Fun Variations of Texas Hold'em for the Home Game Fun Variations of Texas Hold'em for the Home Game You are here Home » Poker » Fun Variations of Texas Hold'em for the Home Game Come along with us as we take you on a tour of some fun alternatives to traditional Texas Hold'em that can beathe new life to an old, old game Most home poker games focus on seven-card stud and its variations. These games are fun, but why limit your game to just seven-card stud when there are also fun variations of Texas Hold'em? Come along with us as we take you on a tour of some fun alternatives to traditional Texas Hold'em. Each of these games plays in the same manner as regular Texas Hold'em with the exception of the "minor" changes noted. Pineapple - In Pineapple, players are dealt three hole cards and discard one after the first betting round (pre-flop). Crazy Pineapple - Crazy Pineapple is just like Pineapple with three hole cards being dealt. The only difference between the two is that the extra card is discarded after the flop. Aviation - Aviation is a very wild version of Hold'em. Players are dealt four hole cards.

One card is discarded before the flop, and another is discarded after the flop. This game was named after the world-famous Aviation Club in Paris, France, where the game originated. Speed Hold'em - In Speed Hold'em, players are dealt four hole cards, then immediately discard two of them. Five community cards are then flopped. The one and only betting round then takes place, followed by the showdown. That's it! Super-Eight - In Super-Eight Hold'em, players are dealt three hole cards, but do not discard any of them. Players may, of course, use all five community cards plus their three hole cards to make the best five card poker hand. Tahoe - Tahoe Hold'em is much like Super-Eight Hold'em with the only difference being that you may only use two of your three hole cards to make the best five card poker hand. River of Blood - This version of Hold'em can get wild. In River of Blood, if the river card is red play continues, meaning there is another betting round and a sixth community card is dealt. Another betting round takes place followed by a showdown, that is, as long as the 2nd river card is not also red. Play continues until the river card is black.

The River Wild - This is a game that literally lives up to its name. In the River Wild, the river card is just that - wild. In fact, all of the cards of the same rank as the river card are wild. Games like this can result in some wild results as it motivates players to stay until the bitter (happy?) end. Two-Time Hold'em - In Two-Time Hold'em, players are dealt four hole cards which they then split into separate pairs. The pairs must be kept separate throughout play of two separate hands. A round of Texas Hold'em is played under normal Hold'em rules. A player will eventually fold or showdown a hand. It is the player's choice which hand to showdown or fold, but once a hand is shown or folded, it is dead. After the first hand is played, a second hand follows without a shuffle in between. This is a very fast way to knock two hands of Holde'em. Double Flop - This has to be the most outlandish Texas Hold'em variation in existence. In Double Flop, two separate boards are dealt exactly opposite each other. This means that during each deal, flop, turn and river, two sets of cards come out.

Players make a separate hand with each of the two boards, with the pot being split between the high hands for each board. Speed River Runs Wild - In the Speed River Runs Wild variation of Texas Hold'em, you no longer have to worry about missing your straight draw. That's right, a four card straight is a hand. Texas Holdem Rules - Play Free Texas Hold'em Poker Games Poker Games Texas Hold’em Poker Driven by the popularity of televised poker, Texas Hold'em (more commonly, ‘Hold'em’) has become the world’s most popular poker game, both in live casinos and online at PokerStars. We’ll go into more detail below, but here are the key points you need to know: Every player is dealt two cards, for their eyes only The dealer spreads five cards - three at once, then another, then another - which can be used by all players to make their best possible five-card hand Before and after each card(s) is revealed, players take turns to bet.

To stay in the hand and see the next card, all players must have put the same amount of chips in the pot as each other The best poker hand wins the pot It’s a simple game to learn, yet has the potential to be played with a seemingly infinite variety of strategies, tactics and nuance. The Rules of Texas Hold’em Before you begin playing Hold'em, you'll want to learn the rules. In Hold'em, each player is dealt two private cards (known as ‘hole cards’) that belong to them alone. Five community cards are dealt face-up, to form the ‘board’. All players in the game use these shared community cards in conjunction with their own hole cards to each make their best possible five-card poker hand. In Hold'em, a player may use any combination of the seven cards available to make the best possible five-card poker hand, using zero, one or two of their private hole cards. To view the rankings of poker hands, visit the poker hand ranks page. The four major variations of Hold'em at PokerStars are distinguished from each other by their betting limits: Limit Texas Hold'em : There is a pre-determined betting limit on each round of betting.

