Before you jump into the world of online poker it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the different game types out there. Because Poker is such a classic game, there are loads of different rule sets, hands, and names for the game.
Texas Hold ‘Em is the most common game type, but some casinos and Poker sites will offer lots of different types of Poker. Here are some of the most popular poker games you’ll find online:
Types of Poker: Texas Hold ‘Em
The most popular game of Poker in the world and without a doubt the most common too. If an online casino offers Poker, you can bet it will have at least one type of Texas Hold ‘Em available. Two cards are dealt with each player at the start of the game. Five community cards are also dealt and the player who makes the strongest five-card hand wins. Players have four betting rounds and compete against each other while betting.
Types Of Poker: Seven Card Stud
Seven-card Stud is unique from a lot of other Poker games in that there are no community cards. Instead, players are dealt five cards and must make the best hand using five of them. In Seven Card Stud, some rule types permit the use of wild cards, making a five of a kind the best hand in the game. Before Texas Hold ‘Em became popular, this was the most common type of Poker found at casinos.
Types of Poker: Omaha Hold ‘Em
In this game, players are dealt four cards. You’ll need to make the best possible hand using two of your cards plus three of the five community cards. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, you won’t be able to use just one of the cards in your hand. You must use two of the four cards you’re dealt. The hand rankings in Omaha Hold ‘Em are similar to the rankings in Texas Hold ‘Em.
Types of Poker: Omaha Hi-Lo
Sometimes known as “Split 8 or Better”, Omaha Hi-Lo is similar to Omaha Hold ‘Em but with a split pot. Players will be competing to have the best high hand and the best low hand. High hands are made up of the higher value cards, while low hands are made from eight or lower. It’s possible for a single player to win the entire pot, either by forcing their opponents to fold or by making a winning high hand and low hand. Like Omaha Hold ‘Em, players are dealt four cards and will have to use at least two to make a hand.
Types of Poker: Razz
Razz is very similar to Seven-card Stud Poker only here the lowest hand wins. As with Seven-card Stud, players are dealt seven cards and will need to make the best possible hand using five of them. There are no community cards here, so it’s harder to know what kind of hands other players have. Whereas in Seven-card Stud a hand straight containing high cards like tens, Jacks, and Kings would likely win, in Razz a hand with lower values like Ace, twos, threes, fours, and fives would win. Another variation of this game is known as London Lowball and makes straights and flushes less valuable.
Types of Poker: Chinese Poker
Chinese Poker is a bit of a beginner-friendly game as there are fewer hands to worry about. Here players are dealt thirteen cards and must divide them up into three sections, the front, middle, and back. The game uses points for scoring, and players can win a higher number of points for better hands. There are lots of different variations of Chinese Poker that introduce different rules affecting folding, wins, and hands.
Draw Poker
Draw Poker is a category of Poker games that allows players to change their cards during betting rounds. Players are dealt a complete hand but can replace their cards if they prefer. This adds a bit more strategy and lets players potentially gamble to improve their hands. There are a few different variations of Draw Poker which we’ll cover more in a bit.
Types of Poker: 2-7 Triple Draw
This is a type of Draw Poker where the lowest hand wins. Players are dealt five cards at the beginning of the game and must make the lowest possible hand with them. They can choose to fold or to swap between one and all of their cards for new ones. In this game type straights and flushes are considered bad hands and aces are considered a high card.
Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is another type of Draw Poker. It’s often considered the simplest and easiest game of Poker to learn. Most types of Video Poker are based on this game type. Players are dealt five cards face down one at a time. During the betting phase, cards can be replaced if requested by the player. Unlike 2-7 Triple Draw, you’ll be playing to make the best possible hand of five cards rather than the lowest. Flushes and Straights are high-ranked hands.
Types of Poker: Caribbean Stud Poker
Caribbean Stud Poker is derived from the rules of five-card Stud Poker. However, the key difference with this game type is that players are up against the dealer rather than each other. Similar to Blackjack, you’ll be trying to land the best hand and beat the dealer. Many players prefer Caribbean Stud Poker for this fact as it means the game is a little simpler to play. The dealer only plays if they are dealt a face card or an Ace.
Types of Poker: Casino Hold ‘Em
Casino Hold ‘Em is pretty similar to Texas Hold ‘Em with one major difference. As with Caribbean Stud Poker, in Casino Hold ‘Em you’ll be playing against the casino, not against other players. Both the player and the dealer will be dealt two cards, and the dealer will only continue playing if they have a qualifying card. Rather than placing bets during a betting round, the payout of the game is predetermined and based on your winning hand.
Video Poker
Video Poker is an RNG casino game that allows you to play different variations of poker against a computer. Most games are based on Five Card Draw Poker. They work a bit like slot machines, only you’ll be trying to create a winning hand rather than matching symbols. In Video Poker, you’ll usually be able to swap your cards to improve your hand. Different hands payout different prizes.
Types of Poker: Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow is a traditional Chinese game that’s usually played with dominos. Pai Gow Poker uses playing cards instead of dominos. The game uses a standard 52 card deck but also includes one Joker. Players have to make two separate hands, one from two cards and the other from five. The five-card hand must outrank the two-card hand and players have to either beat the dealer or each other, depending on the variant. Hands are similar to standard Poker, but the Joker can sometimes be used as either a wild or an Ace.
