LIVE POKER ONLINE

Poker is a strategic game of chance and wit that earned its recognition as a highly competitive sport, popular amongst players online and in land-based casinos. The nature of the game attracts novice and expert players alike, making no casino whole without at least one bustling poker table. With the rise of online entertainment and the emergence of online casinos in the late 90s, poker was one of the first games to adapt to the digital era. Branded as online poker, this timeless favourite is now widely available in online casino and poker sites across the world. Live poker was the next evolutionary step for this unique game, recreating the same authentic ambience of brick-and-mortar casinos and embellishing it with the convenience and accessibility of online play.

With so many poker sites to choose from, EnergyCasino shines with its extensive range of casino games and an outstanding Live Casino offering. Players will find both live and online poker games to their liking, including popular variants like Texas Hold‘em and Three Cards Poker. Let’s have a look at a brief history of the game, its rules and what you can expect from the best poker sites around!

HISTORY OF POKER

The game is speculated to have roots in the Persian game of As Nas, but is more closely related to its contemporary counterpart of poque. Poque was a game popularised in 16th-century France, where this three-card game transcended every social circle as an entertaining pastime. It spread across Europe as pochen (Germany), primera (Spain), and quickly made its way across the ocean to North America, where it was anglicised to ‘poker’. As with everything in the New World, the game saw several major changes, including playing with five cards and using a full deck of 52.

The objective of the game is centred around strategic play: piece together the highest-ranking hand or bluff your way to victory. Poker sites strive to adapt to the ever-evolving player base, offering classic poker games and modern variants with unique rules to keep you on the edge of your seat! Keep on reading to discover which variants can be found across online poker sites and how to bet on your favourite games.

LIVE POKER VARIANTS

There are three main classifications of the game: stud, draw and community card poker. While many named variants exist, almost all of them fall into one of these three categories. In draw poker, the player’s hand is dealt without revealing any of the cards to the opponents. The advantage of concealment allows the player to improve their hand through card replacement and can be instrumental in executing a successful bluff. Some of the most entertaining draw poker games include Five Card Draw and Badugi.

Stud poker reveals a part of the player’s hand to their opponents. It’s a double-edged sword! On one side, you gain an insight into what you’re playing against. On the other, so do your opponents. Some examples of stud poker include Seven Card Stud and Follow the Queen. Players who are looking for an excellent mix of strategy and chance will find community card games reigning supreme. Games like Omaha and Texas Hold ’em deal a concealed hand to every player but also feature a community pool of cards, visible to all.

We can’t go further without giving Texas Hold ‘em a special mention. This variant is extremely popular amongst casino players worldwide and remains as the most-played poker table at EnergyCasino. This variant is played in four rounds of betting (much like Five Card Draw) and is an absolute favourite of professional players, who regularly compete in international poker tournaments. Whether you’re a casino veteran or just starting to get the hang of poker, this game is not one to miss!

POKER HAND RANKINGS

While the rules of the game may slightly differ from one variant to another, the winning conditions are universal. Before you consider card counting techniques and betting strategies, understanding the potential of your hand can be far more advantageous. Below are the attainable hands, in order from the highest-ranking to the lowest:

• Royal Flush – 10, J, Q, K, and A of the same suit, the best possible hand in the game. Probability of hitting this hand is 1:649,740!
• Five of a Kind – a hand that contains five cards of one kind, such as all threes. Since there are only four cards of each rank in a deck, this hand is only possible when using a Wild card.
• Straight Flush – five cards of any value and of the same suit. The ace can rank both low and high.
• Four of a Kind – four cards of the same value, also known as a “quad”.
• Full House – a hand with three cards of one rank and two of another, also known as a “full boat”.
• Flush – a hand of five cards of the same suit. The hand does not have to be in sequential order and is ranked from its highest card to the lowest.
• Straight – a hand of five cards in sequential rank, which do not have to be of the same suit.
• Three of a Kind – three cards of the same rank and two cards of two other ranks (“kickers”).
• Two Pairs – a hand with two cards of one rank, two cards of another and one kicker. The hand is ranked by its highest-ranking pair, then second. The kicker also impacts the rank.
• One Pair – a hand with a single pair of two cards of the same rank and three kickers. Each pair is ranked first by the rank of the pair, then by the highest-ranking kicker and on to the lowest.
• High Card – a hand that does not fall into any of the above, also known as “no pair. This hand is ranked by its highest-ranking card, then second and so on.

If two players end up with the same hand, the winner will be determined by the highest-ranking card; in rare situations where this is not possible, a tie is declared and the prize is split between both players.

Whether you’re looking to understand the basic principles of play or to keep tabs on your opponents, keeping the card rankings in mind will always come in handy. Pull up the rankings anytime you play online and get ready to place your chips!

LIVE POKER BETTING

To place a wager, select one of the coloured chips and click on the ANTE field on the table. When the betting phase concludes and the cards are drawn, players can CALL or FOLD. Calling will match the highest bet, while folding forfeits the player’s hand and bet. Something that differentiates live poker from land-based poker tables is the inability to CHECK. Since hundreds of online players can enjoy a live session simultaneously, only one hand is dealt as the ‘Player’ hand, and passing the turn to others is impossible. Raising, however, does exist in some form! In Casino Hold‘em, for example, you can double down on your bet once three of the five community cards have been dealt.

Much like in games of blackjack and roulette — betting in poker is an art form. It is common to raise 50-100% of the pot during gameplay, but it is highly recommended that newer players start out with lower stakes. Even better, check out poker in demo play before grabbing a seat at the live dealer poker tables! You can experiment with different betting strategies and familiarise yourself with the rules of play, all without the risk of losing real funds (demos are played with virtual currency). Demos may be unavailable in certain jurisdictions or may require age verification.

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