Just when you’ve finally learned poker, you go to the casino and are all geared up and ready to win some cash. But…….got surprised when you noticed different types of poker? Fret not, we got you covered here.
In this article, experts from 96Ace Casino Malaysia will cover the 3 top popular types of poker. Learn these few popular ones and you’re all set for 2022.
Texas Hold’em
As of 2021, Texas Hold’em is the number 1 most popular type of poker. All of the top global poker tournaments such as “World Poker Tour” and “World Series of Poker” will definitely feature the no-limit version of Texas Hold’em. Hence, it’s highly recommended for every poker player to learn this.
So, let’s dive into how do we play the poker. When starting Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt with 2 cards facing down. These 2 are known as “hole cards” that only they can see. Next, 5 cards are dealt in phases to the middle of the table in 3 stages, facing up for everyone to see. These 5 are community cards known as “the board”.
A game of Texas Hold’em consists of multiple phases, with a betting round in between each phase. The game can end at any phase whenever there’s only 1 player left.
- Pre-flop phase: each player are dealt with their “hole cards”
- Flop phase: 3 cards are revealed as part of “the board”
- Turn phase: the 4th card is revealed as part of “the board”
- River phase: the 5th card is revealed as part of “the board”
- Showdown phase: each remaining player compare their hands to determine the winner
The objective of this game is; that players can use the 5 community cards on “the board”, together with their “hole cards” to make a hand. The best combination of 5 cards wins the game.
Omaha
Omaha poker is the 2nd most popular poker game. It’s very similar to Texas Hold’em. Some even dare say that Omaha is on course to overtake Texas Hold’em, and be the number 1 most played poker in the world. So, here are the key differences that set Omaha apart:
- each player is dealt with 4 “hole cards” instead of 2 at the starting phase
- making a hand requires 2 “hole cards” and 3 cards from “the board”.
Every other aspect remains the same. The game still begins with the pre-flop phase. Followed by the flop phase, turn phase, river phase and finally ends with the showdown phase. A betting round occurs in between each of those phases too.
The showdown phase is where most rookie makes the most mistakes. Since it’s required to use 2 “hole cards” and the remaining 3 from “the board”, many overlook this rule and made the wrong hand.
But….this is also where the main excitement of Omaha poker comes from!
With 4 “hole cards”, players can make a much wider range of hands. So much so that it’s actually quite common to see high-value hands during the showdown. On top of that, a wider range of hands comes with more bluffing as well. More cards facing down create more uncertainties and more opportunities for bluffs.
Owing to that, some people find more actions and excitement in Omaha over Texas Hold’em. This is why Omaha poker is the 2nd most popular game.
Seven-Card Stud
Before Texas Hold’em rise to popularity over the past decade, 7-card stud was the most popular poker variation. Hence, being one of the more traditional or classic forms of poker, it’s still very popular among veteran poker players. That’s why 7-card stud made it to our top 3 poker list for 2022!
While Omaha & Texas Hold’em shares a lot of similarities, the 7-card stud is surprisingly quite different from those 2. The most obvious difference is the lack of community cards, which is “the board” in Omaha and Texas Hold’em.
Besides that, 7-card stud is like other poker games. It still consists of multiple phases whereby cards are dealt to each player during each phase. The betting rounds occur in between certain phases as well. Finally, the game can end at any phase whenever there’s only 1 player left.
This game starts with 2 cards being dealt face down as the “hole cards”. Followed by a 3rd card facing up, known as the “door card” or “3rd street”. Then the 1st round of betting begins, whereby players have to decide whether to fold or proceed.
Similarly to Texas Hold’em with only 2 “hold cards”, a good starting hand is very important. For newer players, it’s highly advisable not to attempt playing too many starting hands.
That’s why it’s quite common to see players cutting their losses early by folding immediately when they have a bad starting hand. But be prepared if someone suddenly decided to bluff with a bad hand!
For those who proceed to the next phase, the 4th card will be dealt facing up. This is known as the 4th street. Followed by another round of betting. This may repeat until the 7th street before the showdown phase begin.
Likewise with other poker games, the best combination of 5 cards wins the game during the showdown.
In a 7-card stud, there are more cards facing up. Giving more opportunities for players to take advantage of the card counting trick. That’s why one of the main strategies in this game is to closely observe your opponent’s cards. Take note of each card that is revealed. It will help to improve your guesswork.
Already Learned The Top 3, What’s Next?
This may come as a surprise to some, but the 3 types of poker we discussed above have not always been the most popular ones. The world of poker changes every now and then, depending on the players and trends.
Who knows which type of poker can be the next big thing? Moreover, certain types may be more popular in certain regions.
So, it’s always great to keep your options open and learn a few varieties of poker. Learning the various types of poker is rather easy. The basics are the same since they’re all poker after all. Hence, if you already know how to play one, you can pretty much play the others with a little bit of practice.
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