When people think of poker or online poker, most would probably think of Texas Hold’em, which is generally the most played and the most popular poker version in both the real and digital world. Many people are unaware though there are numerous exciting poker variations to play online.
If you’re unaware of what these poker variations are and want to find out more, check out some of the most popular online poker variations:
Texas Hold’em
In this no-limit poker version, players are given 2 cards and have to try combine these cards with 5 community cards in order to achieve the best possible hand.
How to play Texas Hold’em:
- One player puts in money as the small blind, while another player puts in money as the big blind.
- Each player receives 2 cards face-down.
- The first player to act is the player to the left of the big blind. They can either call, raise or fold.
- The next player has to call if the player in front has made a bet. Alternatively, they can raise or fold. This process continues around the table until the last highest best has been matched.
- After the first betting round, a flop is dealt (first set of 3 community cards dealt face-up)
- More betting takes place before a 4th community card (the “turn”) is dealt.
- Another round of betting occurs before the “river” (the final card dealt in a poker hand)
- A final betting round takes place.
- If one player is left at any point, that player will win the pot.
- If 2 or more players complete the last betting round, a showdown will occur where the best 5-card poker hand will win.
7-Card-Stud
As the name suggests, players using this version are each dealt 7 cards, with 3 cards dealt face down (hole cards) and 4 cards dealt face up. Ultimately, players must form the best 5-card poker hand from those 7 cards.
How to play 7 Card Stud:
- Each player puts in an ante bet (this is a forced bet that all players must make before the cards are dealt).
- Each player will receive 2 cards face-down and 1 card face-up.
- The player with the lowest value face-up card must make the first bet (and gets the dealer button).
- This player can either pay the “bring in” (equal to the size of the ante) or “complete( put in enough chips to equal the “small bet”).
- The player to the left of the dealer button has to call if the player in front has made a bet.
- Otherwise, the player can raise or fold. If there's no bet, the player can check or bet.
- Once the betting action concludes, everyone remaining in the hand receives a 4th card face-up and another betting round occurs.
- This process continues as long as two or more players are active. When active players have seven cards, a final betting round takes place until one player remains and wins
- If two or more players are still active, a showdown will take place and the best 5-card poker hand will wins ( a player can use any five of their seven cards to make a hand).
Omaha Hi-Lo
In this version of Omaha Poker, the pot is split between the best high and low hands, with players competing for both the high and low halves of the pot. Players are dealt 4 cards and must use 2 of them, combined with 3 community cards, to create the best five-card poker hand for both the high and low hands.
The rules of Omaha Hi-Lo poker:
- Each player receives four cards and must use two of their hole cards.
- Betting is either fixed or has a pot limit.
- There are five community cards in play.
- Betting can either be fixed or have a pot Limit.
- The small blind and big blind have forced bets.
- Winner = best five-card low-ranking hand and the best five-card high-ranking hand (pots can be split between two players or claimed by one overall winner)
5-Card Draw
Five card draw is perceived by some to be a simpler poker version, The ultimate aim of the game is to achieve the strongest five-card hand, with a maximum of six players allowed. This poker variant allows for a maximum of six players. Before receiving their cards, each player must place an ante bet. The dealer then gives each player a card until they all have five cards.
How to play 5-Card Draw
- The play begins with the player left of the dealer
- A player must call if another player raises or folds if they choose not to match the raise.
- Once each player has made their decision, they must choose which cards to keep and which cards to discard.
- Each player is then given new cards according to how many cards they choose not to keep.
- Each player must choose to either check or flop
- With this new set of five cards, players must reveal their hands to decide who the winner is.
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