No Limit Texas Hold'em : A player can bet any amount, up to all of their chips. Pot Limit Texas Hold'em : A player can bet any amount, up to the size of the pot. Mixed Texas Hold'em : The game switches between rounds of Limit Texas Hold'em and No Limit Texas Hold'em. Each of these Hold'em variations are available to play on PokerStars for free (play money) or for real money. And don’t forget that our free Poker School is always available to help you practice and improve your game. How to Play Texas Hold'em To learn to play Hold'em using a hands-on method, PokerStars offers free poker games in the poker room. To start practicing your poker skills, just visit the free poker download page, install the award-winning poker software, and you'll be learning Hold'em in no time. However, if you'd rather familiarize yourself with the rules of Hold'em first, then these instructions should help. The Blinds In Hold'em, a marker called ‘the button’ or ‘the dealer button’ indicates which player is the nominal dealer for the current game. Before the game begins, the player immediately clockwise from the button posts the "small blind", the first forced bet.

The player immediately clockwise from the small blind posts the "big blind", which is typically twice the size of the small blind, but the blinds can vary depending on the stakes and betting structure being played. In Limit games, the big blind is the same as the small bet, and the small blind is typically half the size of the big blind but may be larger depending on the stakes. For example, in a $2/$4 Limit game the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2. In a $15/$30 Limit game, the small blind is $10 and the big blind is $15. In Pot Limit and No Limit games, the games are referred to by the size of their blinds (for example, a $1/$2 Hold’em game has a small blind of $1 and a big blind of $2). Depending on the exact structure of the game, each player may also be required to post an ‘ante’ (another type of forced bet, usually smaller than either blind, posted by all players at the table) into the pot. Now, each player receives his or her two hole cards.

Betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big blind). Player Betting Options In Hold'em, as with other forms of poker, the available actions are ‘fold’, ‘check’, ‘bet’, ‘call’ or ‘raise’. Exactly which options are available depends on the action taken by the previous players. If nobody has yet made a bet, then a player may either check (decline to bet, but keep their cards) or bet. If a player has bet, then subsequent players can fold, call or raise. To call is to match the amount the previous player has bet. To raise is to not only match the previous bet, but to also increase it. Pre-Flop After seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the option to play his or her hand by calling or raising the big blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which is considered a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the option to fold, call or raise. For example, if the big blind was $2, it would cost $2 to call, or at least $4 to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the table.

Note: The betting structure varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in Limit Hold'em, No Limit Hold'em, and Pot Limit Hold'em can be found below. Betting continues on each betting round until all active players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the pot. The Flop Now, three cards are dealt face-up on the board. This is known as ‘the flop’. In Hold'em, the three cards on the flop are community cards, available to all players still in the hand. Betting on the flop begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. The betting options are similar to pre-flop, however if nobody has previously bet, players may opt to check, passing the action to the next active player clockwise. The Turn When the betting action is completed for the flop round, the ‘turn’ is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in Hold'em (and is sometimes also called ‘Fourth Street’). Another round of betting ensues, beginning with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. The River When betting action is completed for the turn round, the ‘river’ or ‘Fifth Street’ is dealt face-up on the board.

The river is the fifth and final community card in a Hold'em game. Betting again begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button, and the same betting rules apply as they do for the flop and turn, as explained above. The Showdown If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete, the last person to bet or raise shows their cards, unless there was no bet on the final round in which case the player immediately clockwise from the button shows their cards first. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal. After the pot is awarded, a new hand of Hold'em is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next player, blinds and antes are once again posted, and new hands are dealt to each player. Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit and Mixed Texas Hold'em Hold'em rules remain the same for Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit poker games, with a few exceptions: Limit Texas Hold'em Betting in Limit Hold'em is in pre-determined, structured amounts.

