Poker is believed to have been invented in the 1800s in New Orleans. Then, only four players each with five cards from a deck of 20 cards could play the game. Today, poker is a 52-card deck game—and one of the most exciting games you can play at a casino.
There are many poker game variations in the market today. Luckily, we will discuss several poker games and their basic rules.
From Texas Hold'em to Seven-Card Stud, here are the popular poker variants to try in 2023 and beyond:
1. Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is the most widespread poker game in the world. It's widely believed that you can learn Texas Hold'em in five minutes but it takes a lifetime to master it.
Here's how it works:
- The player on the dealer's left is the small blind. The next player on the left of the small blind is the big blind.
- The first round starts after each player gets two face-down hole cards. Players can call the big blind, raise, or fold after looking at their cards.
- The dealer places ‘The Flop’ (three community face-up cards) in the middle of the table. The next card is ‘The Turn’ followed by ‘The River’ which is the final bet.
- The best five-card hand (a combination of two-hole and five community cards) wins the game.
Texas Hold'em is easy to learn and you can play it at many poker online casinos. But before you start playing, make sure to read guides on how to play. More importantly, on comparison sites, you'll find reliable information about rules and tips, and they list the most reliable poker sites with tournaments.
2. Seven-Card Stud
Seven-Card Stud is another popular casino game to play online. Two down-cards and one up-card are dealt to signal the first betting round. Three more cards are added each with a betting round. The last card is dealt in to start the final betting round. The player with the best five-card hand wins the game.
Seven-Card Stud is a fixed-limit game. Smaller bets are placed on the first two betting rounds while larger bets are placed on the last three. A player can place a smaller or larger bet if the fourth card has an open pair.
Here are the basics of the Seven-Card Stud:
- Each player must pay an ante to receive two hole cards (face-down cards) and a door card (face-up card).
- The player with the door card (lowest face-up card) opens the game. The players increase the initial amount of the opening bet to bring it to a completion.
- A fourth card (fourth street) is dealt face-up after every player completes their turn. Any player can wager on the lower or upper limit if there's an open pair in the fourth street.
- The players receive face-up cards for the fifth and sixth streets.
- Before the final betting round (Seventh Street), all players are dealt a face-down card.
3. Omaha
Just like Texas Hold'em, Omaha uses a three-card flop, a fourth card, and a fifth card on the board. Each player receives four hole cards at the beginning. A player needs two hole cards and three board cards to make a hand. To receive the pot at showdown, a player must show the whole four-card hand. The best five-card hand wins the pot.
Here are the basic rules on how to play Omaha:
- Each player is dealt four face-down cards at the start of the game.
- The dealer turns over ‘the flop’ (three face-up community cards) after they burn a card. This is followed by the first betting round.
- The dealer burns another card and turns over to ‘the turn’ or one community card, followed by the second betting round.
- The dealer burns the final card to turn over ‘the river’ or the final community card. The third betting round follows.
- The showdown is the last betting round. Players use two flops and three board cards.
Omaha is easier to understand if you’re familiar with Texas Hold’em as they apply the same rules. The only exception is playing the board which is impossible in Omaha.
4. Razz
If you've tried the Seven-Card Stud High, learning the Razz is easier. The high card (aces are low) makes the first forced bet in the first round. In the subsequent rounds, the low hand acts first.
Straights and flushes have no ranking and open pairs don't affect the wagering limit. This means 5-4-3-2-A makes the potential best hand. The lowest hand wins the game.
The basics of the Razz variant include:
- Aces are low meaning the lowest hand wins the pot. Straights and flushes don't count.
- Razz applies all the rules of the Seven-Card Stud. The only exception is the highest card starts the game with a forced bet and the low hand plays first in subsequent rounds.
- The lower limit is used on third and fourth streets while the upper limit is used on the remaining streets.
- The player with the lowest five-card hand after the seventh street wins the game.
Play Exciting Poker Games Today
Poker is among the most famous card games played in the world. It has a deck of 52 cards, and the player that makes the best combinations wins. What's more interesting is that there are many poker variants you can try. Whether it is Texas Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud, Razz, Omaha, or other titles, poker will entertain you. And learning poker rules is easier, as long as you remain focused.