Planning an evening with friends and feeling a little stuck on what to do for entertainment? Did you know there are many different poker variants for you to enjoy? Play for money or just bragging rights. We have compiled a list of five of our favorite versions of this class game to make you a hit with your guests.
Texas Hold’em
An all-time classic and the perfect starting point if you’re new to the game. It plays out in the following stages:
Pre-Flop – Every player is given two cards that they cannot show to anyone else; these are called ‘hole’ cards.
The Flop – Three cards dealt faceup are next in the sequence known as community cards.
The Turn – You will receive a fourth community card.
The River – The fifth community card is shown.
After each round, bets are placed as players call, raise, or fold, depending on the state of their cards. The goal is to assemble the best five-card poker hand using the seven cards available. Occasionally, two or more remaining players will show their hands (a showdown), and the best hand wins. Other times, all but one player would fold and leave with the money.
Omaha
The rules of Omaha are similar to those of Texas Hold’em, but with a little twist. Omaha allows players to use two cards from their hand plus three cards from the community (instead of just two cards from their hand). Additionally, everyone plays through to the end. With Omaha, you have five community cards, a flop, turn, and river, and no differences in betting are made between Texas Hold’em and Omaha. When the players go to a showdown, the one with the best high hand wins.
Seven-card Stud
There was a time when this game ruled before the popularity of Texas Hold’em exploded. The game is a little more complicated, and it is generally regarded as requiring more skill. Unlike other poker games that have flops and community cards, a seven-card stud only has two to eight players. To begin with, there are two faceup cards, a facedown card and a faceup card (the hole card and the door card). Three facedown cards are dealt, and four faceup cards are dealt on top. You choose the five cards you like best. Following the last round of betting, everyone reveals their cards. A five-card hand with the best five cards out of seven is the winner.
Five-card draw
The primary objective of this poker game is to deal the cards correctly, but there is also room for some strategy! A five-card hand must be constructed in the best way possible. Each player gets five cards at the beginning, and the first round of betting begins. During the first round of betting, you will need to place a bet, and then you will be able to exchange three cards and move on to the second round. A winner is determined by the player with the best hand after this. There is nothing complicated about this game, but players often try to gauge their opponents and gain an advantage. After the first round of betting, your opponent’s choice of how many cards to draw can give you a clue as to how their hand is shaping up. It could also be that they’re trying to bluff you into folding – all part of the game!
High Low Chicago
High Low Chicago works with the Seven-card Stud game so that players can focus on getting either the highest or lowest hand. There may be two winners who divide the pot. The player with the highest or lowest spade in the hole (facedown) wins half of the pool; whoever has the best hand after this wins the rest of the pool. The only instance where this doesn’t happen is if one player has the best spade in their hand as well as the best overall hand, and then they win everything. Every player is given one card at the start of the game, which is placed faceup. The individual with the lowest faceup card will begin betting (this bet is often pre-determined before starting the game). Players can choose to fold, call or raise after bets have been made.
