More poker games and poker game variations are found easier online due to the global nature of betting online. Everyone knows that it’s easy to find Texas Hold’em poker games to bet on, but other fun variations of poker betting games are available for betting online as well. The poker games I know of are listed below, I will add rules and general poker betting tips and terms for each game variation soon.
- Holdem Poker Online – played in no limit, fixed limit, and pot limit variations and popular in both tournament and cash game formats.
- Omaha Online Poker Games – Both Hi-Low split and Omaha Hi games are growing in popularity, usually played in a pot limit format but fixed limit games are also popular.
- Stud Poker Games Online – fixed limit stud games are still popular at some betting sites online, particular the two biggest poker rooms.
- Razz Poker Online
- Draw Poker Games Online
- Rush Poker Online
- Horse Poker Games Online
- Other Mixed Poker Games
Poker games have been played in some form or another for at least a hundred years, although some earlier forms of the game date back to the 15th century. Over the years, a variety of poker games have come and gone. On this page, we will provide an overview of a few of the most popular poker betting games found online today.
Poker games online can be arranged into several categories. The basic betting rules of every poker game variation are the same, but minor changes in the details lead to very different experiences. In almost every poker game out there, the object is to end up with the best five card poker hand. How you accomplish that, however, can change drastically from one game to the next.
Poker Tournaments Vs. Cash Games
All poker games can be classified as either cash games or tournaments. The rules of poker remain the same in both formats, but the structure of each format is quite different. As such, the strategy and object of the game is slightly different for cash games than it is for tournaments.
Poker Tournaments Online
Poker tournaments are played with more of a winner-take-all style. In a poker tournament, everyone buys in for the same amount of money, and all that money is set aside as the prize pool. Each player then receives an equal number of starting chips and the tournament is played until only one player is left standing.
At the conclusion of a poker tournament, each of the top finishers receives a portion of the prize pool. The first place finisher receives the largest percentage of the prize pool, and then the prizes go downwards from there. Finish too low in a tournament and you’ll go home empty handed.
Poker tournaments are also characterized by steadily increasing blinds. The early stages of a tournament feature blinds that are relatively small compared to the average stack. As the tournament progresses, the blinds slowly and steadily grow in size. This is done in order to keep the tournament moving and encourage the players to get active in pots.
Online Poker Cash Games
Poker cash games are a little more free-flowing than tournaments. In a cash game, players buy in for any amount within the table limits and receive chips that directly represent cash. The players in a cash game may come and go at any time, and they can buy in as many times as they wish.
There are no set stages in poker cash games and the blinds remain the same all the time. The goal of a cash game is simply to win as much money as possible while seated at the table. There are no prize pools or increasing blind levels. Poker cash games can run for as long as there are two or more players willing to play.
Internet Poker Games And Betting Variations
There are countless poker games out there, but a few are much more common than others. In this section, we’ll explain the basic rules of a few of the most popular poker games. The following poker games are the ones that you are most likely to see in live poker rooms and at online poker sites.
Texas Holdem Poker Games
Texas Holdem is currently the king of poker in both online and live card rooms around the world. In this poker game, each player is given two face-down hole cards. Five community cards are then dealt face up in the middle of the table. The players may then use any combination of their hole cards with the community cards to make the best possible five card poker hand.
There are four separate betting rounds, followed by a showdown in Texas Holdem. The first betting round is called the “preflop stage” and it is held as soon as all the players have received their hole cards. Three of the community cards are then dealt and a second round of betting is held. A fourth community card follows that, with a third round of betting. The fifth and final community card is then dealt and that is followed by the final round of betting.
Hands in Texas Holdem are ranked according to traditional five card poker hand rankings. The player with the best hand at the end of the betting wins the pot. Any player may also win the pot at any time if he bets and every other player in the hand folds.
Omaha Poker Games
Omaha is closely related to Texas Holdem and it is second-most popular poker game. In this variant, the structure of the game is nearly identical to that of Texas Holdem. The only major difference is that each player begins with four hole cards instead of two. This leads to more action-packed games because there are more potential hands out there.
The other minor difference between Omaha and Texas Holdem is that in Omaha players must use exactly two of their hole cards and three community cards in forming hands. In Texas Holdem, players can use one, two or none of their hole cards to make hands. Omaha requires that players use exactly two hole cards every time.
Seven Card Stud Poker Games
Seven Card Stud was the most popular poker variant before Texas Holdem came along and stole the limelight. Each player in Seven Card Stud receives a total of seven cards, with some of them dealt face down and others dealt face up. There are rounds of betting in between each new card, and players may use any five of their seven cards to create the best possible five card poker hand.
Seven Card Stud rewards players who have strong memories because many cards are shown throughout the course of a hand. If you can remember which cards have been shown (even after players fold their hands), you can estimate the likelihood of the remaining players holding certain cards.
Real Money Online Poker Games
All of the above poker games can be played on the internet as well as in live poker rooms. The advantage to playing poker on the internet is that you can do it from the comfort of home. Online poker games can be played with real money, and some players even earn a full time living playing from home.
Another major advantage to online poker games is that players can sit at multiple tables at a time. Once you get comfortable playing at a single poker table, it is possible to increase your hourly win rate by joining additional tables. At some point, you’ll reach a point of diminishing returns, of course, but it’s very nice to have the option to play at more than one table.
Today’s online poker games for real money wagers can be played at a wide variety of stakes. Players can join games and risk less than a dollar, or they can join games and play for life-changing stakes. Some internet poker players regularly take home more than six figures a month in winnings.
Some live players are skeptical of online poker because it completely lacks physical tells. However, tells are over-rated in live poker games; more information can be gleaned by studying play tendencies and betting patterns. Secondly, the lack of physical tells puts nobody at a disadvantage because it applies equally to everyone.
If you would like to try your hand at online poker, you can check out our list of the best online poker sites. These poker sites are recognized for spreading safe and fair games at all stakes. It’s free to sign up for an account and if you want to play for real money, you can deposit and play with any amount that you feel comfortable with.
