Online Card Games: Which One is Your Perfect Match?

Saying someone is a fan of card games doesn't begin to describe them. Some of us love highly strategic games that demand 100% focus and in which skills play a major role, while others are looking for a more relaxing gaming experience and prefer to rely on luck to deliver potential wins. Fortunately, online casinos today cater to all, it's just a matter of choosing the game that is right for YOU.

If you're unsure which one would suit your goals and preferences the best, read through the overview of what's on offer on the online gaming scene and find your perfect match. 

Feel Lucky, Don't Care About Strategy?

Let's start with the games which require little, if any effort to play. These games are an enjoyable pastime and offer a chance to win with only the basic understanding of the rules.

War is mostly a game of luck. The objective is to draw a card with a higher value than that of the dealer. In case of a tie, you can Fold or go to War. Should you choose to do the latter, both you and the dealer will get dealt 3 cards face down (burn cards) and one card face up. If your up card is higher than the dealer's fourth card, you win. Cards 2 through 10 have face value, Jacks are worth 11, Queens 12, Kings 13 and Aces 14.

In Red Dog you play against yourself, rather than the dealer. The goal is to draw a third card that is ranked between the first two cards you've been dealt. If you believe this will be the case, you can Raise, otherwise you should click Continue. Either way, should the third card fall between the initial two, you'll win. How much, depends on whether you raised or not, and the spread – number of ranks between your first 2 cards. The smaller the spread, the greater the payout. If all three cards are of the same rank, you'll win 11:1, and if the first two are consecutive, you'll push. 

The Middle Ground

Vegas Three Card Rummy plays with the goal to get fewer points than the dealer. In this game cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, face cards count as 10, Aces contribute 1 point, and any pair, triple, or 2-card and 3-card suited run counts as 0. You'll be dealt three cards face up and the dealer three cards face down. Having seen your cards, you'll have the option to fold or bet. The dealer's hand must qualify with 20 points or less. You'll win if your hand has fewer points than that of the dealer, or if dealer  doesn't qualify.

Baccarat could also be considered to be somewhere in the middle. There is no „you“ and „the dealer“ in this game, but two hands called the Player and the Banker. The goal is to predict which hand will score closest to nine points. Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value, 10's and face cards count as zero, and Aces contribute 1 point. A hand of eight or nine points is considered a natural and automatically wins, unless there is a tie. Other than deciding on the value of your stake and choosing a side (the Player, the Banker or Tie), there's nothing else for you to do. After the initial 2 cards have been dealt to each hand, drawing of further ones is 100% determined by the rules and you've got zero influence. You'll win if the hand you have bet on shows higher point value, or if you've placed your bet on a Tie and the two hands score equal value. 

Want to Use Your Skills and Strategy to Win?

Blackjack and Poker are casino games in which knowledge and strategy play a significant role.

The objective of Blackjack is to get closer to 21 points than the dealer without going over. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, face cards count as 10 points, and Ace could be either 1 or 11, whichever makes a better hand. The game starts by you being dealt two cards face up and the dealer  one card face down and one face up. Based on what you see, you'll have to decide whether to hit (get another card dealt) or stand (play with what you've got). Theoretically, you can ask for as many additional cards as you want, until you bust.

The highest value hand which automatically wins is a "Blackjack",  one that totals 21 points with the first two cards only. Apart from getting a Blackjack, you'll win if your hand is closer to 21 points than the dealer's hand, or if the dealer exceeds 21 points while you don't. The dealer has to follow strict rules on when to draw or not, like having to hit on any total of 16 or less and standing on 17 or more. Depending on the game variant, you'll have a plethora of other choices to make, namely doubling, splitting, placing side bets and taking insurance against the dealer's potential Blackjack hand. At Springbok you'll find a number of Blackjack variants, such as classic Blackjack, with Perfect Pairs side bet, Pontoon and Suit 'em Up.

Poker is probably the most popular casino card game ever and the outcome will significantly depend on your knowledge of the rules and application of the right strategy. Poker has a specific ranking of hands which decides the winner. Royal Flush is normally the most valuable one, consisting of A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suit. Straight flush is next in line, followed by Four of a kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs, a Pair, and a High Card.

This game comes in a number of different variants and corresponding unique rules and gameplay, which makes it one of the most complex casino games. For example, in Caribbean Draw Poker you'll be dealt five cards face up and the dealer four of them down and only one showing. Caribbean Hold’Em Poker plays with three community cards which can be used by both you and the dealer. In Pai Gow Poker you each receive seven cards which then have to be divided into a five-card hand and a two-card hand, while Tri Card Poker plays with 3 cards only. All of these variants are on offer at Springbok and you're free to test them for free in order to identify your favourite one.