During these times of pandemic, staying at home to play poker is the only possible option, even for live poker lovers. All tournaments have been either canceled or postponed, and the majority of casinos all over the US (and the world) have been shut down until further notice.
Although there are some indications that casinos might be open soon (especially in Vegas), they will still not be able to offer the full poker experience.
Therefore, if you’re stuck in your home and you don’t feel like playing poker anymore, then there are several things you can try that should be a good substitute for poker. Therefore, let’s take a look at what other games do poker play on the web.
Online Slots
Online slots are perhaps the most popular type of casino games on the web, and many poker lovers simply adore them. The difference between slots and poker is that there’s no element of skill in slots. It’s all based on the element of chance.
In other words, it’s up to your luck to decide whether you win or lose. There are no subtle strategies that you need to apply to improve the outcome, which is the case in poker.
That’s why poker players see slots as a way to relax and not think too much, yet retain the same thrill that they usually have when playing cards.
Online Blackjack
Blackjack is the most popular casino game, and that’s pretty much the same in online casinos. There are all kinds of blackjack games, and poker players love them all.
Blackjack and poker are similar in many ways. The most important one is that it requires mathematical thinking and strategy to increase your success. Although the element of bluffing or reading other players is not present in blackjack, it’s still a perfect mixture of chance and skill, and poker players usually cherish that fact.
Online Baccarat
Baccarat is the second most popular casino card game, after blackjack. It’s also a game of chance, but there’s still something you can do to improve your chances a bit.
Now, once you learn the basic rules of baccarat, this game becomes pretty easy. There are advanced strategies (at least no legal ones) that can help you improve your success. Poker players find baccarat amusing since it’s both exciting and relaxing, as it is much simpler than Hold ’em or Omaha.
Online Roulette
Roulette is not the first alternative that poker players go to when they want to rest for poker, but it’s still very popular among them. Just like slots, roulette is a game of chance, and the clearly defined rules don’t allow you to increase your potential winnings.
You can use some bankroll management strategies to make the whole experience more entertaining, but you need to know that, in the end, the ball always lands randomly. In other words, you cannot learn strategies or practice roulette to increase the chances of winning.
Video Poker
Many online casinos offer video poker. These games might have the name poker in them, but they are not that similar to poker you play on poker platforms. Video poker is, just like slots, a type of game that’s mainly based on the element of chance.
Hand rankings are the same, and your goal is to make as good a hand as possible to earn a reward. However, there are no other players, so that’s one of the reasons why some poker players don’t enjoy video poker. Their philosophy is this — if they’re going to take a rest from poker, they are going to play something completely different.
On the other hand, there’s a huge group of poker players that loves playing video poker as an alternative to cash games and tournaments.