Being a fan of poker is easier than ever. Not only is this game popular at traditional land-based casinos, but it is also one of the card games that is ever-present at every online casino. Moving things to the web did wonders for poker as now more players have access to it. If you look around, many online platforms such as Stake have dedicated time and effort to incorporating poker into their websites. Not only that, they have helped this game evolve to the heights never seen before with a card game of this type. 

Today, no online gambling platform can call itself successful without having poker in its list of games. Also, if you have only one version you’re not impressing anyone. Poker, even the traditional one, has a few variations. When the game took online gambling by storm more and more poker options started to pop up. If you visit Stake.com you’ll see just how many poker versions there are. But, before we move to direct contact with their poker versions at hand, we should walk you through the essentials of online poker. So, let’s start from the beginning. 

Poker as Online Entertainment 

There is not too much difference between regular, traditional poker and its online version. The basic rules mostly remain the same, while all the novelties are thoroughly explained with each given version. The multiple versions are what make it so popular. There’s a little bit of something for everyone. As we said, the basics such as prize pools, cards, and chips remain the same. So, when starting your online adventure it is vital that you learn the rules of each particular option. But, don’t let this worry, the end game remains the same – having an upper hand over your opponent signals a win.  

Before you collect your first win it is important to decide which one of Stake.com’s online poker games is the right one for you. Options such as Caribbean Stud and Video poker will be explained below, and we’re sure you will find joy in playing these titles. When you know the platform, and we’re sure it will be Stake, and the version you want to play the time is to place your bets. This is where you’ll encounter betting rules as well as limits. Introduce yourself to them, and the fun can begin. All that is left is for you to take a look at your cards and decide how you want to proceed. 

The Basic Rules of Online Poker 

Once you’re completely sure that you want an online poker adventure to start it’s time to introduce yourself to the rules of the game. Of course, to play it professionally you need to know them thoroughly. But, for your first encounter with online poker, the basic rules we’re about to share with you should do the trick. Talking with you friendly, you need to know these rules. We will speak of general rules that apply to most versions of this popular card game. In addition to knowing how to play poker online as a form of entertainment, one should also learn the rules in order to ensure higher chances of making a splashing win. 

The rule that is a standard of every version of poker is blinds. They are mandatory bets that need to be made by players in order to become part of the game. Blinds are charged even before the first card is dealt. 

After the initial bet, every player will encounter the next decision to be made. They have three options. After blinds are set, players who are still at the table can either fold, bet, or raise. Folding means that you’re not satisfied with the hand you’ve been given and you’re leaving the game after the initial cards are received. Bet means that you are staying in the game and are covering the chance to stay in the game which is equal to the initial blind. The end option is to raise. This is what players do when they are dealt a strong hand or they simply want to bluff in front of other players and the dealer. Don’t do this if you’re not sure that you’ll win, as this aggressive approach can be seen through other players and rake up losses for you. 

Last but not least, the rules of poker are the limits set by the majority of online establishments. While plenty of online gambling houses allow betting with low stakes, almost all of them will have a limit set to which you must adhere to enter a table. Based on this limit you will find the table you want to play at and how much you want to bet.

By now, you’re both adept at playing online poker and well aware of its rules. This is the right moment to proceed with our article and introduce you to the star of the show. We’re talking about all poker variations available at Stake.com. 

Best poker to play on Stake.com

Which is the best poker option at stake? Well, it is hard to tell. One could argue that all of them are good. While this might be true not all of us have the same gaming preferences. This is why we’re going to cover some of the most popular online poker options available at Stake.com. We are sure that anyone can find what they’re looking for by exploring the few titles we are about to list below. 

Video Poker

This is one of the good old success stories of the first mixture between traditional poker and technology. So, it is no wonder that it found its way to almost every online casino. Video poker is similar to regular poker in most aspects. What makes it an even superior product is how it is mixed with slot games. The goal when you play video poker is to draw the best hand from the hands you’re virtually dealt. You receive all five cards out of which you’re allowed to keep at least two and a maximum of five cards. After leaving the number behind you ought to wait for another draw and fill your hands with five cards once again by receiving new ones and pairing them with the ones you left behind the first time around. Depending on the strength of the hand you will be rewarded accordingly. Many versions of video poker also offer bonus rounds where you try to hit a higher card in consecutive rounds or the color of the next drawn card. It is gambling at its best. 

