decisions. More and more online players are getting acquainted with this classic game via the best legal casino sites according to OLBG and other comparison sites, but Jake Cody’s brush with the game came straight after he had just taken down a high roller poker tournament in his native UK.

Rather than resting on his laurels, the accomplished poker pro wagered all his winnings on a roulette table that was part of the casino complex that hosted the poker tournament. Thankfully Cody came away a winner for the second time that day, although he later admitted that his visit to the roulette table had been somewhat ill-judged as he was still running on adrenaline after his big victory and so perhaps was not thinking straight.

People can catch Parker Talbot, AKA Tonkaaaap, on Twitch where he often celebrates the end of a poker session by kicking back and playing casino games like blackjack and roulette

Parker Talbot – Blackjack

Parker Talbot is another professional poker player who likes to let his hair down at casino table games once he is done with a lengthy poker session or high roller tournament. His main go-to game is blackjack and especially live blackjack, which is where a real-life live croupier deals cards at a table based in a live casino studio. By the time Talbot gets round to sharing his blackjack exploits with his stream’s followers there is usually a pretty jovial mood in the chat, and he likes to interact where possible with the live dealers, which is a great example of how the classic table game should be approached by anyone going in search of the hallowed 21.

Of course, some of these activities are similar in nature to poker. When not duking it out on the felt, many players spend their time playing other games that involve elements of luck, strategy, or both.

Chess, backgammon, and baccarat seem to be top three picks in this category, as there are quite a few well-known players in the poker world who enjoy taking their mind off of all the bad beats playing one of these games.

Chess – no luck here

Of the three games mentioned, chess is the most skill-oriented one, and it is much different than opening a random game at a site like casinopie.com and trying your luck. The only way to really have a chance of beating a better player at chess is by getting better yourself.

While it may seem that chess and poker don’t have much in common, those who know both games intimately will tell you differently. There may be a higher luck factor involved in poker, but both games require the ability to plan ahead and understanding fundamental strategic principles.

One common trait that all good chess players have in common is that they’re able to think several moves ahead for different scenarios. Thanks to this, they’re able to properly respond to any attack their opponent tries to launch against their king and properly assess the real threat.

Poker may not be as exact as chess in this regard, but planning ahead is something all good players do. The moment you get involved in a hand, you should have solutions for different board runouts in your head. This is where math, strategy, and your reading abilities come together.

Thus, it is no surprise that many successful chess players have found their way into the poker world. One of the best-known chess players to also fall in love with poker is Jennifer Shahade, a FIDE grandmaster and two-time winner of the US Women’s Championship. Although she’s become quite active in the poker world, Shahade still remains loyal to chess.

Hey! Streaming a little Tuesday night poker and taking on chess challenges at https://t.co/E8CYK9JQje. Come say hi and compliment my new new layout.

— Jennifer Shahade (@JenShahade) July 8, 2020

Ylon Schwartz is another famous name in this group. Schwartz, too, has the FIDE master title to his name, but his decision to turn a professional poker player has worked out pretty well for him. To date, he’s earned more than $5.1 million playing poker tournaments.

Backgammon – quite like poker

When talking about the skill vs. luck element, backgammon is the game most similar to poker. Just like in poker, anyone can win in any given game of backgammon. In the long run, however, most skillful players always come out on top.

For poker players, this game represents a great way to relax doing something different, but many of them also make money playing against less experienced opponents. The unpredictability of backgammon creates an illusion that it’s all about lucky dice rolls, just like playing online casino slots once you’ve learned the basic rules, so recreational players keep coming back to it, always remembering those good runs they had.

The rules of backgammon aren’t too hard to learn, but the strategy behind the game is quite complex. If you want to play a good game, you’ll need to put your mind to it. While it’s not as demanding as chess, it’s not as carefree as you might think at first glance.

The best-known player in the poker world to also compete in a high-stakes backgammon match is Gus Hansen. The Great Dane has been playing backgammon for years, and he seems to be a very good player according to many accounts. Hansen himself has often talked about some crazy backgammon matches he got to play against players with fat bankrolls but not much skill.

