Poker has been played in online casinos for years, but we bet there are more types of poker than you’re even aware of. In this blog, we will talk you through the different types of poker games and show you which ones are the most popular.
Texas Hold’em is one of the most popular variants and is usually the game everyone thinks of when playing poker. But other types of poker games shouldn’t be overlooked either. Our blog will give you everything you need to know about the most common types of poker games, so next time you head to the tables, you’ll have much more variety to choose from.
How Many Types of Poker Are There?
There are many types of poker games at casinos, and with so many to choose from it may seem a little daunting. But that’s where we come in because we’re going to show you some.
There are three main types of poker games which are Draw Poker, Stud Poker, and Community Card Poker; most variants will fall into one of these three categories. However, here are the other different types of poker versions you should expect to find in online casinos:
- #1 Texas Hold’em
- #2 Omaha Hi
- #3 Omaha Hi-Lo
- #4 7-Card Stud
- #5 2-7 Triple Draw
- #6 5-Card Draw
- #7 5-Card Omaha
- #8 5-Card Stud
- #9 Badugi
- #10 High/Low Chicago
- #11 Follow the Queen
- #12 HORSE
- #13 Razz
- #14 Chinese Poker
- #15 Short Deck
- #16 Pineapple
- #17 Pot-Limit Omaha
- #18 Caribbean Stud Poker
- #19 Video Poker
- #20 Pai Gow Poker
The Most Popular Types of Poker
You will likely encounter those poker variants, but it’s not easy to pick when there are so many to choose from. Below we will list the most popular types of poker games and some rules on how they work.
Texas Hold’em
This variant is by far the most played poker game around the world. It is usually also the game of choice for the huge poker tournaments that are played. Why is this type of poker game so popular, though? Because it’s one of the easiest to learn! Beginners can easily catch on to the rules, but it’s the perfect game for pros too.
In a game of Texas Hold’em, you will be dealt two pocket/hole cards (face down) and wait for five community cards to be revealed in the middle of the table.
You will be able to use your own two cards and any of the five community cards, and you aim to create the best 5-card poker hand. You can create the following hands, which are also the main poker rankings in most poker variants:
There are four rounds in which betting takes place. The first is when the hole cards are dealt when the first three community cards are shown, after the fourth community card is shown, and once the last one is flipped.
Omaha Hi
This game can also be called Omaha, and it shares its similarities to Texas Hold’em. This poker variant is very popular and often caters to players looking for an action-packed table. Omaha Hi is a game of 2-10 players, and just like Texas Hold’em, there are four betting rounds.
However, you will be dealt four hole cards in this variant, and five community cards are dealt but immediately revealed. Your main aim is to create a 5-card poker hand of the highest value using your hole cards and three community cards.
Listed above is Omaha Hi-Lo, another similar version to Omaha Hi and equally as popular. There is one big difference between them, though. Unlike Omaha Hi, you now have to form two hands using your hole cards and the community cards. You must create one high-valued hand and one low-valued hand!
7-Card Stud
Before Texas Hold’em exploded, this game was the most popular. It may not be as popular as it used to be, but it is still widely enjoyed by players worldwide.
This variant involves two to eight players, and each player will be dealt seven cards. Three cards are dealt face down, and the rest are dealt face up. You aim to make the best possible 5-card poker hand out of your seven cards. Unlike both of the variants we mentioned above, there are no community cards dealt in 7-card Stud.
The game uses standard poker hand ratings like mentioned in Texas Hold’em, but a Royal Flush is the best hand. It is another easy variant to pick up, which means beginners can easily pick up pace after just a few hands.
2-7 Triple Draw
Unlike some of the other poker games, this game (also known as Deuce to Seven) is a more advanced poker type and the aim of the game changes! The 2-7 Triple Draw goal is to get the lowest-ranked hand. The game is action-packed (and a little crazy at times), and there are a lot of strategies involved.
This is a four-round betting game with three draws per game. Betting rules and table structure is similar to Texas Hold’em and Ohama so if you’re already familiar with these variants, you may be able to pick up this one quicker.
You can choose which cards you want to discard during each game round. You don’t have to choose any to discard, but you also have the option to discard up to five. The dealer will then replace any cards you discard. There are a maximum of six players allowed at the table at any one time, and if you’re looking for something different to try, then this one is worth a shot.
High / Low Chicago
In this type of poker variant, you can either play with a high hand or a low hand, and there are two halves to the pot. If you play High Chicago, you will win half the pot if you have the highest spade that is face-down. Alternatively, in Low Chicago, half of the pot is won by the player with the lowest spade face down.
The player with the best hand (regardless of whether it is High or Low Chicago) wins the other half of the pot. There is a chance that you will win the entire pot if you’re lucky enough to have the best hand and the winning spade. This game can also be mixed with other different types of poker games.
Follow the Queen
This is a 7-card stud game that uses a wild card designated as whichever card is dealt next after a queen has been flipped. In other words, if no queens have been flipped, then there will be no wilds during that hand.
