List of Poker Game Variations
One of the reasons why poker is among the most popular casino games ever is that of its variety. Poker is a broad term and when you start playing it, you’re most likely to engage in one of the more popular types such as Texas Hold’em or Seven Card Stud. However, there is so much more to it. Top poker sites usually offer more than a dozen different variations of the game that you can test your luck and skills at.
If you ever get bored playing one type of poker, you can simply spice up your gambling habits by visiting one of the best poker sites and choosing another one. Learning the ropes of a new game is exciting and brings back the thrill. Check out the most popular poker variations below and pick the ones you want to play!
Five Card Draw
Have you ever watched a western movie? Five Card Draw is one of the long-established variations of poker and the one most common to see in older Hollywood movies. It is really easy to find online and is super-fun to play.
Five Card Draw is played with five cards, three of which you can change, or even four if you’re holding an ace. That makes it unique and different from all the others and definitely worth trying out. Get more information on our page covering how and where to play 5 Card Draw.
Five Card Stud
Make no mistake by mistaking Five Card Draw for Five Card Stud. Five Card Stud was a contender for the most popular poker game until the 1980s when Texas Hold’em came into sight and overthrew its poker cousin.
The game is played with five cards, two of which are face down on the table and three of which are face up. There are no community cards on the table, so it’s completely up to you how you’re going to win the round.
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is very similar to Five Card Stud. However, as you can guess, it’s played with seven cards. It’s common to find in most top online poker sites, so you can easily try it out.
As you know, it’s played with seven cards, three of which are face down and four of which are face up. The goal of the game is to use five out of those seven cards and form the winning hand.
Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo (Eight-or-Better)
If the regular Seven Card Stud is not enough for you and you are looking for even more excitement, you should check out the High/Low, Eight-or-Better variation. It’s harder to play but once you learn the ropes, it is so much more fun!
The rules of the game are very similar to the regular Seven Card Stud. However, here you can pursue either the ‘high’ hand or the ‘low’ hand. The low hand is created by using cards from eight or lower, with A-2-3-4-5 being the strongest hand. At the end of each round, the high hand and the low hand split the pot.
On this page we have covered all Stud Poker variations.
HORSE Poker
You can’t make up your mind and choose one game? You don’t have to! You can play five best poker games at the same time in HORSE Poker.
The HORSE is an acronym for Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Eight-or-Better. It is the ultimate test of poker skills, so make sure you can wrap your head around each of the big five! Find out more about this game variation and where to play it on our page about HORSE Poker.
Pot-Limit Omaha
Omaha is very similar to Texas Hold’em but there are some crucial differences to it. It is not as popular as Texas Hold’em but takes the second place on many top poker sites.
Each player plays with four hands and five community hands. To win the round, they should combine two of their personal cards with three community cards. It’s a drawing poker game, so you better not call if you don’t intend to win it!
Omaha Hi/Lo
Similar to Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, in Omaha Hi/Lo, you can compete for either the high or the low hand! This gives you more opportunities to win but more chances to lose as well, which ups the stakes by a lot.
At the end of each round, if there are both a high hand and a qualifying low hand, they split the pot. This means that you have double chances of winning!
Found out more about Pot-Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo here.
Razz Poker
If you love the Seven Card Stud but you want to play only its Low variation, then Razz Poker will definitely put a smile on your face. It is played with a 52-card deck and 2-8 players, and uses the Californian system of ranking hands.
The best hand that you can have in Razz is A-2-3-4-5 and it is called the wheel. If you catch sight of it among your seven cards, make sure to bet all that you have!
Texas Hold’em Poker
If you have heard of poker before, you must have heard of Texas Hold’em as well. It is by far the most popular poker game in the gambling world as of now, both at top online poker sites and in land-based casinos.
Texas Hold’em took over the gambling world in the 1980s and hasn’t lost popularity ever since. It uses the standard ranking of the hands and is played with two personal cards and five community cards. Combine your two cards with three community cards and snatch the biggest pot!
Find out more on our page about Texas Hold’em Poker Sites.
Big Choices to Make
The poker games that we have presented in this article are only several most popular ones at the moment, which can be found on most top poker sites online. However, there are many other poker variants that you can play to test your skills and try your luck.
If you are completely new to the world of poker – you have a lot to learn. However, just by consulting the web, you can easily manage to find your way around.
Most beginners start with Five Card Draw which is the easiest to play and highly rewarding at the same time. The ultimate poker game, though, for those starting out and experts alike is definitely Texas Hold’em. You can play it for free on social media sites or poker sites or play it for real money on the best poker sites online!