Understanding the Basics of Different Poker Variants

Some people only play one variant of poker, while others love to play many different versions. Five Card Stud, Texas Hold’em, and even Strip Poker are such popular variations that, even if you don’t play, you’re at least familiar with the name.

Along with these, there are hundreds of other variations. You can even make up your own version, complete with your rules. If you want to know about a few of the other versions or are looking for a new poker game, here is a brief list and explanation on how to play.

Texas Hold’em

Not everyone is familiar with Texas Hold’em. This is considered a “shared” game. Players have two private cards, and there are five community cards face up on the table. These cards can be used by any of the players. The player that can make the best poker hand from the seven cards wins the game.

Follow the Queen

Follow the Queen is a fun and thrilling variant of poker. The four Queens in the card deck determine what the wild cards are. If a Queen appears and it is dealt facing up, the next card the dealer places on the table facing upwards is the current wild card. This also applies to the other three cards. As soon as another Queen appears, the wild card changes.

Badugi

When it comes to poker hands rankings for Badugi, this variant is in a league of its own. It does not use traditional high or low hand ranks, and a hand only has four cards. Additionally, each card in your hand must be of a different suit and rank to count.

Diablo

Anyone that likes five card draw will enjoy this variant of the popular poker game. Diablo can be expensive, since the opener is the one that needs to win the pot. If any other player wins, it is the original opener’s responsibility to replenish the pot. There are variations where the pot continues to grow until the opener finally wins the hand. Game play passes to the left and players are not allowed to draw more than two cards per hand.

Chinese Poker

If you like holding a lot of cards, then Chinese Poker could be fun for you. This poker variant requires you to hold thirteen cards and arrange them into three poker hands. Two hands will have five cards, while the other only has three. The one holding the most winning hands claims the game.

Dakota

Dakota is a variation of Roll Your Own, another version of five card stud. In this variation, players are dealt three cards, turning one face up. After bets are placed, these steps are repeated until all players have six cards. Four are face up and two are facing down. The pot is split between the players with the highest and lowest hands. There are only wild cards in the high hand. The lowest card facing down in a player’s high hand is their wild card.

Indian Poker/Blind Man’s Bluff

Indian Poker or Blind Man’s Bluff comes and goes in its popularity. Today, it is played mainly among kids or as a party game. This variant is the most common and thought to be the original version. Each player places their wager before they are dealt their one card. Players can not look at their card; they have to hold it facing the other players. After another round of betting, the player with the highest card wins the pot.

Omaha

Believed to have been introduced to players in the mid 1980s, Omaha is a poker variant that has rapidly grown in popularity. Players are dealt four private cards and there are five community cards that any player can select from. To win, a player must use two of their private cards and three community cards to make the highest scoring hand.

These are only a few of the poker variants that you can play, and there are hundreds of other versions of the card game. Many online casinos are even introducing crypto gaming to give gamers even more options for play too, so there are many ways to mix up your next poker game.