Of the many forms of online poker that are available on the web, one of the most interesting has to be Red Dog. Its name for one thing marks it out as being decidedly more distinguished and memorable than many of the video poker games to be found for example, which tend to have much more generic names.

Typically, at an average online casino you might find one version of Red Dog; it’s rare for a casino to stock more than a single edition of this game, despite the fact that many different developers have had a stab at it. NetEnt’s Red Dog Progressive is a game which warrants closer attention for a number of reasons, not least on account of the might of the developer behind it.

Special Games Masters

Put simply, Net Entertainment’s games tend to be just a little bit special, whether it’s a video slot or a table game. While there’s less scope for incorporating novel features and bonus games when it comes to poker, at the very least you know you’ll be getting a quality NetEnt game in terms of graphics, animations and audio. NetEnt aren’t going to put out a game that looks shoddy in these departments; they wouldn’t risk ruining their lofty reputation in such a manner. We’ll delve into what exactly makes NetEnt’s Red Dog Progressive so special in a moment, but first let’s consider the game as a whole and its origins.

Red Dog Howling

There are a couple of different names which you might have heard Red Dog referred to by; although best known as Red Dog Poker, it’s also called Yablon in some circles. The game utilises a standard 52-card deck and is based on the game of acey-deucey – don’t look for it at your favourite online casino because you won’t find it. Red Dog first came to attention in the US during the 19th century. Although the game never became as popular as other variants of poker, it’s survived through the ages and today still retains a strong player base. It’s never going to overtake Texas Hold ‘Em, but Red Dog very much has a present and a future.

By the 1930s, Red Dog Poker was being played in land-based casinos across America and not even Prohibition could shut down the demand for this new, looser form of poker. In terms of strategy, Red Dog differs substantially from other poker games and in fact is often played on a blackjack table, further evidencing how far removed it is from regular poker. In essence, what happens in the game is that that two cards are dealt and you then bet on what the third card will be. You’re aiming for its value to fall between that of the other two cards. It would be fair to say that Red Dog isn’t the most complex of games, which accounts for why it retains only marginal interest at casinos nowadays. Nevertheless, there’s something strangely satisfying about playing this game, despite its lack of depth.

Red Dog Progressive

Red Dog Progressive by Net Entertainment offers players something a little different to the norm. While a popular game in its own right, access to Red Dog at land-based casinos varies widely depending on the player’s location; travel about and you’ll find that it’s more popular in some regions than others. Naturally, the online nature of this particular game makes that a non-issue. Online players have access to a wider range of games than ever before and the fact that this is one of Net Entertainment’s flagship titles means that it is pretty much as close to the real land-based experience as online players can possibly get thanks to realistic 3D graphics and sounds.

What primarily makes Red Dog Progressive different to other games is that you’re not playing against the house. Instead, you are betting on the difference between the cards dealt. In practice, the player can choose to raise their bet or undertake a range of different options, with two cards that are close together in value presenting a higher risk but matched with a higher reward. The third card is turned and if it falls between the two hole cards then the player wins. If both face cards are of consecutive values then the game is tied and the player’s stake is returned, and if they are identical then the player has a shot at an 11 to 1 payout if the third card makes for three of a kind.

Ante Up

The progressive nature of the game, as indicated in its name, comes from the ability to leave winnings on the table to be used as the ante for the next hand. This naturally makes for fast and furious action and is a great way of building up impressive prizes when on a lucky streak. Red Dog Progressive is an entertaining game to get to grips with and a welcome addition for any player trying to become an all-round poker master. When Red Dog Progressive loads, you’ll find that it looks much like any other table game NetEnt have put their name to, complete with a green felt table, wooden trim and a stack of chips.

You can wager between 1 and 100 coins to get things started, while the progressive ante limit is clearly displayed on screen. This stands at 1,000 by default. To set your bet, click on the coloured chips at the bottom of the screen. The blue chips are worth 1, the reds are 5 and the yellows come in at 10.

A Starter Game

If you’re new to table games, Red Dog is a great primer. This can be thought of as your starter kit, one that gives you a taste for the delights offered by more complex card games that have a steeper learning curve. Experienced players are unlikely to be captivated for long, but beginners will find more than enough here to take their fancy. You can play Red Dog Progressive for fun here at Mr Gamez and get a feel for it before deciding whether you’d like to play for real money at an online casino of your choice.

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