Poker Games
Poker Game Variations and Poker Game Variants
Texas Holdem Poker Games
Texas holdem poker has become the most popular form of poker in the world. As I write this article, there are over 3600 Texas holdem tables in action at PokerStars. That's compared to 300 Omaha game, 100 Omaha Hi/Lo games, 30 7 card stud games, and 50 5 card draw games.
The ratio of Texas holdem poker games compared to other poker variants is similar at live poker rooms too. I play regularly at the Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma, and they rarely have more than a single Omaha table going on any given day, but they have multiple Texas holdem tables operating at all hours.
Texas hold'em poker can be subdivided into variations based on the betting limits. Texas hold'em is commonly played with the following betting structures:
- Limit
- Pot limit
- No limit
Texas holdem is a poker game where each player receives two cards ("hole
cards"). The players all share five community cards ("the board"). The
winning hand in a round of Texas holdem is determined by who can make the
best five card hand using any combination of the two cards in her hand and
the five cards on the board.
Pineapple Holdem Poker Games
Pineapple holdem is a midway point between Texas holdem and Omaha. Instead of getting two hole cards, you get three hole cards. It's a fun variation of Texas holdem, but it's not particularly popular.
Omaha Poker Games
Omaha poker games are second in popularity to Texas holdem poker games, but they're a distant second. Omaha poker is gaining in popularity though, and in Europe Omaha poker is particularly well-respected and popular.
Omaha poker games are played either high only or hi/lo. In high only, the game has a surface similarity to Texas holdem. Players get four hole cards, not two, and the community cards still consist of a five card board. But in Omaha, players must use two and exactly two of the cards in their hands, and three and exactly three of the cards on the board.
This rule changes the texture of the game quite a bit.
Omaha hi/lo is a hugely popular variation of Omaha poker. In Omaha hi/lo (aka Omaha 8), the pot gets split between the high hand winner and the low hand winner. It's possible for the player to have both the high hand and the low hand. It's also possible for multiple players to tie for high, low, or both.
Stud Poker Games
Stud poker games have become something of a relic, and they're rarely played in casino settings any more. Some stud poker variants are still popular in home poker games though, and they often have entertaining and exotic names like "Anaconda" and "Chicago".
The most common forms of stud poker are seven card stud and five card stud. Seven card stud is often played hi/lo, like Omaha, where the high hand splits the pot with the low hand.
In stud poker, players are dealt a hand. Some of the cards are exposed, while others are kept in the hole. Since a lot of information is available about which cards are out, the amount of skill in stud poker can be daunting. If you're a memory expert who can remember which cards went into the much after the hands were folded, you can do even better at stud poker.
Draw Poker Games
Draw poker is the poker variant that most players learn first, but it's almost never played in a casino setting. In five card draw poker, each player is dealt five cards. There's a round of betting, and then players have the opportunity to muck some of their cards and draw new ones. Then there's another round of betting.
Draw poker is often played as a "jacks or better" game, in which you must have at least a pair of jacks in order to open the betting.
Lowball Poker Games
Lowball poker games are poker variations where the lowest possible hand wins the pot. Sometimes straights and flushes are ignored--in that case, aces are always counted as low cards. The best possible lowball hand in this kind of game is A2345.
In other lowball games, aces are counted as high, and straights and flushes do count. These kinds of lowball poker variants are called deuce-to-seven games, because that's the lowest possible hand you could have.
Examples of lowball poker variations include razz and triple draw.
Mixed Poker Games
Mixed poker games can be some of the most challenging types of poker games. These poker variations are usually referred to with an acronym, like HORSE. Each letter stands for a game: holdem, Omaha, razz, stud, and eight-or-better. Many skilled poker players think that mixed poker games are the best way to judge a player's skill level.
Mixed poker games like HORSE are often played in tournament settings.
Casino Poker Games
Casinos host a number of different poker games that are dealer-backed. Some
people don't consider these real poker games, because the house always has
an edge in these types of poker games. On the other hand, these games
include betting and the standard poker hand rankings, so it's hard to think
of them as not being real poker games.
The major difference is that in a casino poker game like pai gow poker or three card poker, each player plays against the dealer, like in blackjack, not against each other. No matter how skilled you are, you can never get an edge over a casino dealer in a casino poker game.
This page about poker games, poker game types, and types of poker game variations was last updated on May 3, 2010.