Casino Hold 'em explained: What it is and how to play it

Poker is one of the best classic gambling games that has been played for about as long as anyone can remember. Passed from one generation to the next and spread in different regions across the world, novice and experienced players today have many choices from the multiple variants created throughout the ages. For one, the relatively new game called Casino Hold ‘em is certainly one to try for. 

About Casino Hold ‘em 

Poker variants are broadly grouped into three major categories, with each being different according to the distribution of cards and number of betting rounds. These are the draw, stud, and community poker. 

As a bonus, another basis to sort poker variants at Bitcasino is whether their gameplays make you face other players or the dealer. That’s correct! Gone are the days when the classic card game was the only gambling game without a house edge. Now, variants like Casino Hold ‘em challenge you to beat the dealer’s hand.  

Background

If you are a new poker player interested in learning the nitty-gritty details of the game, Casino Hold ‘em is a great foundation because it is based on the traditional multiplayer Texas Hold ‘em. The only difference is that you only play with the house instead of with two or more people. That is why despite being a fairly new variant, Casino Hold ‘em quickly earned a respectable place at casinos, especially at live dealer platforms.

Casino Hold ‘em is a banking game introduced by Stephen Au-Yeung in 2000. He is also the same person who developed Unlimited Blackjack with Auto Splits, a variant known to improve blackjack’s playability. 

Au-Yeung created Casino Hold ‘em in the late 1990s initially as an alternative handy tool to train his partner in playing Texas Hold ‘em. From then on, he monetised his invention by developing it into a house game, which was first launched as a live casino game in South Africa, Russia, and Egypt. 

It didn’t take long and Casino Hold ‘em further became a global-renowned poker variant a year after its launch. It debuted at the World Gaming Congress Expo in Las Vegas Nevada, and again in 2002 at the International Casino Exhibition at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. 

Gameplay and rules

Like other banking games, the ultimate object of Casino Hold ‘em is to beat the dealer’s hand. Yet in order to prevail in the gameplay, here are specific additional rules you need to know first. 

• Game mechanics — Casino Hold ‘em uses a standard 52 card deck.

• Bankroll — Always see to it you have enough funds in your balance prior to playing.

• Place bets — Following that, you and other players are required to either put an Ante bet & Bonus bet or just an Ante bet alone. If it is the former, take note that Bonus bets are paid separately. 

• Distribution of cards — Both players and the dealer are dealt with two face-down cards. Then, the dealer adds three community cards to the board, thereby forming a total of five-card poker hand combinations. As a general rule, you win the corresponding payouts if the first five cards either have a pair of Aces or higher. 

• Place a Play bet — Once all the respective cards are dealt, it is now time for players to check their cards before placing a Play bet. This can either be ‘Play 2x’ or ‘Fold’. If you choose the former, the dealer gives you two more cards (for a total of five) and you are required to place bets 2x your Ante bet. On the other hand, opt for the latter should you don’t want to proceed to the showdown. Not only does it end the game round but also forfeit your Ante bet. 

• Make a decision in limited time — Since Casino Hold ‘em is commonly played at live casinos, keep in mind that time is of the essence. Players are only given limited time to decide, and if you fail to make it, you are instantly redirected to the next game round. 

• Showdown — Using the two personal cards and five board cards, players and the dealer make their best five-card poker hands. Then, each player’s hand is compared with the dealer’s. 

• Dealer’s qualification and conditions — In order for the house to win, the dealer must qualify by having a pair of 4s or better. Here are the four following conditions whether or not the dealer qualifies.

1. If the dealer’s hand qualifies and beats yours and other players’, all bets are lost. 
2. If the dealer qualifies but you have a stronger hand than the dealer, the Ante bet pays based on the AnteWin pay table and the Bonus bet is 1:1. 
3. If the dealer qualifies but has a card equal to yours or another player’s, all bets are pushed. 
4. If the dealer does not qualify, the Ante bets pay based on the AnteWin pay table and the Bonus bet is a tie/push/standoff.

Hand rankings

Regardless of the number of poker variants created over the centuries, another joy when playing them is their universal hand rankings. Yet if you are still unfamiliar with the order, here we share with you a detailed list of the cards used in Casino Hold ‘em. 

In essence, take note first that the value of cards are arranged from the highest to lowest, which is in this order: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. However, Ace’s value also varies depending on the set it belongs to. It has the most value when combined with letters K, Q, J, and 10, and also has the lowest value when mixed with numbers 5, 4, 3, and 2. So, ranking in decreasing order, the 10 following hand combinations are what you should memorise to win Casino Hold’em, and probably other poker variants.

1. Royal flush — A, K, Q, J, 10, all the same suit
2. Straight flush — Five cards in a sequence, all in the same suit
3. Four of a kind — All four cards of the same rank
4. Full house — Three of a kind with a pair
5. Flush — Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence
6. Straight — Five cards in a sequence, but not of the same suit
7. Three of a kind — Three cards of the same rank
8. Two pair — Two different pairs
9. Pair — Two cards of the same rank
10. High card — When all of the best hands fail, the highest card plays

Payouts

The rewards for each card combination to expect at Bitcasino are listed as follows:

The house edge in Casino Hold'em is 2.16% for the Ante bet and 6.26% for the Bonus bet. As a reminder, you cannot wager on the latter singly, as it is always accompanied by the Ante bet. If these vigorishes seem too much, Bitcasino offers plenty of generous bonuses to help protect your bankroll.