12 Game-Changing Poker Types for Your Casino Strategy

Top 12 Types of Poker Games

Poker has changed from the backrooms of smoky Wild West saloons, through the hi-tech revolution of the internet and TV global tournaments, into its myriad of unique forms with their own rules and strategies. Let’s see which are the most popular poker games. 

Texas Hold’em

In Texas Hold’em, each player is given two private hole cards, and then five community cards are kept face-up on the board. Then, in three stages, a “flop” of three cards, a single “turn” card, and finally one last “river” card is used. The players’ hole cards can be combined with the community cards to create the best five-card combination. 

It has four betting rounds, calling for skillful play involving position, bluffing, and pot odds. Because of the perfect blend of being complex at times with the simplicity of very easy to grasp rules, Texas Hold’em makes tables in casinos, tournaments, and internet games.

Omaha

Omaha is one of the types of poker games that some people say is closely related to Texas Holdem; however, in this game, there are four hole cards instead of two. Players can only use two of the hole cards and three of the five community cards for their hand. 

The most prevalent form is Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), where bets are capped at the size of the pot. It is very action-oriented because of the added hand cards. It’s for people who like to do a lot of math and accept that a high level of variance should make depth more appealing.

Seven-Card Stud

Prior to the Hold’em boom in popularity, Seven-Card Stud was the game of choice for most poker players. In contrast to community card games, where players receive a total of seven or fewer cards in a seven-card stud, players receive seven individual cards, some face down and some face up, over several betting rounds. 

Seeing as how there are no cards on the board, hand reading and memory are key in this situation. The game is typically played with limit-style betting and is very rewarding for the observant, patient player. Keeping an eye on exposed cards and folded hands allows players to have an edge based on statistics.

Five-Card Draw

Five-Card Draw is one of the simplest forms of poker, and it can be a good introduction to poker. Each player is initially given five private cards. After a round of betting, they may exchange up to three cards with the dealer. 

A final round of betting also occurs, and the best five-card hand wins. Without community cards and no shared cards, bluffing and psychological reads are key skills. Five-Card Draw may not be as interesting as Hold’em or Omaha, but it is still played a lot in home games and on a few online poker sites.

Razz

Razz is a variant of lowball poker. Here, the lowest five-card hand wins. Aces are low, flushes and straights are disregarded, and the best possible hand is A-2-3-4-5. This is also known as the “wheel.” Like Seven-Card Stud, players are dealt seven cards: three face down, four face up. Betting always started with the player showing the lowest card. Because there are no community cards, it also requires memory and a steady eye. 

Pineapple

Pineapple poker is a Hold em-style game with a twist. Here, you play with 3 “hole” cards and discard your worst hole card following the flop. Players are dealt three hole cards instead of two, which they discard one of before the flop in Pineapple, and after the flop in Crazy or Lazy Pineapple. 

The latter half of the game proceeds as in Texas Hold’em, with five community cards. That extra hole card makes for much more interesting decisions and makes the variance higher. 

Triple Draw Lowball 

Triple Draw Lowball is draw poker in which the lowest-hand wins, and that has little to no flush or straight potential. Aces are high, so the best hand in this game is 7-5-4-3-2, not all of the same suit. 

Players receive five cards and can draw up to three times, with a betting round after each hand of cards. There are no exposed cards like Stud or Hold’em, so players are using the betting behavior of their opponents and any information garnered to make bets and calls.

HORSE

HORSE is a combination of these five games and changes to a new game after the hand of one is complete: Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Eight-or-Better (Stud Hi/Lo). 

HORSE puts a player to the examination of his or her ability in all poker variations. You need to change your strategy to play games, so it takes mental flexibility to shift from one game to another. HORSE is often played in high-stakes cash games and large tournaments like the WSOP. 

Badugi

Here, each player receives four cards and aims to form the lowest possible hand with four cards that differ not just in suit, but also in value, where 4-3-2-A is the best possible hand. Hands are weakened by pairs, the same suit, or high cards. They play three draw rounds separated by betting rounds. 

The game’s novelty requires players to sidestep conventional considerations like hand composition and proper bluffing scenarios. Badugi is becoming more and more popular in mixed game rotations, and is an interesting change for some of the regular lowball players that we all know.

Chinese Poker

Chinese Poker is more like a game consisting of 13 rounds, where the players try to get the best hand they can. Each player is given 13 cards to divide into three hands (three cards in the front hand, five cards in the middle hand, and five cards in the back hand). The back shall be the strongest and shall have the least on the front. 

The winner of each section scores points, and strong hands are rewarded with bonuses. Chinese Poker is simple to learn, but it takes skill to master the art of scaring your opponents, directly from your iPhone or iPad. Its relaxing speed and ample dose of chance, however, is perfect for social gaming.

Short Deck Hold’em

Short Deck Hold’em is a variant of Texas Hold’em, but it is played with a 36-card deck; cards 2 through 5 are removed. This changes the hand rankings a bit: a flush defeats a full house, and a straight can be made with an Ace-6. Each player is dealt two hole cards and shares five community cards. 

The reduced size of the deck (1-packs) makes big hands more common, and bold play more rewarding. The game is famed for its speedy play and high volatility and has taken a foothold in high-stakes poker games and the Asian market.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is a card game where, instead of competing against each other, players compete against the house. Everyone is up, and each player is dealt five cards. One of the dealer’s cards is shown. With their hand strength, players can choose to fold or raise. Should the dealer qualify (typically with an Ace-King or better), the two hands are compared, and you will receive a payout according to the paytable. 

Caribbean stud has a side bet, the progressive jackpot side bet. It adds in-house house-game elements to poker mechanics, and sees action from more casual players, at venues such as live and online casinos.