Poker is not just about Texas Hold’em! With it’s rich history and dozens of old and new iterations, you might be wondering: what are the most popular types of poker out there? Let’s dive in.
1. Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is without question the most widespread poker variation. It is famously played in tournaments such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP), in casinos around the world and online poker rooms.
Rules
Texas Hold'em is played with a standard 52-card deck. Each player is dealt two private cards (hole cards), and five community cards are placed face down in the center of the table. The goal is to create the best five-card hand using any combination of your hole cards and the community cards. The game unfolds in several stages, where players can place bets, raise, or fold:
Preflop: Two players to the left of the dealer post the small blind and big blind. Players then receive their hole cards.
Flop: Three community cards are turned face up.
Turn: One more community card is revealed.
River: The final community card is shown. If two or more players are left in the game, there is a showdown. Players reveal their hole cards, and the best hand wins the pot.
Tips
- Play more hands when in position (late to act) than out of position (first to act).
- Whether you are a beginner or advanced, bluffing is a very important tool. You must learn when and how to use it.
- Study the game to find out when to raise or fold, which hands have the best equity etc. To get started with texas hold’em, check out our detailed guide on how to play poker for beginners.
2. Pot Limit Omaha (PLO)
Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), is a poker variation similar to Texas Hold’em. Players receive four hole cards and must use exactly two of them in combination with three of the five community cards to create their best five-card hand.
Rules
PLO follows the same structure as Texas Hold'em. With a pot limit, the maximum bet is determined by the size of the pot.
Preflop: Small and big blinds are posted. Players receive four hole cards.
Flop, Turn, and River: Community cards are dealt the same as in regular Hold'em.
Tips
- Don’t fall in the trap of playing too many hands simply because you see more possibilities and combinations. Stick to strong starting hands and force players to fold.
- Your discarded hole cards are valuable information. Make use of it.
- Be more conservative with your bluffing.
3. Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is a traditional poker variation with a unique draw and no community cards.
Rules
Seven Card Stud is typically played with 2 to 8 players. Players receive seven cards, where best five-card hand wins. The game consists of five rounds of betting.
Ante: Players post an ante (initial stake) to start the hand.
Third Street: Each player receives three cards – two face-down (hole cards) and one face-up (door card). The player with the lowest door card starts the betting.
Fourth Street: Players receive another face-up card. Betting starts with the player showing the highest hand.
Fifth Street: Another face-up card is dealt.
Sixth Street: Players receive another face-up card.
Seventh Street (River): The final card is dealt face-down. The last round of betting occurs.
Tips
- Keep a close eye on all the face-up cards players are dealt. This will tell you what possible hands your opponents have, but also which cards are out.
- Play aggressively when you have the best hand.
4. Razz
Razz is a lowball Seven Card Stud poker variation where the objective is to have the lowest possible hand. It's a fun switch-up from the usual high-hand games.
Rules
Razz uses a 52-card deck, where Aces count as 1. Straights and flushes don’t count in Razz, so the worst hand you can have is a four-of-a-kind, while the best hand is A-2-3-4-5.
Just like in Seven Card Stud, the game starts with players posting an ante, after which three cards are dealt to the players - two face-down and one face-up. In Razz, the player with the highest face-up card starts the betting. Then, there are 5 subsequent betting rounds, third street to seventh street. The lowest hand wins the game.
Tips
- Keep track of face-up cards to get valuable information of your opponents hands, as well as the chances of hitting an undesirable pair.
- Try to “steal the antes”: Whenever your door card is lower than that of opponents, consider betting to force them to fold. You might have high cards in the hole, but they don’t know that.
5. Stud/8
Stud/8, also known as Stud Hi-Lo, is a variant of Seven Card Stud poker. In this game, the player aims to form the best high hand OR low hand.
Rules
The game is played between 2 to 8 players with a standard 52-card deck.
Players are dealt two face-down cards and one face-up card. Betting starts with the player showing the lowest face-up card. To qualify for a low hand, you can not have a hand higher than 8-low (Any hand containing cards above 8 or pairs is automatically disqualified)
Stud/8 is dealt identical to regular Seven Card Stud.