Pre-flop and on the flop, all bets and raises are of the same amount as the big blind. On the turn and the river, the size of all bets and raises doubles. In Limit Hold'em, up to four bets are allowed per player during each betting round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise). No Limit Texas Hold'em The minimum bet in No Limit Hold'em is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as much more as they want, up to all of their chips. Minimum raise: In No Limit Hold'em, the raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10). Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table). In No Limit Hold'em, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.

Pot Limit Texas Hold'em The minimum bet in Pot Limit Hold'em is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet up to the size of the pot. Minimum raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10). Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which is defined as the total of the active pot plus all bets on the table plus the amount the active player must first call before raising. Example: If the size of the pot is $100, and there is no previous action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum of $100. After that bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That player can either fold, call $100, or raise any amount between the minimum ($100 more) and the maximum.

The maximum bet in this case is $400 - the raiser would first call $100, bringing the pot size to $300, and then raise $300 more, making a total bet of $400. In Pot Limit Hold'em, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed. Mixed Texas Hold'em In Mixed Hold'em, the game switches between rounds of Limit Hold'em and No Limit Hold'em. The blinds are typically increased when the game switches from No Limit to Limit, to ensure some consistency in the average pot size in each game. The betting rules on each round follow the rules for that game, as described above. In the PokerStars software, it’s not possible to bet less than the minimum or more than the maximum. The bet slider and bet window will only allow you to bet amounts within the allowed thresholds. Learn How to Play Texas Hold'em for Free If you want to learn how to play Hold'em, then download the PokerStars software and join any of the free poker games where you can play online against other players. Unlike our real money poker games, since there is nothing at stake, you can be comfortable learning the ropes of the game and all the rules of Hold'em.

We hope to see you in our poker room, and good luck at the tables! Other Poker Games As well as Texas Hold’em, we also offer other poker variants including Omaha, Stud, mixed games and much more. See our Poker Games page to learn more. You may also be interested in visiting pages about the poker room in general. You can find information about the following subjects: Texas Hold'Em - MSN Games - Free Online Games Wanna bet? Texas Hold’Em Poker is a popular variation on seven-card stud. Players build the best-possible hand out of their own two cards and up to five shared cards. Bets are made after each deal. On the first round, each player receives two cards; on the second, the dealer lays down three community cards, known as the “Flop”; on the third and fourth rounds, called the Turn and River, respectively, a single shared card is dealt. 1. Click DEAL. The computer starts the game as the dealer and has the D (dealer) button. You ante five chips. The computer deals itself two facedown cards and you receive two face-up cards. 2. You start the betting. Click Open to open the betting, or Check to hold with your current bet.

When the computer bets, click Call to match a bet, Raise to raise the bet, or Fold to forfeit. 3. The dealer lays down three face-up community cards, called the “Flop.” You try to make the best hand you can with the community cards and your own cards. After the flop, there are two rounds where a single face-up shared card is dealt. Poker Variations: H.O.R.S.E. Poker Variations: H.O.R.S.E. Share H.O.R.S.E is a fun poker variation that's all about variety. The game features a rotation of five popular poker games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud High, and Hi-Lo. Find out how to play each and how to win big. Show transcript Hide transcript Transcript: Poker Variations: H.O.R.S.E. If you consider yourself a poker fiend and love different types of poker, then think about checking out H.O.R.S.E. poker games or tournaments. In the poker version of H.O.R.S.E., a different type of poker is played round-to-round for five rounds until returning to the first type and restarting the cycle. H.O.R.S.E.

poker is made up of five traditional poker games: Hold'em (Texas Hold'em) Seven-card Stud high (Seven-card stud high-low Eight or better also known as) Hi-lo H.O.R.S.E. contains several types of poker, and can seem tricky, but concept is relatively simple. The table starts by playing one full round of Texas Hold'em. Once the dealer button has passed around the table once, the round is concluded. How to Deal Each Poker Type Even if you know each type of poker relatively well, remembering how to deal and play each round after round may be difficult. And if you only know one or two of these variations, knowing how the other types are played is crucial to being able to compete in H.O.R.S.E. There are some key components to remember about each game. Texas Hold'em As usual in Texas Hold'em, the two players to the immediate left of the dealer must put out the big and small blind before each hand. Each player is dealt two cards, then there is the flop, then the turn, followed by the river, and then the showdown- with rounds of betting between each. The player who has the best hand from combining the cards in their hand and the cards on the board wins the hand.

