Poker has long been celebrated as more than just a card game. It is a cultural phenomenon, a strategic battlefield, and a form of entertainment that has transcended generations. From the dimly lit saloons of the Old West to the neon lights of Las Vegas, and from friendly kitchen-table gatherings to billion-dollar online platforms, poker has captured imaginations for centuries. Its endurance is simple to explain: poker offers the perfect blend of chance, psychology, and strategy.

For beginners, the first challenge is often untangling what “poker” actually means. Unlike games such as chess or blackjack, poker is not a single uniform set of rules. Instead, it is a family of games that share some similarities but differ in their structures, objectives, and strategies. Other poker variants are lightning-fast and perfect for casual players. Some are slower, more methodical, and require a sharp memory or advanced probability calculations.

Why should a new player explore different poker variants? There are three compelling reasons.

1. A stronger foundation
   Learning more than one format deepens your understanding of hand values, betting structures, and decision-making. For example, Texas Hold’em teaches you how to manage position and betting patterns. Stud emphasizes memory and observation. Lowball games like 2-7 Triple Draw force you to rewire your brain to think in reverse. Each game expands your toolkit.
2. Avoiding monotony
   Even the most popular game, Texas Hold’em, can feel repetitive after hundreds of hands. Switching to Omaha, Razz, or even quirky variants like Badugi injects fresh excitement. This variety keeps your enthusiasm alive and prevents you from burning out as you learn.
3. Becoming versatile
   Many professional tournaments include mixed formats like HORSE or Dealer’s Choice, where multiple poker games are played in rotation. A versatile player who knows how to play several types of poker gains an edge in these formats. More importantly, versatility makes you adaptable. You learn to adjust strategies quickly — a crucial skill in all competitive settings.

Of course, not every poker game is equally beginner-friendly. Some require more time to grasp. Others have declined in popularity and are harder to find in casinos or online rooms. But that’s no reason to ignore them — many niche games sharpen skills that make you stronger in more mainstream formats.

This article introduces the top 13 types of poker games for beginners. Each section will walk you through:

• How to play: A step-by-step breakdown of rules and structure.
• Beginner-friendly strategies: Simple principles to avoid mistakes and start strong.
  Common pitfalls: Missteps that new players often make, so you can sidestep them.
• Why the game matters: A short note on its history, popularity, or cultural relevance.

By the end, you won’t just know how to play poker in its most basic form — you’ll have a roadmap of where to start, what to try next, and how each variant can build different skills.

One word of advice before we dive in: poker is a game of patience. You don’t need to learn all 13 types at once. Start with the simplest, like Texas Hold’em or 5-Card Draw. Then gradually branch out as your confidence grows. Think of this article as a menu. Sample one dish at a time, savor the experience, and build your appetite for more.

With that said, let’s begin where every modern poker story starts: Texas Hold’em, the undisputed king of the game.

Texas Hold’em

If poker were a kingdom, Texas Hold’em would sit firmly on the throne. It is by far the most popular variant, played everywhere from small home games to global tournaments with multimillion-dollar prize pools.

Rules and Structure

Texas Hold’em is played with a standard 52-card deck. Each player is dealt two private hole cards. Five community cards are revealed in stages:

1. Pre-Flop: Players look at their two hole cards. The first betting round begins.
2. The Flop: Three community cards are placed face-up on the table. Another betting round follows.
3. The Turn: A fourth community card is added. Another betting round.
4. The River: A fifth and final community card is dealt. The last betting round happens, followed by a showdown if needed.

Players can use any combination of their hole cards and the community cards to form the best possible five-card hand.

Example Hand for Beginners

Suppose you are dealt Ace of Spades and King of Spades (a premium starting hand). The flop comes 10 of Spades, 5 of Hearts, 2 of Spades. You already have a flush draw plus two overcards. At this point, an experienced player will bet or raise, applying pressure while having strong potential to improve. A beginner might check passively, missing a chance to build the pot.

Strategy Tips

• Play strong hands aggressively. Hands like A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K dominate. Don’t limp in; raise.
  Respect position. Being “on the button” (last to act) is powerful because you see how everyone else plays before deciding. Beginners should play more hands in late position and fewer in the early position.
• Learn pot odds. If the pot has $100 and you need to call $20, you’re getting 5-to-1 odds. If your draw has better than a 1-in-5 chance of hitting, calling is correct.
• Control your emotions. Beginners often go on “tilt” after losing a hand, leading to reckless bets. Staying calm is as important as knowing the rules.

Common Mistakes

1. Playing too many hands. Just because you’re in the game doesn’t mean you should play every card.
2. Overvaluing weak pairs. A single pair often loses at showdown.
3. Chasing hopeless draws. Not every draw is worth pursuing.
4. Ignoring stack sizes. Your decisions should change depending on whether you or your opponents have deep stacks or short stacks.

Why It Matters

Texas Hold’em became iconic thanks to its role in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Televised events showed hole cards with pocket cameras, making the game exciting to watch. Chris Moneymaker’s legendary 2003 Main Event win, after qualifying online for $39, convinced millions that anyone could become a champion.

For beginners, Hold’em is the ideal starting point. Its rules are simple, but its strategic depth can occupy a lifetime. Even if you branch out to other poker formats, the lessons you learn in Hold’em — discipline, position, pot odds — apply everywhere.

Omaha-Hi 

If Texas Hold’em is poker’s king, Omaha-Hi, often called Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), is its fiery prince. The two games look similar, but Omaha is far more volatile. For players who love action, it’s irresistible.

Rules and Structure

Each player gets four hole cards instead of two. The table still sees five community cards, dealt in flop, turn, and river stages. The crucial rule: players must use exactly two hole cards plus three community cards to make a hand. Betting rounds are structured the same way as in Hold’em, but most Omaha games are played pot-limit rather than no-limit.

