Poker Games and Variations

For specific poker games and their rules please see the bottom of this page.

The term Poker, refers to a wide-ranging group of card games that have some common characteristics in terms of betting rules and structure as well as the hierarchy used to rank hands. The greatest differences are found in the card dealing process, the methods used to generally form the strongest or highest hand, game objective for winning (ie. having a highest or lowest hand), and limits on the bet amounts along with the number of betting rounds.

Currently, at least on the casino and online poker scene, Texas Hold’em is gathering more and more popularity among the poker games. There are however, a number of other games that can be added to expand the poker experience. Many pros advise that expanding poker knowledge through exposure to forms beyond Texas Hold’em is very useful in increasing overall skill levels.

Just about all poker games begin with a compulsory bet, a means of ensuring that a pot exists. Once a forced bet is made, the round continues to the left, proceeding clockwise around the table. All players have the option of matching or going beyond (raising) a maximum previous bet, or even deciding to withdraw (folding) and forfeiting the possibility of winning anything from the hand. Betting rounds can go on several times in a game and can in some cases, be interspersed with opportunities for players who remain to draw cards from the deck, according to a given rule set, as a means of improving their hand. Once all rounds are complete, remaining players generally reveal their cards in a showdown and the hand ranking hierarchy is used to determine a winner.

In poker, the processes of player interaction and use of card draw opportunities are considered to be elements which incorporate a skill component. Many believe that these features, along with voluntary betting decisions, separate poker from pure gambling and chance. While chance and/or probability play a large role, many players believe in the ability to control or at least partially determine their own result.

Based on the general structure and hand ranking hierarchy, the are three major poker game classifications:
• Straight Poker – Players receive all cards for their hand in one deal and a complete betting round follows. Players can choose to raise, call, or fold as is the normal procedure. Games are determined by a final showdown. As one of the oldest forms, it has long been popular throughout the U.S. and the U.K. Many more complex variations on this structure are played.
• Stud Poker – In stud poker play, cards are dealt in a preset number of face-down and face-up rounds, commonly called "streets." Each street is followed by a round of betting. Over time, this form has moved from three to five-card hands. Seven-card stud is the most popular variety today. In this game, seen cards (three face-down, four face-up) are dealt to each player and they have to create the highest possible 5-card hand.
• Draw Poker – Each player receives a complete hand with all cards face-down. After a betting round, players have the option of improving their hands by discarding unwanted cards and taking new ones from the deck.
• Community Poker – Similar to Stud poker, players receive an incomplete hand of face-down cards, and are allowed to see a given number of face-up "community" cards which are placed at the center of the table. These are common cards which can be used by one or more of the players to make the highest 5-card hand. Texas Hold’em and Omaha belong in this category.

Poker Game Rules
Official Poker Rules
5 Card Stud Poker Rules
7 Card Stud Hi Lo Poker Rules
Caribbean Stud Poker Rules
Chicago Poker Rules
Five Card Draw Poker Rules
Liars Poker Rules
Lowball Poker Rules
Omaha Poker Hi and Hi/Lo Rules
Pai Gow Poker Rules
Seven Card Stud Rules
Texas Hold Em Poker Rules
Three Card Poker Rules