Omaha Omaha is identical to Texas Hold'em, except each player is dealt four cards. then once the showdown comes around, players must combine two cards from their hand with three cards on the board to create a five-card hand. Razz When switching to Razz, be aware that it is a very different game than Omaha. Razz is a seven-card stud game with some big differences. Instead of trying to create a traditional hand with lots of royal cards, you want to create a five-card hand that has the lowest cards possible- usually a winning hand won't have a card that is higher than an eight. For example, the very best hand you can have in Razz is an A-2-3-4-5 straight. Razz is dealt like seven-card stud- with each player getting two face-down or “hole” cards and one face-up card. In Razz, the person with the highest card has to pay the “bring in” which is the standard bet, and players must call this bet if they want to play in the hand. Then fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh cards are dealt face-up, and the player that receives the lowest card in each hand is the first to bet.

And the player with the lowest hand is the winner. Seven-Card Stud High Seven-card stud high is dealt identical to Razz. First two hole cards are dealt along with one face up card. Then the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh cards are dealt one by one with betting in between. In seven-card stud high, the player that has the best five card combination wins. Some of the better hands in seven-card stud include your more well-known winning hands such as a royal flush, straight flush, or four of a kind. Seven-Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better Hi-lo is also a seven-card stud style game, except in this type of poker, both the highest hand and lowest hand win a split-pot. However, in this game, for a hand to be counted as low, it must contain no cards eight or higher. And hi-lo is dealt and betted just like normal seven-card stud and Razz. Repeat Until There's One Man Left Standing Once the Texas Hold'em round is complete, the game type is then changed to Omaha. And then once a full round of Omaha has been played, the game switches to Razz. This continues round-by-round until the Hi-lo round is complete.

Once the Hi-lo round is finished, the cycle begins again and the game type changes back to Texas Hold'em. This rotation continues until only one player is left standing. Thanks for watching our video on how to watch a H.O.R.S.E. poker game. For more on poker, be sure to check out About.com. About videos are made available on an "as is" basis, subject to the Terms of Use . Casino Hold ‘Em pits players against the house with lively play. | SCasino ﻿ Casino Hold ‘Em Casino Hold ‘Em takes Texas Hold ‘Em and stands it on its head with more action, more bets and more winnings! This card game is garnering new fans every day thanks to its fast pace and smooth play. Background Casino Hold ‘Em is a variation of long-time favorite Texas Hold ‘Em – but with a twist. In this card game, players play against the house, not against other players, creating a new dynamic and arguably increasing the odds of winning. The graphics are sharp and everything you need to know is visible at a glance. Interaction is smooth and glitch-free, and play proceeds quickly. Casino Hold ‘Em is played with a standard 52-card deck.

How to Play The workings of the game will be familiar to anyone who’s played Texas Hold ‘Em. To begin, place your ante. Then, click Deal. You’ll receive two cards face-up, and the dealer two cards face-down. Three “flop” or community cards are dealt in the center of the table, for use by both the player and the dealer. Now, you must decide whether to fold (you lose your ante and the hand ends) or to call (your ante bet will be doubled). If you call, another two “flop” cards will be dealt in the center of the table, and the dealer will reveal their cards as well. Here’s how the payouts work: The dealer must “qualify”, i.e. have a pair of fours or better. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, the call bet you made is returned to you and your ante bet is paid out in accordance with the Ante Bet table on the right-hand side of the graphic. If the dealer qualifies, a few different things can happen. If the dealer’s hand is better than yours, you lose your call and ante bets. If the dealer has the same hand as you, both your bets are returned to you.

If your hand beats the dealer’s hand, your ante bet is paid out according the table and your call bet pays even money. The AA Bet The AA bet is an additional, optional side bet you can make on each hand. You can only place this bet after you’ve placed your ante bet. In placing this bonus bet, you’re wagering that your hand (the first two cards dealt to you and the first three cards in the center of the table) will hold a pair of aces or higher. You need to call to win on this bet – you can’t collect on a folded hand. If you win, payouts are high! Summary Texas Hold ‘Em is out, Casino Hold ‘Em is in. This game is an energetic alternative to that old favorite, and offers a nice number of betting options (the AA bet in particular adds an extra thrill to the proceedings). Poker players of all stripes will find Casino Hold ‘Em an entertaining variation on the usual card games. ﻿ Texas Hold'em poker rules: the official learning guide to play poker | PokerNews Home Strategy Poker Rules Texas Hold'em Poker Texas Hold'em Poker Rules Texas hold'em is the most popular of all poker variations.

