Poker has a reputation as the noble vice, the game of cowboys and king-makers. But in these days of endless innovation, what exactly is Poker? What's the difference between a Straight and a Royal Flush? And is Three-Card Poker the real thing? Let's try to answer some of those questions.
Draw Poker is the form from which all other Poker games are derived and as good a place as any to start when introducing new players to the game. On the downside, there are not a lot of online casinos that offer it.
The essence of Draw Poker is that the player builds a hand from 5 cards. After the initial round of betting the player may discard some or all of their cards and receive replacements.
We've got Basic Rules Of Draw Poker which includes the Poker hand rankings, and a Strategy Guide including the odds of receiving a given hand.
5 Card Stud always seems to puzzle people. "You mean 7-Card Stud?", they'll say, or "How's that different from Draw Poker?" Like Draw Poker it's pretty uncommon online, or in the casinos for that matter, though you'll occassionally find it played when the old boys get together or at charity functions. See the details on How To Play 5 Card Stud.
7 Card Stud: Each player gets three cards down, street by street receives three up, and finally another pocket card on 7th street. This means that are a lot of cards on the table, so 7 Stud demands strategy and skill. It takes years of play to develop the winner's edge, and as a result, top caliber players are few and far between. A big plus with 7 Stud is that it's found at most of the online Poker sites. Sitting down to a table of six or seven players online brings a whole new dimension to the word "bluff".
All 7 Stud players have one thing in common with the rookies: every player of the game is still learning, even the masters. Check out our How To Play for the basics. We also have 7 Stud Strategies if you're interested in delving deeper.
Texas Hold'Em is the darling of Poker world and that's especially true online. Some Poker sites are specifically devoted to Hold'Em and have refined the online experience to a high art. The game itself is clearly a descendant of 7-Stud in that players form a five-card hand from seven available cards, but that's where the similarity ends. In fact, only two cards are actually held by the player as pocket cards.
The other five are open, dealt to the middle of the table and shared by all players. Of course, this means there are less cards in play, which is why Hold'Em typically seats nine or more players at the table.
See our Rules of Texas Hold'Em for details of the game's rounds and betting structure.
Omaha Hi is another popular online version of Poker. It's derived from Texas Hold'Em but players are dealt four hole cards instead of two. And there's a catch: two and only two of the hole cards can be used in making the final hand.
The four hole cards make Omaha a nine-card game and having more cards to choose from means players will typically finish with stronger hands. In practice, Hold'Em players will find that the focus in Omaha Hi tends more towards playing the cards than playing the other players. Check out the Rules and Strategy for Omaha Hi.
A more common version of the game is Omaha Hi-Lo, where two hole cards must still be used but the player with the low hand splits the pot with the high hand. Standard rules have it that the highest card in the low hand must be an 8 or less for it to qualify.
Very popular at the online casinos, Pai Gow Poker is actually a cross of an Asian Dominos game and Poker that plays somewhat like Blackjack. Unlike true Poker, Pai Gow is played with a 53-card deck (the usual 52 cards plus a Joker) and players face off against the dealer instead of each other. See How To Play Pai Gow or Rules and Strategies for the basics, or our Winning Strategies for Pai Gow.
Caribbean Stud Poker is ideally suited to online play. Here Poker has been stripped to the bare essentials: the Player is dealt five cards and faces off against the dealer. Winning bets are paid on a pre-determined scale based on the quality of the Players hand. Players can place a $1 additional bet to qualify for a Progressive Jackpot. Here, too, the quality of the playerls hand (Flush or better) determines the share of the Jackpot the player is entitled to.
We have a How To Play Caribbean Stud for the basic rules, and Winning Strategies for Caribbean Poker for a deeper analysis.
Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, etc. are almost always played against the dealer and their primary advantage is that they're much, much simpler than real Poker. On the downside the odds are not good and the zen of true Poker has been "simplfied" right out of the game. Let It Ride and Red Dog are common varieties of these types of games.
Video Poker is the automated version of 5 Card Draw Poker and, of course, is available at almost any online casino you care to name. There are dozen varieties and distinct strategies for each. See our Video Poker Resource page for more information.
Finally, have a browse through our Poker Resource Center for Links and Related articles about Poker.
Go to WINNERonline's Poker Week feature.
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