Poker is a super-popular card game with many different variants. Each has its own unique rules and strategies, as well as plus points that will suit some players over others.
If you’re a beginner, navigating these can be daunting. However, this guide will introduce you to the top poker variants. Plus, there’ll even be some strategic tips to get you started.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is far and away the most popular poker variant. Generally, it’s the one you’ll encounter in casinos all across the world and tournaments, local, national, and even global. Each player receives two cards into their hand – they’re called hole cards – and five community cards, which are dealt face-up.
The winning player is the one who makes the best five-card hand with any combination of the hole cards and community cards. Or, the one who bluffs successfully!
Basic Rules
Everyone is dealt two hole cards, then follow the betting rounds (pre-flop, flop, turn, and river). In the first three betting rounds as laid out before, the community cards get dealt.
Use these betting rounds, complete with new information to make your bets wisely. It’s easy to be confident on the flop, but you don’t want to be scrambling for cards by the river!
Strategy Tip: Focus on playing strong starting hands. Beginners should be cautious with their hand selection, playing tighter pre-flop and not relying on luck, or bluffing until they’re confident with how the game works.
Omaha
Omaha is similar to Texas Hold’em but with a key difference – each player is dealt four hole cards instead of two. You’ll also need to use exactly two of those cards. The aim is still the same, to make the best five card hand, or convince everybody else that you’ve got it.
Learning all there is to know about how to play Omaha is a little harder than Texas Hold’em for some people. This is because of the potential for larger swings. A good player playing against weak players will probably fare better in Omaha though, it’s learning how to manage those swings.
Basic Rules
Everyone gets four hole cards (not two like in Hold’em). The betting rounds and the community cards follow in exactly the same way. The only exception is that you must use two of your own hole cards to make your hand.
Strategy Tip: Because you have four hole cards, many more hand combinations are possible. Know your hand rankings inside out and keep an eye on your opponents.
Seven-Card Stud
Seven-Card Stud used to reign supreme as the King of the poker variants, but then Hold’em came along. Nowadays you’ll find this variant at well-stocked online casinos, but rarely in brick and mortar establishments.
Seven-Card Stud does not use community cards. You just make the best (5 card) hand you can out of the seven cards you’re given.
Basic Rules
Seven Card Stud works quite differently to the rest. All of the cards are dealt to the players individually. First two hole cards, then one face up card. Five betting rounds follow as the hands are made up to seven cards.
You need to make the best five card hand that you can with the seven that you have – all the while looking at those face-up cards to be sure what you’re up against.
Strategy Tip: Pay attention to the up-cards of your opponents. These are the only clues you have as to the hands your opponents are going to make.
Five-Card Draw
Five-Card Draw is one of the simplest poker variants. So, it’s a great starting point for beginners, particularly those into numbers games. Each player is dealt five private cards. Next, they have one opportunity to exchange any number of these cards for new ones from the deck.
Basic Rules
This game is a blast and a great way to teach beginners hand rankings, without the pressures of keeping an eye on anyone else’s cards. Each player is dealt five cards into their hand, one round of betting follows and then comes the fun part.
Everybody is allowed to swap as many cards from their deck as they like, but only once! Once this has finished, there’s a final round of bets and the best five card hand wins.
Strategy Tip: If you start with a great hand, don’t be tempted to draw just because you can. Keep your hand rankings in mind and draw just the number that you need to. All your cards count!
