Inside a casino, the tables come in all sizes and shapes, from the long rectangle table of craps to the oval table of poker to the half-round crescent table of blackjack. And the term ‘table’ is their only similarity. Unspoken conventions seem to govern the casino table games. Most casino visitors have discovered from previous experience to avoid the common taboos: holding the cards with both hands, touching your chips at the betting circle after the hands are dealt, and throwing the poor tiny dices so hard that they fly wildly over the rail and finally end up in somebody’s cocktail. This article includes a simplified overview of the common main table games that you usually find in a casino.
Poker: Boosted by TV tournaments and Internet
To say that poker games are taking over the whole world may be only a slight exaggeration. With its immense popularity explosion, Texas Hold’em might replace war and armed conflicts as a way to resolve regional disputes. In truth, a lot of factors have contributed on the card game’s attractive appeal, including the broad reaches of the television poker tournaments and Internet.
But technology is just one factor. Poker is one of a few casino games where good players always win. In poker, you face other players rather than the casino. And with sharpened skills and comprehensive knowledge of the game, you may have a substantial edge over the less-prepared poker player.
Concealing your emotions is an essential skill for successful poker game. Well, they don’t call a poker face for nothing! So, if you can’t control the nervous ticks when you try to bluff or if your eyes get as large as saucers when you get a full house, you should either play at online poker or put a grocery paper bag over your head.
Blackjack: The highest odds
Blackjack (also known as 21) has been the most favored table game in many casinos for the past 50 years. This game always draws solid followers because it’s simple to understand, provides great camaraderie, and gives great odds. If you can memorize the basic strategy (the optimal technique to play in all hands), your probabilities of winning at blackjack are a lot better than in virtually other type of card games in the casino.
Blackjack is interesting because every hand is like a short movie clip – and you are the star. Every game has an introductory scene (the deal), the boiling suspense (hidden card of the dealer), the moment of truth when the leading star (you!) makes a fateful choice, and ultimately the conclusion, where the star will win or lose. The goal, of course, is to have fewer tragedies than happy endings.
Craps: High-fives, backslaps, and cheerleaders
This dice game attracts a raucous crowd and has most of the best bets in any casino. Some visitors find the noise and the convoluted layout of craps to be somewhat intimidating. But before you sneak back to your comfort zone, you should consider this fact: The casino advantage is meager in craps, making it a game with great bets. Just make sure you follow the best craps bets.
Moreover, crap game is like a sporting event, it has dramatic swings of luck, backslaps, high-fives, and cacophonic cheering. Each roll has home team (player who bet with a dice) and opposing team (the wrong-way bettor) that gets ridicules and dirty looks from the hometown fans.
Roulette: The home for eccentric hunches
The roulette spinning wheel symbolizes the casino gambling world. It is a popular entry-level game and ideal for early gamblers because it requires absolutely no complex strategies, skill or concentration. You simply bet on the numbers that the ball will likely land. A table full of gamblers can be rather sociable, although not as disorderly as craps game. Roulette offers you an opportunity to play your eccentric hunches about a single number, numbers combinations, or on the even-money wager that can stretch your playing session.
Baccarat: More tuxedo than T-shirt
Although poker and blackjack appeal to the masses, baccarat draws a far more refined and upscale crowd. You are more likely to see players with tuxedos than T-shirts. But all players are welcome, so even if you can’t afford a penguin costume, just check out baccarat for a table game that is simple to play (simply bet on the bank) and has reasonable odds.
Pai Gow, Let It Ride, and other table games
Beyond the contemporary favorites, a few other table games have established a strong following. Today, many casinos intersperse Three Card poker, Caribbean Stud poker, Pai Gow, and Let It Ride tables throughout their pits. These card games are exciting diversions when you want a change of pace, but be aware: you shouldn’t play too long. They have odds that can make you wish you’d gotten robbed instead of gone gambling. To play them, you should have a passion for those games (along with a deep bank account), so never make it a habit.