All of the marquee tournaments around the world (WSOP, WPT, EPT, etc.) are played in a variation of this game. Click here to read transcription Introduction Texas Hold'em is the most popular of all poker variations. All of the marquee tournaments around the world (WSOP, WPT, EPT, etc.) are played in a variation of this game. Don't let the simplicity of the game mislead you. The number of possible game situations is so vast that, when playing at a high level, the game can be very complex. Thus the renowned expression: "It takes a moment to learn, but a lifetime to master." When playing the game for the first time, you will be confronted with some of the basic rules which are explained below. For starters, each player is dealt two hole cards in Texas hold'em with the overall goal of making the best five-card hand. Play moves clockwise around the table, starting with action to the left of the dealer button. Generally, the first two players to the immediate left of the button are required to post a small blind and a large blind to initiate the betting. From there, action occurs on multiple streets: preflop, the flop, the turn and the river.

Button The button determines which player at the table is the acting dealer. In Texas Hold'em, the player on button, or last active player closest to the button, receives last action on all post-flop streets of play. When playing in casinos or online, you won't have to worry about who the dealer is. When playing with friends, everyone usually takes a turn at dealing the cards. After each hand has been completed, the button rotates one position to the left. While staff dealers handle the duty of dealing out the cards in brick-and-mortar casinos, and the process is automated online, this isn't the case in home games. A small tip is to find the most skillful dealer in the game, offer him or her a beer or a small tip and have them deal the game while the button keeps track of which player is the "dealer." While the dealer button often dictates who the first players are to begin the wagering with the small blind and big blind, it also determines where the dealing of the cards begin. The player to the immediate left of the dealer button in the small blind, receives the first card and then the dealer pitches cards around the table in a clockwise motion from player to player until each has received two starting cards.

The Blinds Before every new round, two players at the table are obligated to post blinds, or forced bets that begin the wagering. Without these blinds, the game would be very boring because no one would be required to put any money into the pot. In tournaments, the blinds are raised at regular intervals. As the number of players keeps decreasing and the stacks of the remaining players keep getting bigger, it is a necessity that the blinds keep increasing throughout a tournament. In cash games, the blinds will always stay the same for a given limit of which the game is being played. The player directly to the left of the button posts the small blind, and the player to his or her direct left posts the big blind. The small blind is generally half the amount of the big blind, although this stipulation varies from room to room and can also be dependent of the game being played. The Aim of the Game Winning, of course! But in order to achieve this, you need to be holding the best combination of cards. In Texas hold'em, every player receives two cards face down, called hole cards. Every player keeps these cards to concealed until the end of all of the betting rounds, which is called the showdown.

Texas hold'em is a game of community cards, where five cards are displayed in the middle of the table to be used in conjunction with a player's two hole cards in order to make the best five-card holding. The five community cards are displayed in the middle of the table on the flop, the turn and the river. The flop consists of the first three community cards, the turn adds another and the river completes the board with one more. These five cards are visible for every player. Once all five cards are down, players have to make the best five-card combination from these seven cards. This can be done using both of your hole cards in combination with three community cards, one hole card in combination with four community cards or no hole cards and playing all five community cards as one's hand. The player with the best combination of cards wins the pot, which is the sum of all bets that have been placed during that hand. First Betting Round The first round of betting takes place right after all hole cards have been dealt to each player.

The first player to act is the player to the left of the big blind, and this player then has three options: Call: match the amount of the big blind Raise: increase the bet within the specific limits of the game Fold: throw one's hand away If a player chooses to fold, he or she is no longer eligible to win the current hand. The amount a player can raise to depends on the game that is being played, but most commonly must be at least twice the big blind. Limit hold'em: you can only raise by the amount of the big blind Pot-limit hold'em: you can only raise a maximum of the pot size (the total bets that have been placed at that time) No-limit hold'em: you can raise by any amount you want up to the maximum that your chip stack allows, and betting all of your chips is deemed "all in" The players who follow have the same three options: call, raise or fold. In the case of raising, the minimum allotted amount for a raise must be equal to the original raise amount. For example, let's say the big blind in a game is $10 and the first player to act raises to $40 in a game of no-limit hold'em.

