Different Types of Poker Games

Poker is a massive class of games that differ in structure, building hands and betting. Learning types of poker can give you an idea of what to expect from a specific title, plus help you find the one that fits best for you. In this guide, you will find Texas Hold’em, Omaha, draw, stud and other poker variants explained and compared. Use it to understand the dissimilarities and pick a suitable format to play.​

Main Types of Poker – Quick Examination

There are several groups of card games to explore and combine. Each has its own peculiarities, rules, ways of forming combinations and hierarchy of hands.

See distinct poker categories described below:

Most Popular Poker Games With Community Cards

Community card poker is a group of games in which punters use five cards laid out in the middle of the table.

The shared cards appear during the flop (3), turn (1), and river (1) and are often referred to as the “board.” All participants are eligible to see them and combine them with their hole cards to build their nut hand – that’s where the name originates. Notably, the rules for how the player mixes these face-up cards with the private ones differ by game.

Further, we discuss the most widely played games that have community cards and their key characteristics.

Texas Hold’em – One of the Most Popular Poker Variants

Texas Hold'em is a mainstream form of community card poker that UK punters can play with or without limits. It holds the majority of traffic volume – approximately 90% of tables across most poker platforms. Hold’em accommodates between two and ten people at a single table.

Its core feature is one’s option to finish with any set of two hole and five public cards that form the strongest possible combination. That said, you include only those that benefit your hand. It is not mandatory to pack your starting cards either – that’s optional. Sometimes the best combo builds on the board.

👉 Read complete Texas Hold’em rules.

Short Deck Poker

This discipline, also known as Hold'em 6+, extracts 16 pieces off the deck: 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. Thus, people operate with cards ranging from six to ace, inclusive. This changes the probabilities of winning combinations and their hierarchy. However, its rules are almost identical to the original (full-deck) version. Participants can combine any quantity of pocket and community cards to create their final holding.

Of all poker variants, Short Deck has become a real banger in the Far East, particularly in Macau – Asia's entertainment hub. It is a central format in the Triton series and a favoured variation of pros like Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey.

👉 Read complete Short Deck poker rules.

Omaha & Its Variations

Omaha is nearly a dead ringer for Hold’em. The essence, guidelines, player actions, street count and order, and the board role all align. However, it differs in how we form combinations. Players receive 4 hole cards, yet a qualifying combo must keep exactly 2 of them plus any 3 from the community board. This rigid restriction is what distinguishes the discipline from Holdem.

The punter has more drawing prospects and hand options overall, which greatly diversifies gameplay. On the flip side, the condition generates greater variance.

Main poker game variations of the Omaha format:

• PLO5 / PLO6. Everyone receives 5 or 6 cards preflop, respectively. Yet you can use only two of them, with three placed at the table’s centre, to create your combination. All other rules stay consistent with the traditional version.
• Omaha Hi/Lo. The big difference is the element of a split pot at the end of play (showdown). Punters who finish with the strongest and the weakest hands among active opponents each receive an equal share: 50/50.
• Courchevel. A hooking variation of 5-card Omaha with a unique twist: the first card hits the table before the opening betting phase begins. It has a regular and hi/lo option. Both take proper skills, but the hi/lo is much more challenging for novices to play.

👉 Read complete Omaha poker rules.

Draw Poker Variants

A distinctive feature of draw poker games is that punters go through a draw stage (often called “exchange”). This refers to a special round in which the person gets the chance to improve by chucking out unwanted cards from the hand and replacing them with new ones from the undealt part of the deck. Switch up one, two, three, four or all five items at once, or skip the opportunity and carry on the initial lineup. Depending on the variation, the game might involve 1 or 3 drawing phases.

Other specific characteristics:

• No shared board – the full starting lineup is dealt out in private and remains so until the deciding moment.
• The person receives all five pocket cards at once, not during the deal.
• Fewer betting circles compared to flop-based poker.
• From 2 to 5 participants are usually at the table, but it can be 6 as well.
• Traditional hand ranking is taken into account, so the strongest combo wins.

Julianna Svyrydenko

iGaming Expert at Cardmates

Because draw games have no community cards, it is difficult to make hypotheses about the strength of foes' holdings. The exchange mechanic is easy to follow, but I believe playing this format requires truly sharp reading skills, based on how many items are discarded. You must be good at interpreting others’ draws to outsmart rivals and succeed. But still, the play is very straightforward, so that even newbies will handle everything in a few deals.

Next, we familiarise you with the game’s classic and distinct adaptations, plus how they differ from other poker categories.

Five Card Draw

This is the oldest and most common discipline of this type. As the name suggests, it gives each punter as many as five pocket cards and one shot to improve through the replacement step. The hand stays hidden from foes the whole time (from start to finish), and you only expose it at the final stage, so proper bluffing is key. The game consists of just two betting rounds – such simplicity makes it ideal for beginners who have just entered the scene.

👉 Read complete Five Card Draw rules.

2-7 Triple Draw

Another draw game with no board in which people build combinations exclusively from their pocket lineup. However, this variant belongs to the lowball family, and this implies that the “weakest” hands win pots – not the highest.

True to its title, participants go through three exchange rounds if they choose to upgrade their holding. Typically, everyone is eligible to discard and substitute anywhere from 0 to 5 cards during a draw phase. Two more switches raise the level of complexity in gameplay.

Since betting is dependent on opponents’ draw decisions, novice players might find it a bit harder to master than the classic version. For intermediate levels, this option is just fine.

👉 Read complete  2-7 Triple Draw rules.