From Backgammon, then played with Chip Reese & Doyle etc. When I first learned the rules I played 2-6 limit hold em. @FullTiltPoker

— Gus Hansen (@GusHansen) December 10, 2012

Baccarat – pure gambling

The only real connection between baccarat and poker is that both games are played with cards. There is no effective baccarat strategy (unless you can bring your own deck, of course), and there is no way to “out-think” the casino. Like all table games played against the house, the casino always wins in the long run.

Even so, many poker players enjoy baccarat in their downtime. Sometimes, you just want to unwind and test your luck without having to think about anything. You place your bets, get your cards, and whatever happens – happens. Like with all gambling, you win some, you lose some, but as long as you know your limits, the house edge in baccarat isn’t too bad.

The most famous poker player who enjoys baccarat is none other than Phil Ivey. In well-documented cases Ivey managed to beat the house using a questionable (but NOT illegal) technique known as edge sorting. The casinos, displeased at losing, took the cases to court. Of course, Ivey isn’t the only one to occasionally try his hand at baccarat, but thanks to his edge-sorting controversies, the game has gained in popularity among poker players.

Has the end finally come in Phil Ivey versus Borgata? After years of legal strife, it appears so. https://t.co/J5lyAdV46k

— PokerNews (@PokerNews) July 8, 2020

Thanks to technology, poker and casino aficionados no longer find themselves having to get dressed to the nines (or at all!) to play at a local casino. Instead, they can play from the comfort and convenience of their own home. You can find plenty of information and places to play online without stepping foot outside your front door.

Of course, poker players tend to love a good gamble, thus their interests also extend to other card games beyond poker itself. A such, we’ll take a look below at five of the most popular card games for poker lovers to enjoy.

Pontoon

This exciting variant of blackjack delivers many twists which could see you cashing out a huge sum. The object of the pontoon is to collect cards with a face value higher than the banker’s. However, just like blackjack, you must not exceed 21. Played with a minimum of five and maximum of eight players, simply get as close to 21 as you possibly can without going over. Picture cards (face cards) are worth 10 points, aces are worth 11 or 1, and all remaining cards are worth their numerical value. Hands ranked best to ‘bust’ are as follows:

• Pontoon: The best hand reaches 21 with two cards; an ace and a picture card or 10.
• Five Card Trick: Reach 21 (or less) with a hand of five cards.
• Next best hand is a hand of three or four cards totaling 21.
• Hands of less than 20 with five cards
• Hands exceeding that 21 limit

Blackjack

One of the most popular card games of all time is blackjack. The rules are simple; reach 21 and beat the dealer without busting. Unlike pontoon, this is played just a singular player against the house. Each player and the banker are dealt two cards to begin with. You can either stand, which ends your turn, hit to take another card, double down to take another card and double your stake, or split; separating your two cards into two hands. Simple, yet entertaining.

Baccarat

Also known as punto banco, baccarat is a renowned high stakes game and, as such, can often be found away from the main casino floor space. The simple card game sees you either backing the punter or the dealer – just who has the best hand? The goal is to get as close to 9 as possible. The cards 2 to 9 carry their face value whilst picture cards are 0 and Aces hold a value of 1. An even money return comes on correct predictions, or for increased odds of 8:1, you can place bets on a tie.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai gow poker is a US take on the popular Asian tile game, created by Sam Torosian in 1985. Like the majority of table games, players must place their bets on the table before the game begins. After all bets are placed, each player and the dealer receive seven cards. Now, you must arrange your cards into two poker hands; one made of five cards – this is known as the big/high hand – and the other made of two – the small/low hand. The 5-card hand must outrank the smaller hand. If both hands are better than the dealer’s, you receive odds of 1:1.

