No Limit Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular poker game out there right now thanks to tournaments and TV coverage. However, it hasn’t always been the most popular form of poker and even in the World Series of Poker, there are many other forms that are popular. Most online poker rooms have tables for Omaha, Stud, Razz, and other variants. Texas Hold’em may not be your best game, so you should learn and play other forms of poker. This will allow you to find your strengths or at least develop the skills to play in other ways, as the softest tables may not necessarily be Texas Hold’em. At the end of the day, you want to play the most profitable tables for you.
In addition to no-limit Texas Hold’em, some of the most popular forms of poker found online today include:
1) Limit Texas Hold’em – A variation of Texas Hold’em that plays completely differently than No Limit Texas Hold’em due to more structured betting. In Limit Hold’em, it’s harder to bluff or scare someone with a bet, since at most you’re talking about a big bet at most. You won’t have as much variance with Limit as you would with No Limit and your potential wins will also be lower. However, for beginners, this is the easiest way to learn as many of your decisions will be more automated.
2) Omaha Hi-Low (8 or better): Omaha is a game similar to Texas Hold’em, except each player is dealt four hole cards. Also, as a high-low game, there can be two winners in each pot, since one player can be low and the other can be high. A low hand is made up of cards of 7 or less, including an ace. A high hand consists of an 8 or higher, including aces. With Omaha, the player can only use two of the hole cards to make the high and two to make the low. Many novice players thought they had a great hand only to realize they could only use two of their hole cards, which would only give them three of a kind instead of the full house they were expecting.
3) Seven Card Stud – Before Hold’em, stud was the most played game. Unlike Hold’em, there are no blinds, but there is an ante, usually 20% of the small limit. The game begins by dealing two hole cards, followed by one face up card. The first round of betting begins with the player showing the lowest card. If two or more players show the lowest card, the suit determines the lowest card. Spades are higher than hearts, which are higher than diamonds, which are higher than clubs. Bets on fourth street are lower limit unless a player shows a pair. In such a case, any player can bet or raise to the higher limit. On the fourth and each succeeding street, betting begins with the player showing the highest hand. The fourth through sixth cards are dealt face up and the seventh and final card is dealt face down. There are five betting rounds in total.
4) Seven Card Stud Hi-Low (8 or Better) – Unlike Omaha, which is a newer variation, Stud is a game that has had a following for a long time. A variant of Seven Card Stud. The main difference is that there can be two winners. The winner of the down has five distinct cards (ie no pairs) with no card greater than an eight. An ace can be used as a high card for the high hand and as a low card for the low hand.
5) Razz – Razz is simply 7 card stud played low. Two cards are dealt and one card is dealt. The highest card is required to make the first bet. If two people have the highest card, the highest card is determined by suit, with spades being the highest, followed by hearts, diamonds, and clubs. After the first round of betting on third street, another card is dealt face up. Beginning on 4th street, betting begins with the player showing the lowest hand. Starting from 5th street, bets start at the upper limit. The seventh card is dealt and the fifth round of betting begins. The best hand is the wheel or A-2-3-4-5.
6) HORSE: A mixed game with multiple variations played in rotation. HORSE is an acronym for Hold’em, Omaha hi/lo, Razz, 7 card stud, and 7 card stud Eight or better.
The next time you find yourself in an online poker room, try some of these games and diversify your skill set. Knowing more than one game could improve your profitability in the long run.