Badugi

This variation of exchange-based poker originates from Korea. Rivals have no cards to share. Each receives four starters – they are visible to the owner, and no other person is authorised to check them. Badugi's unique feature is that the cards in your hand must be of different suits and ranks. What’s in it can be replaced three times, according to the format’s all-around guidelines.

On top of that, Badugi differs in that it’s a lowball-style game. Thus, the person who collects the weakest combo celebrates victory and grabs the entire pot.

The result is a rather complex setting in which luck plays a significant role, as each rival always has a chance to make a strong combo during the draw.

👉 Read complete Badugi rules.

Stud Games

The main differences between Stud and other types of poker are:

• Things go without community cards, though some are laid out face up.
• You build your hand solely from individually dealt pieces (both open and concealed).
• Only you are able to use the visible cards on your side of the table in combination.
• There are no flop, turn, or river stages.
• There is no possibility of drawing cards from the pack to strengthen.

Check the leading variants of Stud games:

Seven Card Stud

The top characteristic of a 7-card stud is five betting rounds, but you won't find the familiar flop, turn, and river here. Mandatory bets are represented by ante, not blinds. Each participant starts with two private cards and one open. In total, everyone possesses seven elements: four dealt face up and three – face down. The fundamental gameplay principles remain intact.

👉 Read complete Seven Card Stud rules.

Razz

This discipline is the lowball version of the aforementioned seven-card stud. It has the same structure: 7 hole cards per punter, no community policy, and no typical betting rounds. Because Razz does not share the board, the best hand must be built entirely from your private cards. All classic wagering actions are available.

Unlike poker variants where participants aim to collect the strongest holdings, the goal in Razz is to achieve the lowest possible combo.

👉 Read complete Razz poker rules.

Mixed Formats

Such can hardly be called separate disciplines, as participants rotate among several games in a single session. The number of deals for each is agreed in advance. Since rules change quickly, one by one, this requires deep knowledge of each variation and sharp skills to beat the foes.

HORSE and 8-Game Mix (T.H.O.R.S.E.H.A.)

The most well-known and brightest example would be HORSE. It brings together the following styles into one game:

• H – Hold’em FL
• O – Omaha Hi Lo
• R – Razz (7 Card Stud Low)
• S – 7-Card Stud (High)
• E – 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo (Eight or Better)

People play one match from each discipline in accordance with the established order (the one provided above). All obey a fixed-limit structure, as usual. HORSE has been added to the prestigious WSOP tournaments.

👉 Read complete HORSE poker rules.

The extended version, T.H.O.R.S.E.H.A., features eight poker formats. The sequence includes: 2-7 Triple Draw, FL Hold'em, Omaha (8 or Better), Razz, Stud (first goes regular, then & hi-lo), NL Hold’em, PLO. To excel, you should have a solid grasp of the differences in their rules/strategies. Such mastery is attainable primarily by seasoned regs.

Exotic Poker Games

This group stores alternative variants that diverge from traditional play and bring a new dimension of thrill and fun. When your poker sessions get repetitive, consider these options:

• Chinese Poker. This one bears little similarity to the classic forms – it's more like a “solitaire.” There are no usual betting phases, board or standard pot to compete for.
• Three Card Poker. Gamblers compete directly against a dealer rather than against each other. The player’s holding is visible, while the croupier's is always dealt facedown. Table actions are limited to bet or fold.
• Caribbean Stud. Punters play against the house and can win a progressive jackpot payout. There is no exchange stage; you use what you get to build a hand.
• Irish Poker. Similar to Omaha in that punters receive four cards preflop and share what’s on the board. The one key difference is that you get rid of two cards once the flop hits the table, while in Omaha, you discard them at the showdown.

Different Poker Games Compared

Which Types of Poker are Right for You

To choose a suitable format for you, familiarise yourself with the defining features of each poker variety. The best way to determine whether a particular game is right for you is to check its rules and play a few hands at small stakes. If you're still unsure which option to stop your choice on, consider a few points.

Below, we've listed key factors to help you decide which poker styles are best for you.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Poker Type

• Your skill level. Punters without experience will lose in any format, and in this case, it’s most important to find games with stakes (or buy-ins) that fit your spending limits. But generally, newcomers are better off with the kind of disciplines with simple structures, specifically Texas Hold’em and/or 5-Card Draw. If you have some background knowledge and are familiar with basic poker rules, you will handle deviations in Omaha (Hi) and Stud, and we even dare to mention Badugi. Razz and mixed games are an appropriate vector for savvy players.
• Complexity. Playing poker disciplines with a common board, you should pay attention to your foes’ behaviour based on where they sit at the table. Meanwhile, table position is not a challenging factor in Stud and Draw. Omaha Hi-Lo requires the player to run two different mathematical algorithms, as they compete for two pots at once (high and low).

• Preferred strategy. Do you favour aggressive betting and bluffing or counting odds? Pressure has a role in No Limit Hold’em (there’s no cap on bets), while clever bluffs work in 7-Card Stud where board texture cannot support your narrative. Omaha is more math-driven than any other poker type, especially PLO5 and PLO6. You must calculate outs and blockers all the way through and either play your mathematical equity or fold. Deceptive tactics do not pay off, as nuts and strong draws are very common in these games.

Conclusion

With so many poker variants, you’re spoilt for choice. This article offers a valuable resource for UK players looking for the right option. Regardless of what type you select to play, be responsible when wagering real money. Never spend on this sort of entertainment more than you can afford to lose.