Many of the popular casino card games, such as Caribbean Poker, Pai Gow and Free Ride, are variations of the traditional poker game. If you are a new player, ThisIsGaming.com advises that you read through and understand the following poker basics.

Most of the poker games offered by online casinos use a standard 52 card deck. The cards are usually ranked according to their face value, with the Jack (J), Queen (Q) and King (K) being valued at 11, 12 and 13 respectively. The Ace (A) can either be valued at 14 (high) or 1 (low). Whilst all four suits are used, Hearts (H), Diamonds (D), Spades (S) and Clubs (C), no suit is valued higher than another.

In most games of poker, hands usually consist of 5 cards with the highest hand winning. The following list of poker of hands is ordered from the highest to the lowest.

Royal Flush
A Royal Flush is the best hand in a game of poker, beating all others. It consists of a 10, J, Q, K, A that are all of the same suit.

Straight Flush
The Straight Flush consists of five cards of the same suit in sequence. For example, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of Hearts. A Straight Flush made using higher cards will always beat one with lower cards. The lowest Straight Flush consists of A, 2, 3, 4, 5, with the highest consisting of 9, 10, J, Q, K.

4 of a Kind
4 of a Kind is a hand that contains 4 cards of the same value (one from each suit). For example, 10H, 10D, 10S and 10C. A 4 of a Kind consisting of high cards will always win over one consisting of low cards.

Full House
This hand contains a three cards of the same value (3 of a Kind) and a pair of the same value. For example, 10D, 10H, 10S, 4S, 4C. In the event of two players showing a Full House, the hand with the highest 3 of a Kind will win. For example, a KD, KH, KC, 2S, 2D will beat a QS, QC, QD, 10D, 10S.

Flush
A Flush is simply a hand containing cards all from the same suit. If two player hold a Flush, the hand containing the highest card wins. For example, 2D, 4D, 7D, 8D, KD would beat a hand of 2H, 4H, 7H, 8H, JH.

Straight
A hand including any five cards in sequence is a Straight. Like the Straight Flush, a high Straight will always beat a low Straight.

3 of a Kind
3 of a Kind is a hand that includes three cards that are all of the same value. High cards aways beat low cards.

2 Pair
This hand must contain two different pairs of cards that are of the same value. For example, 2D, 2C, 10H, 10C, 8S. In the event of two players having 2 Pair, the one with the highest pair wins. If both of the high pairs are the same, then the winner will be determined by the value of the second pair. If the second pair of cards are the same, then which ever player has the highest fifth card wins.

1 Pair
This hand includes just two cards that are of the same value. The player with highest valued pair of cards wins. If both players hold the same pair, then the overall highest card of the hand is used to determined the winner.

High Card
If players fail to get any of the hands described above, the player with the highest single card wins the game. If two players have the same high card, then the one with second highest card will win and if not the third and so on.

Now that your familiar with the various poker hands, lets look at the betting. Usually, before any cards are dealt you must 'ante' an amount of money. This is basically buying your hand. After the cards have been dealt all bets are placed in the 'pot' in the middle of the table. At the end of the game the player with the highest hand wins the pot.