The game of poker has many varieties and although they are all based on the same concept, their rules may significantly differ. So much so, that a player that is really good in Texas Hold’em, for example, may not be as good in other variants of poker. So before playing any of the poker games available, a player must make sure he knows the rules of the specific variation he is aiming for.

This article looks at the three most popular games and provides a short summary of their rules and gameplay to help players identify the game that most suits their needs.

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Texas Hold’em

This is the absolute number 1 when it comes to card games – and its rules are actually quite simple. Two to ten players put their blinds and – if the rules require it – an ante. Each player is dealt two hole cards and then the first betting round takes place – each player can Call, Raise or Fold. Next comes the flop, where the dealer deals 3 open community cards and then the next round of betting. In each of the next two rounds – the River and the Turn, the dealer deals one community card and a round of betting takes place. The game ends in the Showdown, where the players expose their two hole cards. The player that reached the highest hand, using his hole cards and 3 of the 5 community cards wins.

Omaha

This is the clear number 2 in the hierarchy of the most popular poker games online and it works in principle, as described above in Texas Holdem. 2-10 Players bet big blind, small blind and ante if necessary. Then the players receive not 2, but 4 hole cards. This increases the number of possible hands that each player can reach and is basically the main difference between Omaha and Texas.

In the Flop the dealer reveals three community cards. This is followed by a betting round. Again, players can call, raise or fold. The River comes next, another community card is revealed and another round of betting takes place. The same goes for the Turn.

In the showdown, the player that reaches the best hand, by using two of his four hole cards and 3 of the 5 community cards wins the pot.

Razz Poker

Now for something special: Razz is a very popular Seven Card stud variant, which has become in recent years a fixture in poker rooms. The big difference between traditional 7 Card Stud and Razz is that the lowest hand wins here. Also, the bring in here is paid by the player with the highest card. There is no flush, no straight, the Ace is the lowest card.

The player with the lowest 5 of 7 cards wins. This is somewhat confusing, because here less is more. A hand with a pair beats two pairs and three of a kind – all probabilities are upside down. This is strange and exciting and makes Razz the crazy game that it is.