How to Expand Your Poker Skills to Avoid Bad Beats

Look, we don’t love admitting this, but we’ve all been there. You’ve got a killer hand and you’re certain that it’s a winner. No one can tell you you’re wrong. With an unbeatable hand like this, you’re got a victory in the bag. 

Until your opponent lays out an even better hand; with that, you’ve taken a bad beat.

Not familiar with bad beats? If you’ve somehow managed to avoid them yourself (which would shock us), we’ll explain it to you. In poker, a bad beat is when you have a hand that’s favoured to win but ends up losing to a competitor who catches up at the last second and beats you.

Pretty simple to understand, right? Much as we hate to tell you, you’ll no doubt encounter a bad beat at some point. So, that leads us to the question: how can you recover? 

Lucky for you, we’ve got heaps of ideas:

Press pause – There’s no shame in taking a breather. Sit out for a round or two to regroup. That way, when you come back to the table, you’ll feel fresh and focused.

Take a longer break –  If you’re feeling really emotional at the table, take a prolonged pause. Create some distance from the game and focus on improving your emotional wellness. Whether you take a week or a month off, poker will still be here when you get back. 

Study the basics – Sometimes, revisiting the basics of the game can be really helpful. Studying can help you make more logical (rather than emotional) decisions during a poker game. 

Switch lanes – Try your hand at other types of casino games. Doing so will help you improve your card play while still earning you cash. At Ignition Casino, we’ve got heaps of incredible alternatives to poker that can help you forget the worst of your bad beats.

Explore our Ignition gaming alternatives to regroup, recover, and reap your well-deserved rewards.

Video Poker: Classic Poker – But with a Twist

Video poker is ideal for poker lovers who need a breath of fresh air. It combines the classic rules of the game you love with a new Ignition Casino pokies interface. This combo is sure to recharge your batteries.

Now, anybody can play online video poker for real cash at Ignition Casino; exciting and easy to play, it’s accessible to all. Video poker is based on five-card draw, which is the simplest format you can follow. The video poker variation is even simpler because there’s only one player at the table – you!

Each game begins with a bet. Next, you’ll receive five cards from a standard 52-card deck. Your goal is to create the best hand possible based on poker hand ratings. 

After looking at your cards, you’ve got an important call to make. What cards will you keep? This is single-draw poker, so you only have one shot to toss and replace your cards. Then, the final step is to show and announce the winner. 

If you want even more guidance, check out our top-rated strategies that will set you on the path to major success and wealth!

Let ‘Em Ride: The Quick, Easy, and Profitable Type of Poker

Let ‘Em Ride is one of the most popular poker games on offer at Ignition Casino. With no competitors to worry about, you set the pace. Your goal? Place a big bet if you suspect you’ll land a pair of 10s or higher. Based on the strength of your three cards and the two community cards, you must decide whether to raise or check. 

We’ve got a classic and updated version of Let ‘Em Ride, which feature crazy progressive jackpots. Before starting a new round, all you need to do is enable the gold star by paying $1. When you score a flush or better, you’ll win a portion or the entirety of the jackpot. 

Play Let ‘Em Ride from anywhere, anytime on your smartphone, desktop, or tablet. If you’re new to the game, we recommend starting in practice mode to get the hang of it in a risk-free environment.

Tri Card Poker is just you against the dealer

Here’s another great escape from a bad beat that keeps you in the game and potentially winning some serious coin. Tri Card Poker here at Ignition will help you keep your skills going while enjoying great fun trying to bust our video dealer. It’s super easy and quick to learn, and an exciting alternative to table poker without losing the joy of the game.

Here’s how it works: Place your ante to start the action. Your three cards are face-up. The dealer’s three cards are face-down. Raise with a second bet if you think your hand beats the dealer. Otherwise, fold and live to fight another day. Just keep in mind that the dealer qualifies with a queen or higher, while you need a straight or better.

Bets range anywhere from $1 to $500, meaning Tri Card Poker is perfect for any budget. Plus, if you have a pair or better, you’ll get a Pairs Plus bet that could pay you out up to 40:1 if you get a straight flush.

Again, we can’t stress this enough: while you’re learning, play in practice mode. You’ll learn how to play the game and boost your skills without losing any cash!

From Ancient China to the Modern World: Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker, sometimes known as double-hand poker, is based on a 32-domino Chinese gambling game. It was first introduced in its poker version in America in 1985. By the late 80s, Pai Gow Poker had evolved into a massive success. Unfortunately, its inventor didn’t secure the patent in time, which meant he made no money. You know what they say about snoozing and losing…

Now, this game is super simple – as long as you take the time to learn the extra rules. Lucky for you, we’re here to help you with that. 

This is double-hand poker, so your higher hand needs to rank higher than your lower hand. Seems pretty obvious, right? At a traditional casino, if you make a mistake, you lose your bet. But at Ignition Casino, we put you first and give you a leg-up by showing you the error and letting you try again. 

You also need to remember that the joker is considered semi-wild. You can only use a joker to complete a straight or a flush. In all other scenarios, a joker is worth the same as an ace. So, you can’t make five of a kind from four kings and a joker – you can only make five of a kind from four aces and a joker.

Finally, high hand rankings feature an interesting little twist; the second-best straight you can get is five-four-three-deuce-ace. This is known as “the wheel”. As you likely know, though, that hand would be the lowest possible straight in traditional poker.

So, what are you waiting for? Why not give Pai Gow a go?

Caribbean Hold’em and Caribbean Stud Poker: Feel That Caribbean Heat!

Are you feelin’ hot, hot, hot? You will be soon with Ignition Casino’s Caribbean-themed games!

Let’s start with Caribbean Hold’em. This is a popular alternative to Texas Hold’em that shares a progressive jackpot with our two other Caribbean-themed games. Of course, we’re talking about Caribbean Draw Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker. With so many games feeding into the same jackpot, it grows to crazy amounts! 

Let’s say you play the progressive jackpot bet and score a perfect hand (such as royal flush). In that circumstance, you walk away with the whole jackpot, but you can still reap some rewards with lesser hands! Get a straight flush and you’ll pocket 10%. Got four of a kind? Good on ya! You’ll get a cool $500. Lastly, a full house will put $100 straight into your account.

If you’re in the mood for some quick and easy poker fun, face off with the dealer in Caribbean Stud Poker. To win, you have to beat the dealer, who can only qualify with a hand that holds an ace and a king, or stronger. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, you get paid 1:1 on your ante and your raise is returned to you as a push. If the dealer qualifies but you still win, you get paid on your ante and your raise payout is determined by the hand you hold. 

Who doesn’t love a tropical adventure (especially with huge payouts)? Experience some fun in the sun with our Caribbean games at Ignition Casino!