The pot is divided between the player with the highest hand and the one with the lowest. If there is no qualifying low hand, the highest hand wins the entire pot.
Tips
- Aces are especially strong in Stud/8 as they can form both highest and lowest hands.
- Try to play hands that can make both low and high hands, such as suited “babies” (cards under 8).
6. Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is an old timey poker variation often depicted in Western films. Although not as prevalent in casinos anymore, its iconic status warants a spot on the list.
Rules
Rules: In Five Card Draw, players receive five cards face down. The goal is to create the best five-card hand.
Pre-draw: Players are dealt five cards each.
Draw: Players have the option to exchange some or all of their cards for new ones from the deck in hopes of improving their hand.
Showdown: After the drawing round, there is a final round of betting, followed by a showdown if multiple players remain in the game.
A variation known as triple-draw features three drawing rounds instead of one.
Tips
- Play strong starting hands and don’t just rely on the luck of the draw.
- The number of cards opponents are throwing can give you valuable information about the hand composition they are chasing.
7. Crazy Pineapple Poker
Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple are playful variations of Texas Hold'em where players receive three hole cards instead of two.
Rules
In Pineapple, one of the three hole cards is discarded right away. In Crazy Pineapple, players keep the three hole cards until the Flop. After the three community cards are revealed, players can choose which hole card they want to discard. Afterwards, the game continues like regular Texas Hold’em.
Tips
- Because weaker hands are discarded, players are more likely to connect with the board and form strong hands. Prioritize cards with higher post-flop equity and discard weaker pocket pairs.
- Crazy Pineapple is very similar to Texas Hold’em so it is worthwhile to study it.
8. Chinese Poker
Chinese Poker, also known as Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC), is a unique and highly social poker variation that doesn't involve traditional betting. Players focus on forming three poker hands at once.
Rules
Chinese Poker is played with a 52-card deck and up to four players. Players receive 13 cards each and aim to create three poker hands: a front hand (3 cards), a middle hand (5 cards), and a back hand (5 cards).
Cards are placed face up in the front and middle hands, while the back hand remains face down.
Points are awarded based on the strength of each hand, following a predetermined scoring system. Players can earn additional points for specific card combinations.
Tips
- Keep an eye on your opponents' hands to make informed decisions about your own card placement.
9. Casino Poker
This player-vs-dealer poker inspired game is commonly played in online live casinos. The goal of the game is to form a hand higher than the dealer’s.
Rules are different depending on what variation you choose to play. Some popular variations include three card hold’em, caribbean stud and ultimate texas hold’em.
10. Video Poker
Video poker combines elements of traditional poker with the convenience of a slot machine.
Rules
In Video Poker, you are dealt five cards. And just like in Five Card Draw, you can choose which ones to keep and which to replace in the hopes of forming a winning hand. Payouts are determined by the strength of the final hand.
Tips
- Different Video Poker machines have various payout tables, so study them to maximize your potential winnings.
- Manage your bankroll wisely. A good rule of thumb is to have 3x to 4x what the machine pays for a Royal Flush.
Poker purists might argue that video poker is not real poker, but we here at MrWest don’t like to discriminate. Besides, there’s fun to be had both ways!
Responsible gaming advisory
Please note that the strategies and recommendations offered in our blog articles do not guarantee success or winnings. Gambling is inherently risky and should be undertaken with player discretion. MrWest holds no responsibility for any losses incurred by players while using these strategies and tips.
At MrWest, we are dedicated to endorsing responsible gaming as an integral part of our customer care and ethos. We aim for you to enjoy your casino experience while being fully aware of the risks of problem gambling. If you or someone you know is struggling with addictive gambling behaviors, please reach out:
- Gambling Therapy: https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/
- Gamblers Anonymous: http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
- Responsible Gaming: http://www.responsiblegambling.org/
Resources
- YouTube. (n.d.). Daniel Negreanu. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@dnegspoker
- Cashman, H. (2010). The poker book: The rules, the games, the Lingo.