However, if when the final card is exposed, and it is a queen, all queens then become wild. Betting rules remain the same as in other 7-card stud games, so if you’re familiar with them, you’ll be able to master this one too.
HORSE
HORSE is an acronym for the following five different types of poker games:
- #1 Hold’em
- #2 Ohama Hi/Lo
- #3 Razz
- #4 Stud
- #5 Eight-or Better
HORSE is often a game seen in the World Series of Poker and is usually played with high stakes in a live setting. This type of game is the ultimate test for poker players and will see them combine their skills from other variants into one game.
Razz
This is a traditional poker variant and is similar to Seven-Card Stud but is a low ball game and a highly strategic one at that, with no community cards. You will be dealt seven cards, and you must form the best possible hand.
There is no dealer in Razz, just like in 7-Card Stud and flushes and straights will not count against you. The ace is also always played as low instead of high. This game can often be frustrating as the hand ranking becomes more complicated. The best possible hand in a game of Razz is A 2 3 4 5, and pairs are classed as high!
Common Types of Poker in Online Casinos
We’ve listed the most popular types of poker games, but there are many other variants from the list above that are just as common. More and more variants are growing in popularity by the day, so here are some other types of poker games you should expect to stumble across in online casinos.
Badugi
This is a more unusual poker variant that has been growing in popularity recently. This game is different from other poker variants because you are dealt four cards instead of the usual five. Badugi is a common variation of draw poker and is a fun and different game.
It shares some similarities to Texas Hold’em regarding the number of betting rounds and blinds, and if you’re familiar with Hold’em, you should also pick the rules of this one up quite quickly.
5-Card Draw
This is quite possibly one of the easiest poker variants to get the hang of which is why it is so common. One of the reasons it’s so easy to play is that there is less strategy involved, making it perfect for beginners and just as fun for pros.
Five Card Draw uses the standard poker hand rankings that we listed further up in the blog, and the best possible hand is Royal Flush. Like Hold’em and Ohama, it shares similar betting rounds, and each hand starts with a player being designated as the dealer.
Chinese Poker
This poker variant is different from the others we have mentioned and doesn’t follow traditional game patterns. However, it remains one of the more common variants as it is beginner-friendly, and if you have a good knowledge of essential poker hand rankings, you should pick this one up in no time.
Chinese Poker usually involves four players but can also accommodate 2-3 players. You will be dealt 13 cards, and you must split these into the following three hands:
- Best 5-card hand
- A middle strength hand
- Your weakest hand
You will then show your hands in this exact order. You can win by having the best hand in each of these three categories, which means if you don’t have the strongest three hands, you can still win a share of the pot with one hand.
Omaha Poker Types
This game was initially derived from the very popular Texas Hold ‘em and, as stated above, is played with two hole cards and five community cards. Here are the types of Ohama variants you may find:
- Pot Limit Ohama Poker - This is the most popular form of Ohama Poker and allows you to bet the same amount in the pot.
- No Limit Ohama Poker - You can choose how much you bet and use all your chips if you like.
- Fixed Limit Poker - Each game applies a specific betting limit which means you can only bet a certain amount during each round.
7-Card Poker Types
There are several variants of 7-card poker types which you can also check out, and they include (more information on these games can be found above):
- #1 Follow the Queen
- #2 Seven Card Stud
- #3 Seven Card Stud High Low
- #4 Razz
5-Card Poker Types
There are many different types of 5-card poker types to try, which range from timeless classics to the newest releases. Here are some to check out next time you play:
- #1 Texas Hold’em
- #2 Ohama
- #3 Five Card Draw
- #4 High Low Chicago
- #5 Seven Card Stud
- #6 5-Card Ohama
- #7 5-Card Stud
- #8 Video poker
Beginner Friendly Poker Types
Many different types of poker games are beginner-friendly as their rules are easy to pick up, and once you have the basic knowledge of one, you can often pick up others. We have discussed some of these variants already, which include:
- #1 Texas Hold’em
- #2 Omaha
- #3 Five-Card Draw
- #4 Seven-Card Stud
- #5 Chinese Poker
Exotic Poker Types
Apart from the main types of poker variants, there are more exotic types that are also worth checking out, and they include:
- #1 Pineapple
- #2 Razz
- #3 2-7 Triple Draw
- #4 Caribbean Stud Poker
- #5 Crazy 4 Poker
- #6 Let It Ride
- #7 Three Card Poker
- #8 Four Card Poker
Once you get the basic gist of poker, you’ll be able to crack multiple variants. The rules are relatively simple; some may be more complicated than others, but generally, most players can master the rules, but it does take a long time to become a good poker player.
Those who make it to the World Series Poker tables don’t get there by luck! They get there through a love of the game, sheer determination, and hours upon hours of endless poker hands. Practice makes perfect! You need to study the hand rankings and the best combinations of five-card wins. Knowing different poker hand nicknames may come in handy, too.
Poker can also be very profitable; huge stakes are won in the World Series, so if you’re going to reach pro level any time soon, use the information in our blog to pick the right variant for you. If you’d like to become a better player, you can also check out how to play poker in an older blog post. Good luck!
