Poker is a popular card game that can be enjoyed in many different variations. While Texas Hold’em is undoubtedly the most well-known form of poker, many other exciting variants of the game are worth trying out.
This article will look at five poker games you may or may not have heard of. So whether you’re a poker enthusiast looking for the next poker game to try, or a complete beginner who wants to learn more about the game’s different variations, read on!
Most, if not all, of these formats are usually offered by live and virtual poker rooms. GGPoker, for one, offers a good selection of Omaha and 6+ Short Deck games, in addition to popular Hold’em cash games and tournaments.
Without further ado, let’s look at five variants you can try out the next time you play poker.
Five-card draw
Five-card draw is one of the oldest and most popular forms of poker. It’s a simple game that’s easy to learn, making it ideal for beginners.
Each player is dealt five cards face down in this poker format. Players then have the opportunity to improve their hands by disposing of unwanted cards and drawing new ones from the deck.
How to play five-card draw:
Seven-card stud
Seven-card stud is another classic poker game similar to a five-card draw, except players get seven cards throughout the game, three of which are dealt face down.
One significant difference between seven-card stud and five-card draw is that, in stud poker, players don’t have the opportunity to draw new cards. This means that the outcome of the hand is decided by the cards that are dealt, making it a more strategic game.
How to play seven-card stud:
Omaha hold’em
Omaha hold’em is a community poker game similar to Texas Hold’em, with key differences.
For one, in Omaha, players get four instead of two hole cards.
Another key difference is that, in Omaha, players can only use two of their four hole cards with three of the community cards to make a hand. In Texas Hold’em, players can opt to use one, both or none of their hole cards. This means that Omaha is more strategic than Texas Hold’em, as players have to be more selective with which cards they use.
How to play Omaha hold’em:
Razz
Razz is a poker game typically played as a seven-card stud tournament. It’s similar to seven-card stud, except the game aims to have the lowest ace-to-five hand rather than the highest. This means that straights and flushes don’t count against players in Razz, and aces are low.
The betting rounds in Razz are also different from those in other poker games. In Razz, the player with the lowest face-up card starts the action in the first round. From the second round onwards, the player with the highest face-up card bets first.
How to play Razz:
2-7 Triple Draw
2-7 triple draw is a draw poker game similar to five-card draw, except that the game aims to have the lowest possible hand, just like in Razz. This means that straights and flushes don’t count against players. However, aces are always high in this game.
The nuts, or the best possible poker hand you can get in 2-7 triple draw, is 2-3-4-5-7. You can achieve this by drawing cards throughout the three drawing rounds in the game.
How to play 2-7 triple draw:
The next poker game for you
There you have it! Five exciting poker variants to try the next time you feel like hitting the felt.
These are just a few of the many different poker games out there, but they should give you a good starting point if you’re looking to branch out from the more popular {{Texas Hold’em}}.
What are you waiting for? Get dealt in and have some fun!