Poker is one of the oldest and most popular card games. It is played all over the world and even has global tournaments. Like every popular casino game, it has several variants, each offering a different experience. Although the general rules and card hierarchy have not changed, these variants differ, particularly in terms of gameplay and stake amounts. Some of them are quite simple, some have surprisingly complex rules. If you want to try different poker variants, you need to know about each one. That’s why we’ve prepared this guide. Below, you can find the basics of the most popular poker games online.
Texas Holdem Poker
Texas Holdem is probably the best known and most played variant of poker. It even has its own global tournament called the “World Series of Poker” (WSOP). This game was invented in Texas in the late 1900s and became popular in Las Vegas casinos in the 1960s. Texas Holdem is played by community poker rules, which means players try to create the best possible poker hand, using both their own hand and the cards on the table. The game consists of multiple betting rounds and begins with each player receiving two cards. The dealer then puts three cards face up on the table and waits for the players to take a specific betting action: you can raise the bet, match it, fold or leave the game. The dealer triggers different betting rounds by placing the fourth and fifth cards on the table, respectively.
Simply put, players have two cards, and there are also five cards on the table. The goal is to use these seven cards to form the best poker hand. The amount of the pot continues to increase in every betting round and can sometimes reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Texas Holdem can be played with 10 players and is therefore well suited for tournaments. Every year, multiple tournaments are held for this game around the world. In WSOP tournaments, the amount of the grand prize can reach millions of dollars. If you want to try this variant, you can start with Texas Holdem Poker by Evoplay. We also recommend you to try the Omaha Holdem variant, which has slightly simpler gameplay: this game is also played according to the community poker rules.
Draw Poker
This variant has two types: five card draw and seven card draw. Seven card draw is the more popular one and can be found in many casinos. Five card draw is generally used in video poker machines. Draw Poker is the simplest variant of this game, and it is also very suitable for beginners. So if you want to learn the basics of poker, you can start with these games. The basic rules of both variants are very simple:
- Players place their bets (this is called the ante bet).
- Each player gets five (or seven) cards.
- The first round of betting starts and continues until all players call.
- After that, players have the right to change unwanted cards. So, for example, you can hold two cards and swap three cards.
- The second round of betting begins and continues again until all players call.
- Players determine who wins by comparing their hands.
One of the most important differences between five card and seven card draw is the number of decks. Seven card draw poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, while special decks of 32 cards are used for the five card draw game variant. The gameplay is quite fast in both variants. You to learn the basic poker rules easily. Here’s a little hint: the high card and one pair are the hands with the highest odds. The probability of getting the first is 50.12%, and for the second, it’s 42.30%.
Stud Poker
This game originated during the US Civil War, so it’s considered one of the oldest variants of poker. Interestingly, it is more common nowadays in European countries rather than the US and is available in all casinos in these countries. (The Finns call this game “Sökö”.) It has its own special variants like high/low, Canadian Stud, and Telesina, but its most basic form, five card stud, is played like this:
- Players initially receive two cards: one face up and one face down.
- After each player receives two cards, the first round of betting begins. As with other poker variants, it is possible to raise the bet, match it, fold, or exit the game.
- The croupier deals a third card face up and starts the second round of betting.
- Fourth and fifth cards are also dealt face up, respectively, and each triggers its own betting round. The fifth card means the last round has started. Players who remain in the game after the betting actions complete compare their hands and determine who has won.
This was the game played in the Wild West, so you may remember this game from cowboy movies. Today, although it is not as common as other variants, we can say that it is still a popular game, especially in the southern states of the USA and European casinos. These are the most common of the numerous poker variants, and you can start from whichever you want. We recommend that beginners choose “draw” and professional gamblers choose “community” variants. But the decision is yours: poker offers a different experience and fun with each variant.
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