Casino Hold’em

Moving on we have one of the more popular poker titles available at Stake. In the majority of aspects including rules and limits, it is similar to Texas Hold’em. The difference lies in the fact you’re playing against the dealer and not against other players. While for some this is the version that lacks the thrill, for others it is the one true poker. Either way, if you love virtual representation of poker this edition from BGaming should provide the thrill you’re looking for. 

Extreme Texas Hold’em

Despite moving online many players love the traditional side of poker. With this edition of the popular game from Evolution, you receive precisely that.  Extreme Texas Hold’em is a version that features a live dealer.  In its essence, this version is just like the standard Texas Hold’em with the amazing edition of a live dealer. Of course, there is also a small perk that makes it different from the regular version. When you draw cards you are only facing the dealer and not the other players. What gives it the ‘extreme’ moniker is the fact that you can place side bets, the most popular kind being the trip bets. Thanks to this option you can increase the levels of your potential wins. 

Caribbean Stud Poker

At Stake.com one of the more popular poker titles is without a doubt Caribbean Stud Poker. What attracts players to this exotically named game is its similarity to the ordinary five-card poker of old. What makes it unique and ideal for new players is that there’s no room for good old bluffing. What deletes this option from the player’s repertoire is the rule of the game that your only adversary is the dealer. The game starts with every player, including the dealer, being dealt five cards with four-faced down and one open. The players are required to place blinds while the dealer must state if it holds an Ace-King or stronger card which signals the openness of their hand. Once the initial moves are made the best start pouring in and the cards are revealed. The player with the stronger hand wins it all as it’s usually the case. At the same time, this version of poker offers exotic u-turn while remaining true to the roots of poker. 

Side Bet City

Online poker is so attractive to casino visitors due to the sheer variations of the game available. One of those titles that attracts players to the gambling establishment that Stake is, is Side Bet City. Once you start playing this version it is hard to go back to the traditional poker. What makes it great is the option to place bets on your hand after 3 drawn cards with an additional option of doing it at 5 and 7. The peculiar part is the option to bet on the ‘all lose’ option which is one of the never-before-seen options. The dealer is the one who starts the draw by revealing three cards. If you hold a combo of a pair or stronger you win. If not, the two additional cards are drawn and the requirement for a win becomes a pair of jacks or a stronger hand.  With seven cards on the table for a player to win three of a kind is necessary. 

How is Online Poker Different from Traditional One

While in essence, we’re talking about the same game, there are quite a few notable differences between the two. The majority of them are noticeable from the get-go. What most players see right away is the difference in speed with which the game is played. Online poker is much faster than the traditional versions. After all, when playing on the web everything has a time limit making the game more dynamic and fun to play. 

Furthermore, the faster game plan limits the amount of time available for social interactions making the game more professional. While some players might enjoy chatting at the table, those who don’t will find online poker as a quite better option. The time you receive by not talking can be used to play at multiple tables at the same time which is not a viable strategy in a traditional casino. 

The best part, and a major difference between the two, is the accessibility of online casinos. Today, you can play whenever/wherever. This is something that players learn to love rather quickly. With no physical location online poker is available at all times at the palm of your hand. 

With this type of accessibility and no interaction with other players, you will have more time to hone your skills. The time used to make yourself a better payer is found at tables with lower stakes. Online poker offers thousands if not even more tables with stakes ranging from as little as $1 to high roller tables. This is why it is an attractive option for both beginners and professional players. 

If you look for them you’ll find plenty more differences but the majority shifts the tides to the side of the online version. With the modern times we’re living in it’s good that things are like this. 

Tips & Tricks for Winning Poker Strategy 

There is not a recipe for poker success. But, you can do yourself a bunch of favors to make the winning a regular occurrence in your time of playing online poker. 

The best advice we can give you is to read as many how-to guides as you can to make your poker strategy indestructible. Platforms such as Stake.com offer these guides not only on how to play poker but for the majority of their games. 

Once you’re over with the theoretical part you’d be wise to play a few hands of demo poker. Learning how to win and how to accept losses while not losing money in the process is the best way to learn this game. 

By playing the game you need to pay special focus on the order of hands. It is vital to know which hand holds more power at every given moment. When you have the ranking in the palm of your hand, you can win with more ease. 

As far as the practical tips go, we need also to tell you that poker is a game for level-headed people. You need to play every hand with as little emotion as possible. Keep your focus on at all times and ensure that you play as a pro. 

While this article doesn’t offer a bulletproof strategy for a win at your online poker sessions, it provides enough info that you won’t be lost the first time you visit an online casino. Just pick a good one and start your adventure the right way.