Ranking the Top Five Poker Variants to Play and Learn

Do you know how to play poker? Perchance you don’t. Nonetheless, this is an excellent place to be if you are a poker enthusiast. This article looks at the top five poker variants every poker should learn and play.

Reports from the gambling industry suggest that nearly 26% of the global population gamble. That translates to around 1.6 billion people globally gambling. In terms of demographics, a UK study revealed that 17% of the UK population gambles online. Reports from online poker games providers show that around 40 million people play poker regularly. Compared to the total number of people that gamble globally, around 0.025 of the gambling community plays poker regularly. This could be because poker requires a strategy for players to win. However, that does not mean that the game is complicated.

If you can master the basics of poker and understand the gameplay of the different variants, you will love it. So, don’t let the stats mislead you! Keep reading to discover the top five poker variants you can learn and play. Let’s dig in!

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is undoubtedly the most popular poker game globally. It is also an excellent choice if you want to learn to play poker. Additionally, most poker tournaments globally use this poker variant in their tournaments.

How to Play

Each player receives two cards face down.
The dealer spreads five cards in the middle of the table.
After that, players can use any combination of the cards in their hands and the five cards on the deck to create the best possible five-card poker hand.
The game’s rounds take place during certain parts of the deal. This happens in phases, and the player that hasn’t folded and has the best hand wins the money in the pot.

Apart from this straightforward gameplay structure, ensure you learn some Texas Hold’em rules before enjoying the game.

Omaha

Omaha is another community poker game that is gaining popularity among poker enthusiasts. This poker variant has many similarities to Texas Hold’em making it easy to learn. Additionally, the game is exciting for beginners and seasoned players alike.

In this game, players must make their best five-card poker hand using face-up and face-down cards.

How to Play

At the beginning of the game, players place two mandatory bets: the small blind and the big blind.
After that, the dealer deals each player four cards face down. These four-hole cards are not visible to opposing players until the showdown. Then, players use their four-hole cards and three of the five community cards to create the best possible poker hand.
The player seated to the left of the big blind goes first to call, raise or fold (pre-flop). Their approach to the hand will determine their call. The same applies to other players.
After that, the dealer removes a card from play (burns) and deals the flop (three face-up cards). This is referred to as the flop.
During post-flop or second round of betting, the player to the dealer’s left wagers first. Then all players can check, call, raise, fold or go all in. wagering continues until everyone either folds, matches what other players have put in the pot, and checks or raises.
Next is the turn or fourth street, where the dealer burns a card before adding the next card to the initial three community cards.
Thereafter, it is the third round or post-turn, where wagering continues as in the previous round.
Then, during the river or fifth street, the dealer unleashes the fifth and final community card after he has burned the deck’s top card. Here, players have to make their best possible five-card poker.
The final round or post-river wagering resumes until all players fold, go all on or match their opponents before checking.
Suppose two players remain in the game; there is a showdown where each player plays the best five-card poker hand from two of their hole cards and three of the five community cards.

Seven-Card Stud

This poker game was the most prevalent before Texas Hold’em became trendy. In this game, players must be attentive to their opponent’s cards to avoid wrong estimations.

How to Play

Each player is dealt two cards face down, and one card face up is dealt one at a time in rotation.
After that, a betting interval happens.
Every player gets three more face-up cards and an additional face-down card. There is a betting interval after each round.
During the showdown, each player turns up all their hole cards and chooses five of their seven cards as their hand.
You must separate these cards from the remaining two, which you discard. You cannot discard these discards.

Five–Card Draw

This game is about the cards you are dealt with and does not require a strategy par Sè. Your goal is straightforward, to make the best five-card hand.

How to Play

Every player is dealt five cards before the first round of betting occurs.
After wagering, you can exchange up to three cards before moving to the next betting round.
The player with the best hand wins.

High Low Chicago

This poker variant tweaks the Seven-card Stud’s formula making the game about the lowest or highest hand. Also, the game can have two winners who share the pot. For instance, the player having the lowest or highest space in the hole wins half of the pot. After that, the one with the best hand gets the rest of the pot.

How to Play

The game begins with each player having one card face up.
The player with the lowest face-up card kickstarts the game with a bring-in bet.
Afterward, wagers are placed where each player can call, raise or fold.

Article by J Wise