Rules for Online Poker Games

Now that we know what to consider while learning to play poker, let's take a look at the different variations out there along with the major rule differences for each game.

Texas Hold'em - Texas Hold'em is by far the most popular variation of poker in the world due to the fact that it's easy to learn and is one of the most publicized games.  In this game, players are dealt two hole cards and use them in conjunction with five community cards to form the best possible poker hand that they can.  The game is fast paced and relies on good bluffing and betting strategy in order to become a constant winner.  Texas Hold-em is usually offered in both No-Limit and Limit versions, although Pot-Limit versions of the game are available at most online poker sites.  Overall, Texas Hold'em is one of the most entertaining versions of poker and particularly for beginners, Texas Hold'em is one of the best games to learn for building a solid foundation of poker knowledge.

Omaha Poker - Omaha Poker is a variant of Texas Hold'em that adds a ton of action to the game and opens up the possibility for lots more hand combinations for the players in the game.  In Omaha Poker, players are dealt four hole cards and must use two of the cards they are dealt in conjunction with five community cards to make the best hand.  Since players start off with two more hole cards at the beginning of the game, Omaha requires much more thought on the players part since the range of hands that your opponent could be holding is increased dramatically.  Omaha Poker games are most commonly played in Pot-Limit form, however both No-Limit and Limit games are available.

Stud Poker Games - Stud Poker games such as 7 Card Stud Poker are a one of the more traditional types of poker games and these days are not as commonly played online.  In 7 Card Stud Poker, the player is dealt a total of 7 hole cards over the course of the game with multiple rounds of betting before the hand reaches the showdown.  Using the 7 dealt cards, the player must make the best 5 card poker hand that they can in order to be declared the winner of the round.  7 Card Stud Poker is usually played in Limit form at most poker sites and another version of the game called Razz Poker is also available.

Draw Poker Games - Draw Poker is perhaps the most known type of poker game and is something that almost everyone has played at some point in their lives.  The most common type of draw poker is 5 Card Draw however there are also other variants such as 2-7 Triple Draw and 2-7 Single Draw which are included in this category.  Draw Poker games are usually played in Limit form however some sites offer No-Limit games as well.

Mixed Poker Games - Mixed Poker games are becoming increasingly popular in the poker scene since they truly require a vast knowledge of poker games and a very strong understanding of poker strategy.  The most popular types of poker mixed games include H.O.R.S.E Poker, H.O.S.E Poker and 8 Game Mix which are only available at a few select poker rooms.  Generally these games are only recommended for advanced players since they require a working knowledge of rules & strategy for a number of different games.

Other Poker Games - In addition to the main categories of poker games, some other variations have popped up over the years which have gained some notoriety.  These include games like Badugi and Pineapple Poker which each add their own twist onto the classic versions of poker games.  Only the largest poker sites tend to offer these games since they aren't that popular and are only sustainable on rooms with a lot of players.

Casino Based Poker Games - The popularity of poker has driven the game away from the tables and into a number of popular casino table games.  These days in casinos you can find a number of games based on poker that are played directly against the house.  These include games like Caribbean Stud Poker, 3 Card Poker, Let It Ride as well as Casino Hold'em which derive their rules from traditional versions of poker.  Some online poker sites also offer a selection of these casino games directly in the poker software.

The history of both poker and poker games is somewhat of a murky topic and no one is actually sure where and when the game originated.  The earliest mention of the game is said to have occurred as early as 969 A.D. when it is widely believed that the Chinese invented a similar version of the game using what was known as domino cards that were ranked in a similar way to poker hands.  The game also reveals some striking similarities to the German game of Pochen as well as a Persian game known as As Nas.

Regardless of the exact point of origin, the game of poker has evolved rapidly over the past 200 years.  Around 1850 the game started to take on the form of today's versions of poker when a 52 card deck was introduced, as well as several new poker hands such as the Flush, Full House and so on.  During the American Civil War the game grew even further when many new variants of poker were created including games such as Stud Poker, Wild Card, Lowball & community based poker games like Texas Hold'em.

Since then, the evolution of poker games has remained somewhat stagnant however the popularity of poker has grown at almost unbelievable rates.  This is largely attributed to the wide publicity of the game which has stemmed from the introduction of both online poker as well as major live poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour and countless other events which have turned average Joe's into millionaires literally with a deal of the cards.  While the future of games such as online poker are uncertain in the current legal climate, one thing is for sure - poker is here to stay and will always be a game that is played by millions from around the world every single day.