â€So you want to get into the action and play some poker? Great! There are many variations of this classic game that you can try, depending on how much time and money you have available.
If you’re new to poker and aren’t sure which version is correct, we’ve got everything you need to know about the different kinds of poker. Each variation has its own set of rules, betting structure, and strategic considerations. You can learn about them all here!
Texas Hold’em
In traditional Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt two cards face down, and five community cards are dealt face up. You use these seven cards to create your final hand by combining all the available cards to make the best five-card hand. This is the most popular poker game in casinos and online and is usually the first game beginners learn because of its straightforward rules.
The game is played with a fixed betting structure. In Hold’em, the first two players to the dealer’s left (the “buttonâ€) are required to open the betting. After that, players must either call, raise, or fold. The betting ends when all players have either folded or matched the amount bet by the player who has bet last.
Omaha
In Omaha, each player is dealt four cards face down, followed by three community cards. This game is similar to Texas Hold’em but has a few key differences. In Hold’em, the first two players to the dealer’s left (the “buttonâ€) are required to open the betting.
In Omaha, the first player to the dealer’s left (the “buttonâ€) opens for a fixed amount, and subsequent players must raise the amount. The betting ends when all players have either folded or matched the amount bet by the last player to bet. If two or more players have not yet bet, they may “check†instead of betting, in which case the hand is over.
Omaha has very different strategic considerations to Texas Hold’em. In Hold’em, it is optimal to play the hand you’ve been dealt and hope to make the best possible hand. In Omaha, however, it is often optimal to try to make a different hand than the one you’ve been dealt.
Pot-Limit Omaha
Pot-Limit Omaha (also known as PLO) is similar to Omaha, but with a crucial difference: in PLO, all players must use the same amount of chips as the first person to bet. For example, if the first player bets $5, then every other player must also use $5. PLO is a very popular and fast-paced game.
It is an excellent choice for people who like the excitement of Omaha but find it frustrating to have to match the bets of every other player. Like many other poker games, PLO has a high skill cap and requires a significant amount of skill and strategy to succeed.
Seven Card Stud
In this classic poker game, each player is dealt seven cards. There are no community cards and no betting rounds. Instead, players make their best five-card hand from their seven cards, and the dealer’s turn ends when each player has a hand they feel they can play.
There are several variations of Seven Card Stud. The most common version is “11 to go,†which requires players to use the turn and river to complete their hand. “To go†means that each player has 11 cards (their 7 plus the dealer’s 4) to complete their hand. Other variations include “10 to go,†“9 to go,†“8 to go,†and “7 to go.†In these variations, players use the turn and river plus the dealer’s sixth and/or fifth card to finish their hand.
Razz
Razz is a very unique and exciting poker game. Each player is dealt five cards, followed by three community cards. It is played like Texas Hold’em, with some subtle differences. In Razz, the first two players to the dealer’s left (the “buttonâ€) are required to open the betting.
In Razz, you must use two cards from your hand and three from the board. The goal is to make the lowest playable hand. The lowest hand is A-2-3-4-5, followed by 4-5-6-7-8. Razz is considered a “mixed game,†combining multiple poker games’ rules and elements. Some people like the excitement and creativity that comes with mixing game variations. Others prefer to keep things simple and stick with a single game.
5 Card Draw
In 5 Card Draw, each player is dealt five cards, followed by one communal card. The goal is to create the highest poker hand possible using all six cards. There are no betting rounds in 5 Card Draw, but players must discard one card before showing their hand to the others. The game ends when each player has a hand they feel they can play. The term “draw†in poker comes from this game’s draw (or discard) phase.
Conclusion
Poker is a game of chance and skill. Successfully navigating the ups and downs of this game takes tactical skill, a dash of luck, and excellent reading skills. If you want to improve your poker skills, practice makes perfect. You can play many free poker games online, and you can even find poker training sites where you can practice against simulated opponents.
