Online poker games: Variations you need to know
Several variations of poker offer diverse gameplay, and some of the most popular are:
Texas Hold’Em
Texas Hold’Em poker is arguably the most popular, making it the version you’ll most likely see at online casinos. Its biggest difference from regular poker is it uses community cards that players share. All players can use it to build a good hand.
Texas Hold’Em is played in different stages, such as:
- Pre-plop - All participating players are dealt two ‘hole cards face down.
- The Flop - During the second round, three community cards are dealt face up.
- The Turn - Players receive a fourth community card.
- The River - The fifth and last community card is dealt to the remaining participants.
Depending on your cards, you can call, raise, or fold between the stages. When you call, it means matching the latest bet. Raising your bet means increasing the amount and challenging other players to match it. However, if you fold, you don’t think your hand is strong enough and bow out of the game.
Five-card Draw
Like other poker variations, the ultimate goal in Five-card Draw is to get the best hand against your opponents. However, the gameplay is different from Texas Hold’Em. In this variation, you are dealt five cards at the start of the round. You can exchange these cards to improve your hand before the next betting round.
Seven-card Stud
Before Texas Hold’Em became prominent, Seven-card Stud was the most popular poker variation. Up to eight players compete for the best hand when you play it. There are no hole cards or community cards in this version. Instead, you are dealt two face-down cards and a third face-up card at the start of the round.
In total, you are dealt seven cards, and you’ll build it by choosing the best five combinations. Throughout the game, all players reveal portions of their cards until the final round of betting, where everyone fully reveals their hand.