Real money casinos are home to some of the most addictive games, and among them, Blackjack and Poker are two of the most popular in the UK. The thing that makes these two games stand out is that they are both challenging and exciting at the same time, and if played with a bit of skill and concentration, both Blackjack and Poker can earn you real money. If you want to try it without depositing money online, check the latest UK no deposit casino bonuses and start playing right now!
In this article, we will try to analyse both these casino games from a beginner's point of view and help interested players choose a game better suited to their playing style.
Blackjack Casino Game
Blackjack is a relatively simple game of cards in which you are pitted against the dealer who represents the casino. Both the dealer and the player are dealt a certain amount of cards. The numbered cards are worth their face value, whereas the face cards are worth ten points; the ace cards can represent one or eleven points based on the particular situation.
The game's main objective is to get to 21 points or as close as possible without going over.
The rules of blackjack may differ from casino to casino, but the main objective remains. Some popular variants include Blackjack Switch, Spanish 21, and Progressive Blackjack.
Blackjack Pros
The advantages associated with the game of blackjack are as follows:
- Very easy to learn: Amongst all the other casino games, Blackjack is one of the easiest games to pick up for a complete beginner. The rules are fairly simple to grasp and straightforward.
- Playing against the dealer: In a game of blackjack, the player is always pitted against the dealer who represents the casino. Although it may sound a bit daunting, a close inspection of the blackjack rules suggests that the dealer is mostly at a slight disadvantage.
- Strategic play: If a Blackjack player plays with a bit of concentration and strategy, they can considerably lower the house edge. The player must make calculated calls on bets to make the most money in the long term.
Blackjack Cons
Despite all the convenient rules and advantages, there are certain disadvantages associated with the game of blackjack. Some of them are listed below:
- Luck plays a huge role: No matter how good a blackjack player is. Eventually, the results of the game often boil down to luck and the cards that the player is dealt.
- The casino eventually wins: The casino always wins in the end. This is the sad reality of blackjack, no matter how carefully and strategically one plays. In the long term, the casino always makes more money than it loses.
- No skill involved: Although this may sound like an advantage, in all honesty, since there is no real skill required to play blackjack, there is no way actually to have a clear advantage over the dealer.
Here it is essential to mention that some blackjack players can use certain tricks like card counting, but it is not allowed in many of the land-based casinos and may get your entry banned if you are caught counting cards.
Poker Casino Game
Poker is considered to be the most popular casino game. It is a game in which a group of players wager over whose hand is the strongest. Although there are a few different renditions of poker, Texas Hold’em poker is considered the most popular.
Most Poker games are played using a single pack of cards. Unlike Blackjack, poker is played against other players.
Poker is a highly skilful game and requires a general understanding of the cards and their values. In this regard, it is not a game recommended for beginners.
A good poker player must have definitive knowledge of the card combinations. Also, they must know which poker pot is worth betting on and when to opt out of a bet. Another skill a good poker player must learn is the art of bluffing.
Having said that, if a person can get past the initial learning phase and get a natural knack for the game, then poker can be highly rewarding in the long run. Read also about Colorado gambles on proposition DD to legalise sports betting.
Poker Pros
The advantages associated with poker are as follows:
- Skill-based: Poker is considered to be an extremely tactical game, meaning the rules of poker are pretty straightforward. Still, the tactics and strategies employed in a game of poker are very complex and highly skilful players would eventually have an advantage in poker.
- Money can be made: Strategic players can make money while playing Poker, as the role of luck in poker can be made negligible with a good strategy. Hence good players eventually end up making money while playing poker.
- Pitted against other players: In blackjack, one has to play against the casino, whereas in poker, we play against other players. So, it is much easier to win against other less skilful players rather than the casino itself.
Poker Cons
Although poker is an extremely exciting and interesting game, it does have a few cons associated with it.
- Hard to learn: Learning poker can be a daunting task for beginners, as a good poker player must be familiar with things such as card combinations and ranking, card values, pot odds and bluffing. Most beginners might find it too complicated and tiring.
- Patience: A good poker player must be patient since a single game of poker can last for hours. They must know the right time to make their moves and pounce on the opponent's mistakes or bluffs. Again for beginners, this might be a deal-breaker as they might want to play a game that is quick and easy.
- Competitive: Poker is a universally played game, and the professional poker scene is very competitive. Hence it is very difficult to break through among such fierce competition.
Closing Thoughts
Both Poker and Blackjack have certain distinct features which make them attractive in their own unique way.
Although both Poker and Blackjack are popular casino games in the UK, the kinds of players that both these games attract are very different from each other.
If a person just wants to play an easy-to-learn game, where not much skill is required, then they can choose blackjack.
But if the ultimate goal of the player is to learn a difficult-to-master, tactically advanced game where they can win money with tact and guile, then they should opt for poker.