Poker has exploded in popularity over the last couple decades, thanks largely to the boom of online poker and television coverage of high-stakes tournaments. But for many newcomers, the fact that poker has many different variants can be confusing.
The basics of poker are easy enough to grasp. The goal is to make the best five-card hand possible. But every major variant has its own specific gameplay rules, hand rankings and winning strategies. This guide will cover the basics of the most popular poker variants at NineCasino to help new players understand exactly how each one is played.
The Main Variants of Poker
While there are dozens of poker variants, a few of the main ones make up the majority of action at casinos, poker sites and home games. These popular variants include:
- Texas Hold’em: Undoubtedly the world’s most popular poker game today. Players get two hole cards and five community cards are dealt.
- Omaha: Similar to Texas Hold’em but players get four hole cards instead of two. Must use two hole cards and three board cards to make a hand.
- Seven-Card Stud: A classic poker game where players get three hole cards and four exposed upcards that all play.
- Five-Card Draw: Old-school poker where players get five-hole cards, can discard up to three and replace them trying to make the best hand.
- Five-Card Stud: Get one hole card and four exposed cards. Make the best five-card hand from your upcards and hidden cards.
Now let’s take a deeper look into the specifics of how each game plays along with vital strategy advice.
Texas Hold’em Gameplay Basics
Texas Hold’em has taken over the poker world thanks largely to the World Series of Poker and the online poker boom. The rules are easy enough to pick up for newbies, but allow for complex strategies that keep the game exciting for pros.
Players are dealt two hole cards face down, which only they can see. Five community cards are dealt face up on the table and used by all players to make the best five-card hand. These are dealt with in four rounds:
- The Flop: Three community cards dealt face up
- The Turn: Fourth community card
- The River: Final (fifth) community card
Players have four chances to bet – after the flop, turn, river, or fold. Winning hands are ranked just like any poker game, with Royal Flushes being best and high card hands worst. In order to diversify your gaming routine, we suggest you consider the big top slot review.
Key Texas Hold’em Strategy Tips
Texas Hold’em strategy can get incredibly complex when you reach advanced play. But some basic tips for newer players include:
- Play Strong Starting Hands: Having a strong hole card pairing like Aces, Kings, or Queens is ideal. Also strong are suited cards with contiguous ranks like 9 and 10 of hearts.
- Determine Position: Players in late positions get to see what others do before acting, giving them an edge. The position is vital for beginners.
- Make Good Decisions Pre-Flop: Decide if the odds of your hole cards hitting trips or a flush are high enough to continue based on other player actions. Don’t throw chips away on low odds holdings.
Omaha Poker Basics
Omaha Poker has Rules similar to Texas Hold’em in terms of the five community cards dealt. However, players start with four hole cards instead of two. You must use two – and only two – or your hole cards to combine with three board cards to make the best five-card poker hand.
Even though having four cards seems better odds, Omaha is still much tougher to master than Hold’em since reading other players’ ranges is more complicated.
Winning Omaha Strategy Guide
Having more hole cards in Omaha allows for greater combinations, but it’s still crucial to stick to cards that could lead to very strong holdings. Solid starting hands in Omaha include:
- Paired Cards: Any pair along with two suited cards as backups. AAXX, KKQT are all very strong
- Suited Cards: Having four cards of the same suit allows you to more easily hit flushes. Play these strongly.
Since hands develop much faster in Omaha, you generally want to be a bit more conservative pre-flop than with Texas Hold’em starting hands. Don’t fall in love with a four-card straight or flush draw – wait until you improve.
Seven-Card Stud Explained
A poker classic, Seven-Card Stud has lost some popularity to community card games like Hold’em. But it still has a dedicated following because skilled stud players can leverage their card-reading abilities.
Each player gets three initial cards – two hole cards and one facing up. Then four more upcards are dealt with betting rounds between each. The best five-card hand taking the pot. In the final round, players can “bring it in” and start wagering without waiting on the initial bettor.
Winning Seven-Card Stud Strategies
Stud strategy includes:
- Read Opponents: What do their upcards dead about possible full hands? Watch for pairs and flush draws.
- Consider Your Position: A late position gets valuable info before acting.
- Don’t Chase Much: Drawing hands need proper pot odds. Fold more in Stud than Hold’em or Omaha.
Five-Card Draw Basics
The earliest form of poker, Five-Card Draw remains popular in home games thanks to simple rules. Players get five hole cards, can discard up to three and get replacements trying to make the best hand. After the draw, whoever builds the strongest traditional poker hand wins.
Five-Card Draw Tips
Successful Five-Card Draw requires:
- Patience: No draws or community cards here. But don’t be afraid to break up lower pairs.
- Aggressiveness: When you have strong hands pre-draw, bet them hard to force folds.
- Avoid Chasing: Without great odds to fill a straight or flush, don’t waste large bets staying in.
Five Card Stud Poker
Five Card Stud has waned a bit in recent decades but still has an audience seeking this classic game.
You get one hole card and four cards facing up with betting rounds between each. Make your best five-card hand from the upcards and your hidden hole card. Pairs and three-card straights make strong starter hands to build from.
Parting Thoughts
Learning all of poker’s major variants gives you an appreciation for how much depth and complexity this amazing card game contains. Texas Hold’em makes an ideal launching point given its surging popularity and availability online. But expanding into Omaha, Stud, Draw and other games keeps your poker skills evolving.
The basics of hand rankings and betting sequences transfer between variants. But every poker game has its own specific quirks, strategies and “texture” during play. Start with No Limit Hold’em to grasp poker’s essence. Then spread your wings to other games for enjoyment and profit.