The second player to act has the option to call for $40, fold and no longer play the hand, or raise to $70 as the first raise amount of $30, the difference between the wager placed and the original big blind. Second Betting Round After the first preflop betting round has been completed, the second betting round takes place on the flop after the first three community cards have been dealt. In this betting round, and all that follow from now on, action starts with the first active player to the left of the button. Along with the options to bet, call, fold and raise, a player now has the option to check if no betting action has occurred prior. A check simply means to pass the action to the next player in the hand. Third Betting Round The fourth community card, called the turn, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the flop. Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to that on the previous street of play. Again players have the option to options to bet, call, fold, raise and check. Final Betting Round The fifth community card, called the river, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the turn.

Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to that on the previous street of play. Again players have the option to options to bet, call, fold, raise and check. After all betting action has been completed, the remaining players in the hand with hole cards now expose their holdings to determine a winner. This is called the showdown. Showdown The remaining players open their hole cards, and with the assistance of the dealer, a winning hand is determined. The player with the best combination of five cards will win the pot. Twitter Tracker Top-10 poker game variations | PokerZone Top-10 poker game variations By Ryan McLane 10.) Deuce -to-Seven Triple Draw If you're the only player in your home game who knows how to play this poker variation, then why not introduce it to your friends and take their hard earned money? Deuce-to-seven, one of the most popular poker variations amongst the poker professionals, is gold to those who understand its nuances and poison to those who are allured by the draw. With multiple betting rounds, the action gets heavy and the multiple draws makes for many rounds of fun-filled pots (and major suck outs). How to play: Each player is dealt five cards.

This is a lowball game, but remember, Aces are high. The best possible low hand is 2-3-4-5-7, because pesky flushes and straights count against you. A betting round occurs after the first five cards then each player is allowed to draw to a better hand or stay pat, depending on their strategy. Players can draw up to three times with betting after each draw. A player must match the last bet before drawing and after the last bets are complete, players showdown with the lowest possible hand being declared the winner of the pot. 9.) Crazy Pineapple You can start playing this variation because of its excellent name, but you'll end up playing it for its awesome betting action. Similar to Texas Hold'em, Crazy Pineapple is a community card game that starts with three cards rather than two, thus increasing the likelihood of several made hands betting like crazy at each other. This variation is becoming popular at the casinos as well, most likely due to people being sick of playing just Texas Hold'em. How to play: All players are dealt three cards to start and one round of betting is completed in the dark. After a flop of three cards, players must discard one of their three hole cards to continue betting.

Like Texas Hold'em, there are community turn and river cards with a round of betting after each. The most common version of this game is played with betting limits. 8.) Badugi Another game gaining in popularity is Badugi, a version of lowball where suits play a major role. The object of this game is to make the best four-card low hand, but pairs and similar suits count against you. There is also three draws to this game, making it a haven for suckers and gold mine for people who understand how to play a made hand. How to play: Players are dealt four cards face down to start. The best possible hand is A-2-3-4 of different suits. Pairs and similar suits count against a player and if no one has a Badugi (four non-paired cards of different suits) then the best three cards low hand wins, followed by best two cards hand (ect…). There are three draws with bets after each round. The best low hand at the showdown wins the pot. 7.) Four-up, three-down (Seven-Card Stud) Seven-Card Stud is a great home game variation because of the betting action.

With five rounds of betting, this variation can induce more action than typical rounds of Texas Hold'em and Five-Card draw combined. It's called four-up, three down because that's how it's played, but calling it that also introduces a new level of cool for those who deal the game with an auctioneer's style. How to play: Players are dealt two hole cards and then one card face up. A round of betting follows with the highest card showing initiating the action. Players receive three more cards face up (one at a time) with a round of betting following each card and the highest exposed hand initiating the betting. The last card is dealt face down and is followed by another round of betting. Once the betting is completed, players showdown with the best five-card poker hand possible. 6.) Seven-card no-peek Another great action game, Seven-card no peek is similar to Seven-Card Stud except all the cards are dealt face down. If a player peeks at his or her cards before the action starts, the person is immediately disqualified and a round of insults is a necessary follow. Saying "no peeksies" is surely game for ridicule, but only you will be left laughing when you rake in of the massive pots this game induces.