Dragon Tiger

This very simple and fast paced card game is based on a guess. It has nothing to do with the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie! The objective in Dragon Tiger is to predict whether the dragon or the tiger will draw the higher value card. To make things a little more exciting, players can also bet on whether the dragon or tiger cards dealt will be of the same value – this one delivers a tie. The rules:

• Cards will be dealt from a shoe with eight decks (minus the jokers).
• Players place bets on either dragon or tiger, tie or suited tie.
• The dealer produces a single card face up on both dragon and tiger section of the tablecloth.
• Highest card wins and pays evens of 1:1.
• The card values from lowest to highest begins with the A at 1, followed by 2 and so on. In the event of a tie, half of your main bet is returned, and wins pay out 11:1.
• If cards for both dragon and tiger are equal in value and suit, it’s called a suited tie and half of your main bet is returned and wins pay out 50:1.

While most poker players live and breathe the game of bluffing and deception, it’s also enjoyable to play other games from time to time. Indeed, there are numerous card games that can be played as a way to get some respite from poker and improve overall poker skills at the same time. Baccarat is a great option for poker players looking for a card game to partake in. Phil Ivey, one of the greatest poker players of all time, has been known to play the casino classic, as have numerous other players.

Baccarat Requires Mathematical Skill

One of the most important skills for modern poker players is to have exceptional mathematical ability. Online play, in particular, is much more focused on odds and probability than on getting reads on opponents by spotting their psychological tells. A great way to enhance and refine these attributes is to play other games that require the same level of mental thought. Baccarat is one such game.

When playing the game, which originated from the French nobility in the 19th Century, players need to keep track of cards from either 6 or 8 decks that are shuffled together and dealt from a shoe. Cards are dealt to the player and the banker, and if either player’s hand equals eight or nine the coup is finished and the winner is announced. The basic rules of how to play baccarat are simple, and most players with a history of playing card games would find it fairly easy to jump into a few hands. Seasoned players usually bet on the banker because of the lower house edge of 1.06 percent, but they are also looking to follow streaks. If the banker loses, some players recommend instantly jumping on player bets to try and pick up a new streak.

It Prepares You for Coin Flip Situations

No matter how much you study baccarat and incorporate systems into the way you play, the game is pretty much all to do with chance. Professional poker player, who make their living from doing their best to reduce variance and the element of luck, are often against games like this and have chosen to play poker because of the skill that is required. But playing the odd game of luck can prepare players mentally for situations at the poker table that come down to the luck of the cards the dealer peels from the top of the deck. In tournament play, there are a lot of “coin flip” situations when players go all-in with sub-optimal hands and then get called. These are high-pressure occasions and can lead some players to feel overwhelmed.

Players can get used to dealing with the exhilarating rush of betting on something that will come down to chance by playing baccarat. Doing this frequently can help you develop the skill to keep your emotions in check when there is a chance you could lose your money. This way, when it comes down to putting in those big bluffs in a live tournament, you can appear calm to those around you at the table.

Obviously, it is a bad idea to put all your chips in the middle on a stone-cold bluff, but you may want to try and push people off pots when you have a flush or a straight draw. If someone does call, though, this is when a game of poker turns into a game of chance and is decided on a coin flip.

Famous Players Often Play Other Games

By playing baccarat, you would be following in the footsteps of a number of poker players who have decided to play other games as a way to sharpen their overall card skills. For instance, Canadian poker expert Daniel Negreanu enjoys chess and likes to play Hearthstone when he isn’t pulling off incredible reads at the Texas Hold’em table.

The Blizzard Entertainment title has a lot of similarities to poker in that players need to use strategy and deception in order to prevail. It also has to do with working out which moves will provide the most value, which is reminiscent of how poker players need to carefully assess how much to bet in poker. Bertrand Grospellier is also known for being a Hearthstone buff, and the poker pro known as ElkY has battled Negreanu live in the past.

Baccarat is one of the most exciting and enduring casino games of all time and has been hugely popular for over one hundred years. Poker players would be wise to get into it, as it can help refine the overall skillset required to succeed at the Texas Hold’em table.