The Best and Worst of Casino Poker Games Available Online

What Each Major Casino Poker Variation Has to Offer (or Not)

Every time a game comes out, and every time a software provider creates their own version of a specific title, we want them to be great. We want them to offer players something engaging and fun. However, that’s not always the case, but more often than not in the casino poker genre, it’s not necessarily the developer’s fault.

Since developers are bound to the rules of certain games, there is only so much they can do.

To this end, it’s often the case that the game’s rules and play style themselves aren’t suited to the individual. We see this a lot in casino poker, and some of the games in the genre really only appeal to a limited number of players. However, at the same time, some casino poker titles would appeal to a much wider number of people if they would try them.

Unfortunately, what often happens is someone will try one or two games in the genre and not feel they fit. From there, they sort of write off the entire genre as a whole, which means they’ll never check out others. As a result, they miss out on games that would be an excellent fit for them, possibly better than most.

To help with this, we want to break down a number of the most popular casino poker titles for players. The idea here is to make sure everyone knows what may and may not work out for them. We’re basing this on what we know different types of players like as well, so that makes it much easier for us to point out what most likely will and will not work for different people.

Three Card Poker

We will start with Three Card Poker because it’s the most straightforward and simple title in the entire genre. You can actually learn to play it perfectly in just a minute or two if you’re so inclined. Along these lines, here are the things you need to know about it:

• Biggest Pro: It’s a very easy game to learn. That makes it the perfect introduction to the genre.
• Biggest Con: This game is a bit too simple to be engaging for very long. However, that does make it suited for people who just want to play a few rounds via mobile or something similar.
• Strategic Depth: If you’re looking for a lot of strategy to learn, this game won’t be suitable for you. The strategies involved in this game are really straightforward and simple.
• Other Notes: Some players may find the hand rankings for three card poker hands interesting. They’re in a different order than the five card rankings for mathematical reasons.

For those who want a piece of strategy advice to file away in their brains, the perfect strategy for this game is as follows. Always raise if you have the hand Q64-high or better. Likewise, you should always fold if you have Q63-high or lower. If you aren’t sure what this mean, the link above breaks it down pretty well in the strategy section.

Overall, if you’re new to the genre, this can be a fun game for maybe 20 minutes. However, after that, you will most likely get bored. In any case, it’s a solid introduction to the gameplay style of the genre.

Vegas Three Card Rummy

Even though Vegas Three Card Rummy isn’t a poker game per se, it’s still a part of the genre. The reason for this is that the gameplay is just like these other titles with one exception. That exception is that the hands are ranked with a simple scoring system instead of poker hand rankings.

• Biggest Pro: This is a pretty easy game to learn, and the scoring system offers something different without being “too far” outside of the box.
• Biggest Con: Much like Three Card Poker, this is a very simple game that can get boring pretty quickly.
• Strategic Depth: You can learn the right strategy for this game pretty quickly. Additionally, this isn’t a great game for players who need a whole lot of strategic decision-making.
• Other Notes: The scoring system is similar to other rummy-based games, and it’s a lot of fun. However, we’re surprised more rummy-style games haven’t been put together with more depth.

Some players consider this title a dressed up version of Three Card Poker. That may seem like a weird comparison, but when you try it, you can see why. However, versions of this game exist with various side bets that can add to the action quite a bit.

Let It Ride

Even though it has been around for decades, Let It Ride is still one of the most popular games in the entire genre. The reason for this is that it offers a style of play that’s pretty easy to learn while still offering a moderate amount of strategic depth. However, it also includes a scoring and payout system somewhat similar to video poker. We assume that helps to make it more of a crossover title between the two genres.

In any case, here are the highlights for this game that will help you to decide if it’s for you:

• Biggest Pro: This game is not difficult to learn at all, and the game rounds don’t take very long.
• Biggest Con: Most software providers haven’t updated the graphics for this game in some amount of time.
• Strategic Depth: The level of strategic depth is perfect for intermediate players. However, it’s also good for advanced players who want a more relaxing experience.
• Other Notes: If you’re a fan of video poker, then you really need to try this game. It has a tremendous amount of crossover potential.

If you were going to try one game out of the entire genre to see what it was all about, this is the game we would recommend. We love it because it has such a solid base of strategic depth without getting too complicated. Additionally, it rides the line between having strategy and being too tough in a way that makes it really enjoyable even if you want to just relax while you play.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is another game that has a solid amount of strategy without being too complicated. However, it plays a bit more quickly than Let It Ride because you only have one betting decision (vs. two).

In terms of strategic complication, there are levels to it to some degree. You can learn to play most hands correctly pretty easily. However, a small percentage require a bit more thinking, and playing all hands perfectly every time can be quite a task to learn to do.

• Biggest Pro: The rules of the game allow you to pick it up and get started really quickly.
• Biggest Con: If you aren’t interested in the intricacies of strategy, this can become a bit boring after a while.
• Strategic Depth: With different tiers of strategy available, this game can fit your needs if you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced player. This may be the only game in the genre that fits all strategic levels.
• Other Notes: For whatever reason, some casinos exempt this title from certain play-through requirements on promotions. That can make it advantageous to play for players who like to bonus hunt.

It’s also worth mentioning that this is one of the most popular casino poker games in the world. Additionally, it’s pretty rare to find any established online or land-based casino that doesn’t have it. Along these lines, it can be good to fall back on if your normal games aren’t available for some reason.

Oasis Poker

So far, we’ve looked at games with no strategy and a moderate amount of strategy. We are wrapping up our recommendations here with Oasis Poker, a game that brings a much higher level of strategy than the others.

This game is based on Caribbean Stud Poker. However, it takes that game and places multiple strategic decisions and complications on top of it.

As a result, you end up with a gameplay experience that caters toward strategically minded players. Here’s an overview of what you need to know to make a decision about if this game is for you:

• Biggest Pro: The level of strategy is among the highest for the entire genre, which will appeal to certain players.
• Biggest Con: If you aren’t into a whole lot of strategy, you’ll be at risk for having a very high house advantage.
• Strategic Depth: You have multiple strategic decisions to make in this game. Additionally, all of them have quite a bit of depth and complication.
• Other Notes: You really need to learn how to play Caribbean Stud really well before you attempt Oasis Poker.

This is probably the best game for highly strategic players. This includes players coming over with strong backgrounds in blackjack and video poker. We did mention that Let It Ride was a good option for video poker fans above. However, it’s a much more casual game from a strategic perspective than Oasis Poker.

Overview

We hope that we have given players the information they need to pick out a casino poker game to try. A lot of variety in the genre sounds like a good thing, but it can alienate players who are looking for a game that fits their particular preferences. However, armed with the information we’ve laid out above, we’re confident you can find a game that’ll work for you.