Variations of Poker

Did you know that poker has been a very popular card game since the 1800s in America? It was called ‘poque’ back then. There was also a variation in China that existed called the leaf game. Then, there is Mahjong which is known to be the earliest ancestor of poker. Nowadays, through the internet, it can be played online. Various platforms offer variations like poker 99.

Through time, different variations have been developed – each having its own set of rules – though it will be easier to adjust to different variants of poker if you are quite familiar with the basics. When you have mastered one variant, adopting another will be easier because some of the rules are quite the same.

Here are ten of the most popular variations of poker:

1. Texas Hold ’em. This is the most widely used poker game. Since most people are familiar with this game, more information is available online, making the playing field a bit more even.

• Omaha Hi. This is the second most popular poker game. It is almost similar to Texas Hold ‘em except that four-holed cards are played instead of two. Thus, it is easier to get strong hands.

• Omaha Hi-Lo. This is similar to Omaha-Hi except that the pot showdown is divided equally between the highest-ranked five-card poker and the lowest-ranked five-card poker hands.

• 7-card Stud. Before Texas Hold ‘em’s popularity, 7-card Stud held the title. Nowadays, it is only played in certain tournaments. Each player will receive a hand, some are face down, and some are face-up. 

• 2-7 Triple Draw. Each player will receive 5 cards and they have three attempts to make the best out of their low hands. It is different because you need the lowest-ranked cards to win.

• 5-Card Draw. It has only one drawing round so it’s quicker and easier to play. You will play a lot more hands than other variations of poker.

• 5-Card Omaha. This variation has more chances of making strong hands. Though the bets in this game are quite high and you must have a strong attitude to not be affected no matter what happens.

• Badugi. It is similar to 2-7 triple draw. The objective of this game is to produce the lowest badugi.

• HORSE. It is usually played in live and high-stakes games. It is more fun because it is a combination of different poker variations like Hold ’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Stud, and Eight-or-Better (Stud Hi/Lo).

1. Razz. It is very similar to Stud Poker except the goal for this game is to make the lowest hand possible.

Poker is a great help in developing critical thinking. It is about calculating the risk and making wise decisions from the information you have. Also, this is where you’ll develop the mental endurance to deal with pressure.

Are you familiar with any of the stated variations? Now, you can invite your friends and play a bit different than usual rules to add some spice and fun to the game. Or you might be interested in playing online too.

However, if you are not familiar with any of the rules in poker, I suggest learning it first. Then it will be easier to study its different variations. Mostly, the basics are the same for each of them.