For added fun, throw in a wild card or two and watch players squirm as you expose your five of a kind. How to play: Players are dealt seven cards face down and one card is exposed for the first player to bet. Action starts to the dealer's left. This player flips over cards one at a time until he beats the exposed card. Once this is done, the player has the option to bet. The next player must then beat the first player and so on. Hand ranking is based on the best five-card poker hand and all players must match any bets to continue, even if they haven't seen any of their cards. The highest five-card left standing after all the non-folded hands are exposed wins the pot. 5.) Five-card draw It's hard to beat a classic. Mike Caro, the Mad Genius of Poker, once called this game the best variation for understanding poker psychology. Call for this variation when your home game needs to get back to its roots and enjoy playing the game that introduced almost every single player to the game of poker. For added fun, toss in a wild card of a second draw to induce more betting. How to play: Players are dealt five cards face down.

Betting starts to the left of the dealer and one round of betting occurs before the first draw. Players then discard unwanted cards to receive new cards from the deck. It is only possible to draw four cards if a player is willing to expose their Ace in most versions, thus, the most a player can draw without an Ace is three cards. After the draw, another round of betting occurs and the hand is won with the best five-card poker hand at the showdown. 4.) Chinese poker The king of the Casino City office game is Chinese Poker. This popular variation is also prevalent amongst the professionals where stakes can sometimes escalate to thousands of dollars a point. At most major tournament series', Chinese Poker is popular among the busted professionals and is played both in the poker halls and late night in hotel rooms. We at Casino City used Chinese Poker to decide which person got first pick of the cubicles (and yes, I did win the most luxurious space). For added fun, add a round of Badugi to the action. How to play: Players are dealt 13 cards face down. The player then must organize his or her cards into three hands (two five card hands and one three card hand).

The top hand (one of the five card hands) must be the player's strongest hand, followed in strength by the middle hand (the second five card hand) and then the three card hand. Players then face off against each other to see who wins. Top hands are pitted against top hands and the same goes for each subsequent hand. A player wins a point for each hand won, plus a bonus point for winning the best of three match-up for a possible total of four points. Betting stakes are per point, meaning if you're playing $5 a point, the maximum possible win per round is $20. 3.) Midnight baseball Similar to Seven-Card No Peek, Midnight Baseball is a face down card game where a player's hand is exposed one at a time. Only in this version, threes and nines are wild and players can buy and extra card for a pre-determined amount when a four is exposed. Variations of this game are played with seven and nine cards, but for the true baseball experience and more betting - go with the nine-card version. For added fun, make the purchase of an extra card with an exposed four mandatory.

How to play: Players are dealt seven or nine cards face down and are not allowed to look at the cards until it is their turn to expose them. The dealer flips over one card for the person to his or her left to beat. The next player must beat the exposed card and can bet once he or she does so. The next player must beat the first player and so on. Remember, threes and nines are wild and there is a buying option on any exposed four. The best five-card poker hand wins the massive pot. 2.) Guts This classic game of poker chicken is exciting for its showdowns and its bluffing. There are literally endless variations to this one game, but the most common version pits players against each other with three cards a piece. Straights are better than flushes and for added fun, add a pass element to the game or a draw; it will induce more betting and more bluffing action. Because all losing players must match the pot, this game can get crazy, especially if your home game is filled with action junkies. How to play: Players are dealt three cards facedown after anteing a pre-determined amount.

