Poker Variants

In this section, we present a discussion of some variants of poker that are particularly popular in casinos and online poker rooms. Such games are based upon one or another full rank poker hand, in accordance with the rules for poker hands and the betting conventions described and summarized.

This list of poker variants is not at all exhaustive, but generations of poker players prefer them most of the time. They play such games in semi-private and generous private poker games more regulated by house rules. Using our main betting summary table, you can modify yet more poker variants told and untold, thus creating nearly all accessible other poker games and equal alternatives to them.

Texas Hold’em is a very popular poker variant because it has benefited the most from the made-for-TV poker craze. And, as such, it is widely available in casinos and online poker rooms. Despite its popularity, the poker variant is not actually the game made famous by the likes of certain players.

In Texas Hold’em the player is hoping to play the best five-card combination from the seven-card stud: two hole cards and five community cards. The distinctive feature of poker games of community cards is that the betting also uses the same cards. Said cards are opened to all players and it is important for all of the players to be in the betting before a showdown, so that there are chips in the pot for everyone to bet for.

Omaha is a game that enables otherwise poor poker players to be more successful all-in players. However, they may deserve that success because they end up having the best possible poker hands in a given showdown. Poker rooms and casinos offer several variants of the poker game. A common variant is particularly prevalent during low bankroll poker promotions.

Seven Card Stud used to be the most popular poker variant. It is played by no-limit betting, sensible limit betting (round limits are pre-set), and spread limit betting (the limits vary centered on an amount set by the house). Although not the most common anymore, it is still existent at poker casinos and rooms, particularly among high-stakes poker players.

Texas Hold’em

“Texas Hold’em” is one of the most lucrative types of poker when played with the right strategies. Texas Hold’em is easily recognizable with its community card style and rich betting structure, where the game starts with some players posting forced bets and one or more players having the option to enter the hand for a small amount. The action during a hand moves around clockwise, and players can either fold, call the existing amount, or raise it.

Starting with two hole cards dealt face down to each player, up to five community cards are opened on the board, three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river. Each player can use any combination of the five board cards and two of the two hole cards to create their best five-card poker hand. What makes Texas Hold’em unique from other community card poker is its betting structure. In Limit Hold’em, the betting amounts for the first two betting rounds are different compared to the last three betting rounds, which use larger bet amounts. In No Limit Hold’em, players can bet any amount at any time, up to the maximum amount in their stack. Pot Limit Hold’em is also popular and allows players to bet a maximum of the pot at any time, making for inflated betting.

Among poker enthusiasts, highlights of televised events have stirred interest in Texas Hold’em. Although digital entertainment systems have begun to also allow casino and poker operations to create table-top versions of various poker games including Texas Hold’em, the format has gained such popularity in its traditional venue that compelling reasons exist to play Texas Hold’em only in poker rooms – be it casinos, social clubs, parties, or private homes.

Omaha

Omaha is another hole card game. Like Texas hold ’em it is based on the lowball draw version of poker and like hold ’em, is played as a ring game or a tournament. Players choose from only two varieties of Omaha: high only or high-low split. Within Omaha high there are the pot limit and no limit betting structures but because of the “forbidden” two card draw in Omaha more hands go to the showdown. Because of the larger hands Omaha calls for tightening of early position, particularly early in the tournament. The high-low split game in Omaha is identical to the hold ’em version and like its hold ’em brother we will teach you how to play Omaha first and then we’ll show you how to play split Omaha. Pot limit betting is a complicated subject so we will touch upon it lightly.

The general play of Omaha is similar to that of hold ’em: Except for the blinds, everyone is dealt four cards face down: then each player must make some multiple of the big blind into the pot to see the flop. After the flop (which is made up of three community cards) the turn (which consists of one additional community card) and river (the fifth and last community card), play goes around the table just as it does in hold ’em. Winning hands are high only in pot limit Omaha unless the game is a high-low split variety; then the low must qualify to win half the pot, just like in split hold ’em. Omaha poker first gained prominence on the gambling circuit back in the early ’80 and soon became the game of choice in many high dollar poker rooms. Events such as the Amarillo Slim Classic in 1988 stirred immense interest in casino high dollar Omaha play and even WW I was moved to feature Omaha events; television has since made high dollar hold ’em the most well known form of poker.

Seven Card Stud

Originally, Seven Card Stud was regarded as a variant of Draw Poker, from which it had borrowed its high-card low split concept. But when Hold’em emerged, the traditional guessing and calculated bluffing dichotomy of Poker surged and took the latter variant to dizzying heights. Thereafter, along came Hi-Low with Eight and Better low. Then followed Seven Card Stud, with a pair from the first three face up cards used as the high, shares the limelight with Texas Hold’em. Both games, with the latter only relatively more popular than the former, enjoyed fluctuating popularity, from mid-’90 till date, with the Poker Boom having set in then.

Widely regarded as the mama of Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud is Poker’s greatest classic. In spite of Texas Hold’em’s frenzied popularity around which has sprung up the current Poker Boom, Seven Card Stud’s appeal remains long lasting. Its exciting high-ranking draws and the significant presence of the low, good timing and observance of Poker Etiquette guarantee it a niche among Poker. As such, with quiet corners in offshore Casinos booked mainly for high rolling action, Super-Stud Tournaments are only intermittently linked to the WSOP. Set aside on the sidelines, the game continues to have its own designated band of high rollers who wouldn’t consider anything else.

In a Seven Card Stud Poker game, players will be dealt seven cards each, during the course of the game. The main objective of the game is to utilize the best possible combination of five cards, from the seven cards dealt, to win the pot. If a player folds out of the game at any time during the game play, he/she forfeits the hand played, and any bets placed in the pot. The player’s hand will at no time be eligible to take the pot. At the end of the last betting round of the game, players still remaining in the activity will reveal their complete cards. The player holding the highest best poker hand ranked hands takes the pot.