Many poker fans believe that online poker is all about Texas Hold’em and maybe Pot Limit Omaha. While there’s no denying the fact that those versions of the game attract the biggest crowds, most of the major poker rooms support countless variations of the basic poker formula. If you’re interested in expanding your horizons and checking out some of the most exotic variations of the game, reading this guide should definitely give you some idea what to expect.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker game and accounts for the vast majority of traffic on most poker networks. If you’re new to poker, starting your poker adventure with Texas Hold’em would probably be a good idea. The game can be played with up to 10 players, but short-handed and heads-up variants are also fairly popular. At the start of the game each player receives 2 hole cards. The board, on the other hand, is composed out of 5 cards. The first three are revealed during the second round of betting, which is called the flop. The next card is revealed on the third round (turn), while the last card is placed on the board on the river and is followed by the final betting round.
Omaha
Omaha is the second most popular poker variant in the world. The game is surprisingly similar to Texas Hold’em – the only major difference is the fact that all players receive 4 hole cards instead of 2. Quite obviously, Omaha strategies are quite different from the ones that work in Hold’em. If you’re new to this variation of poker, you definitely shouldn’t rely on your Hold’em experience too much.
5-Card Omaha
5-Card Omaha is a different take on classic Omaha. In this variation of the game, each player receives five hole cards rather than four. As you’d expect, switching from standard Omaha to its 5-Card variant is easier than making the transition from Hold’em.
Seven-Card Stud
Seven-Card Stud used to hold the status that Texas Hold’em enjoys today. In this game, the players start with two downcards and a single upcard. A game of 7-card Stud begins with each player placing the ante. This, in turn, is followed by four rounds of betting, which correspond to three additional upcards and one more downcard. By the end of the game, each player has to make a five-card poker hand from the seven cards that are at his disposal.
Razz
Razz is a different take on the Seven-Card Stud formula. In this game, all players have to make the best low hand using their cards. In Razz, all aces are always considered to be low. Flushes or straights don’t determine how strong a hand is. The best hand in Razz is A2345.
Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is arguably the simplest poker game that you can play online. Players receive five hole cards, which is followed by a round of betting. Each player may opt to discard any of the cards and draw to fill his hand back up to five. After the final round of betting, players compare their hands and decide who claims the pot.
2-7 Triple Draw
2-7 Triple Draw is a rather exotic version of the classic Five Hand Draw. In this game, players can draw cards three times rather than once. Furthermore, all pairs, straights and flushes are counted against your hand. The Ace is always considered a high card. All in all, the strongest hand in 2-7 is 23457 off-suit.
2-7 Single Draw
As you’ve probably already guessed, 2-7 Single Draw is just like 2-7 Triple Draw, but there’s only one round during which players are allowed to discard and draw cards.
Ace-5 Lowball
Ace-5 Lowball is yet another variation of Five Card Draw. In this game, your objective is to hit the lowest combination after three drawing rounds. Aces are considered low, straights or flushes don’t count against the players. As the name implies, the best combination is Ace-5 Lowball is A2345.
Triple Stud
Triple Stud is a complex mix of Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. The variations are switched every eight hands.
H.O.R.S.E
This mixed poker game requires the players to master Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Stud Hi and Stud Hi/Lo. The game is always played with a limit betting structure. The games are usually swapped every
Mixed Games
Mixed games are a broad category of tables and tournaments that require you to play different poker variations due to their structure. The most popular type of a mixed poker game is H.O.R.S.E, which stands for Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Low, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Stud Hi-Low and is played with a Limit betting structure. The games cycle every round.