Players then must decide if they want to play the hand depending on their hand's strength, or their willingness to bluff. Players then extend their cards towards the middle facedown while the dealer counts one, two, three – guts. On the guts counts, players can either drop their hands (fold) or hold them up to advance to the showdown. The highest three card hand remaining in the game wins the entire pot with each of the losing hands having to pay the entire pot as a penalty. The game continues until one player is the only one holding up their hand for a showdown, thus winning the remaining pot with no additional monies being added. 1.) Texas Hold'em The current king of all poker variations is a must appear in the top slot. Televised poker tournaments has made this variation of poker the most popular in the world and it doesn't matter whether it be Limit Texas Hold'em, Pot Limit or the No Limit variety, each one is king and the most commonly called variety in dealer's choice home games. How to play: If you don't know, you shouldn't be playing poker, but the game is a community card variation with two cards dealt face down to each player.

There is a betting round after the first two cards followed by a flop of three cards. Players bet after the flop and after both the turn and the river, two community cards dealt face up. Once the river is dealt, there is one last betting round before player's showdown with the best five-card poker hand declared the winner. Casino Hold'em Casino Hold'em Casino Hold'Em Casino Hold'Em Casino Hold 'Em is a new form of Texas Hold 'Em Poker. This variation of five-card poker is both easy to learn and an absolute thrill to play! In Casino Hold 'Em you are playing against the Dealer rather than other players, which eliminates any concern over another player’s moves and bluffing. This is the primary difference between regular Texas Hold 'Em games, where reading other players plays a central role. Because you are only playing against the Dealer, your decision-making in Casino Hold 'Em is more simplistic and straight-forward. Getting Started Playing Casino Hold'Em To start off, place a wager on the ANTE area and click the DEAL button. Two "Hole" cards are then dealt to each player, and three community cards (known as the ‘Flop’) are dealt face up in the middle.

At this point, you may choose to either FOLD or CALL. Folding, of course, means forfeiting the ante. A call bet is always two times the size of the ante wager and allows you to continue with the hand. Two more community cards are then dealt into the middle of the Casino Hold'Em table, followed by the Dealer revealing their hole cards. Both you and the Dealer will attempt to build their best five-card poker hand from the two hole cards and five community cards. Your objective is to wind up with a better poker hand than the Dealer. The Dealer qualifies with a 5-card poker hand that's equal to a pair of 4s or better. An AA side bet is optional. With this bet you are wagering that the first five cards dealt (your two cards plus the first three flop cards) will include a pair of Aces or better. Let the Casino Hold'Em Fun Begin To place your bet(s), Click on the desired chip denomination. Then click the AA and Ante circles on the table to load your bets. Every click increases your bet by that particular chip's value, and every right-click decreases the bet.

You can also click Clear Bets to remove all bets from the Casino Hold 'Em table and start over. Click the button marked Deal. You are dealt two cards which you must use along with the "flop" cards to make the best possible poker hand. Firstly, both you and the Dealer will be given two cards (the Dealer's are face down), and three cards will be dealt to the flop. If you have a pair of Aces or better, you win the AA side bet. Next, you can Call and continue facing off against the Dealer, or Fold and lose your bets. If you call, you will have to place double your original Ante bet in the Call circle. You must call to collect your AA side bet winnings. If you don't, you will lose your AA bet even if you have a valid hand. The last two flop cards are then dealt, the Dealer turns their cards face up, and the best possible Casino Hold 'Em hands, yours and the Dealer’s, are formed automatically. If your hand is better than the Dealer's, you win and your Ante and Call bets are returned to you along with your winnings. If not, you lose your bets.

If you want to play another round, press New Game. Then, place your bets as explained above and click the Deal button. By clicking Rebet, you automatically place the same bets as in the previous hand. Casino Hold'Em Hand Rankings In Casino Hold'Em ,at every stage of the game, the best possible hands are formed automatically for you. The hand rankings and rules in Casino Hold 'Em are virtually the same as Texas Hold 'Em played in poker rooms and casinos, both online and off. The Dealer has to have at least a pair of 4s to qualify. If not, your Call bet is returned and the Ante bet pays according to the paytable. Whenever the Dealer qualifies and you win, your Ante bet pays according to the paytable and your Call bet pays even money. If you and the Dealer have equal Casino Hold 'Em hands, the highest card determines the winner. In Casino Hold 'Em, an Ace is a semi-wildcard, meaning it can be the highest-value card in a straight of Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10, or the lowest-value card in a straight of 5, 4, 3, 2, Aces.

Question: Texas Hold ‘Em is a variation of which card game?
Answer: Poker