Example Hand

Imagine you hold A♠ K♠ Q♦ J♦. That looks beautiful: multiple straight possibilities, two suits for flush draws. The flop comes 10♠ 9♠ 2♥. You already have the nut straight and a draw to the nut flush. This is where Omaha shines — huge equity and huge pots.

Beginner Strategy

• Play hands with strong coordination. High connected cards and double-suited hands are premium.
• Avoid weak pairs. A single pair means little in Omaha. Expect straights, flushes, and full houses to dominate.
• Respect variance. Even the strongest hands can be outdrawn. Don’t get emotionally attached.
• Think about blockers. Holding the Ace of spades reduces the chances others have a flush draw in that suit.

Common Mistakes

Beginners often treat Omaha like Hold’em and overvalue hands. For example, top pair with a good kicker — so strong in Hold’em — is nearly worthless in PLO.

Why It Matters

Omaha is the second-most popular poker game in the world, especially in Europe and online. Casinos everywhere spread it alongside Hold’em. If Hold’em teaches patience and discipline, Omaha teaches you to calculate odds and equity under pressure.

Omaha-Hi-Lo

A twist on Omaha is Omaha-Hi-Lo, also known as Omaha 8 or Better. This split-pot game rewards players who can think in two directions at once.

Rules and Basics

Each player receives four hole cards instead of two. To make a hand, you must use exactly two of your hole cards and three community cards. This single rule is what makes Omaha unique and sometimes confusing for Hold’em players transitioning.

The game is usually played with a pot-limit betting structure, which means the maximum bet allowed is the size of the current pot. This keeps the game under control compared to no-limit but still allows for massive pots.

Example Hand

Suppose you hold A♠ 2♠ K♥ Q♥. The flop comes 5♣ 6♠ 9♦. Now you have a nut low draw (A-2-5-6-9), plus a chance at a spade flush. This is a classic scoop opportunity — you can win both halves.

Strategy Tips

• Play premium hands. Double-suited, connected cards like A-K-Q-J or A-2-3-4 are strong.
• Avoid weak pairs. Two pair is fragile in Omaha — straights, flushes, and full houses are common.
• Play position. With more possible combinations, late position becomes even more valuable.
• Think about blockers. If you hold the Ace of spades, you know your opponent can’t have the nut spade flush.

Common Mistakes

• Overvaluing hands like top pair or weak straights.
• Forgetting the “two card” rule and misreading their hand.
• Playing too many starting hands, leading to frequent losses.

Why It Matters

Omaha-Hi-Lo is moderately popular online and appears often in mixed formats. It rewards flexibility and patience. Beginners who want a mental challenge should try it after mastering regular Omaha.

7-Card Stud 

Before Texas Hold’em rose to dominance, 7-Card Stud was the undisputed king of American cardrooms. For decades, it was the standard poker game played in casinos, at home, and even in Hollywood depictions of poker. Unlike Hold’em and Omaha, Stud does not use community cards. Each player works with their own unique set of cards, which makes observation, memory, and deduction far more critical.

Rules and Structure

7-Card Stud is played with a standard 52-card deck, typically with 2–8 players. The structure is distinctive because no community cards are shared. Instead, each player builds their own hand from a mix of face-up and face-down cards.

Here’s how the deal unfolds:

1. Third Street: Each player is dealt two private (down) cards and one face-up (up) card. A betting round follows, starting with the player who shows the lowest upcard.
2. Fourth Street: Each player receives another upcard. Another betting round occurs.
3. Fifth Street: Each player receives a third upcard. A betting round follows, often with increased bet sizes.
4. Sixth Street: Each player gets their fourth upcard. Another round of betting follows.
5. Seventh Street (the River): Each player receives one final card face-down. A last betting round occurs before the showdown.

By the end, each player has seven cards total — four up, three down — and must form their best five-card hand.

Example Hand for Beginners

You begin with A♠ A♦ 7♣ (two Aces in the hole, a 7 showing). This is an excellent starting hand — hidden strength with a decent upcard.

As the hand progresses:

• On fourth street, you receive a K♥, while another player shows a 7♦.
• On fifth street, you catch a 5♣, and your opponent pairs their 7 with another visible 7♠.

At this point, your hidden Aces may still be strong, but seeing your opponent’s paired 7s should make you cautious. They could have trips or be drawing strong. The key skill in Stud is reading boards like this and adjusting accordingly.

Strategy Tips

• Track exposed cards. Memory is everything. If you’re chasing a flush but three of your suit are already visible on the table, your chances shrink dramatically.
• Value starting hands. Begin only with strong holdings like high pairs, three to a straight, or three to a flush. Weak starting hands rarely improve enough.
• Use board reading. Always evaluate what your opponents’ upcards suggest. If someone is showing three straight cards, assume they might be on a straight draw.
• Patience and discipline. Because Stud involves many betting rounds, marginal hands can cost you dearly. Waiting for strong starts pays off.

Common Mistakes

1. Overplaying weak pairs. A pair of 6s may feel playable, but against stronger boards, it’s often worthless.
2. Ignoring dead cards. Beginners often chase flushes or straights without noticing that many outs are already folded or visible.
3. Failing to adjust to betting. If a conservative opponent suddenly bets aggressively after pairing their upcard, respect the signal.
4. Playing too loose. Stud rewards discipline; weak hands rarely win in the long run.

Why It Matters

Though 7-Card Stud has declined in popularity since the rise of Hold’em, it remains a cornerstone of poker. It builds essential skills: memory, observation, and deduction. These abilities transfer to every other poker game, especially formats like Hold’em where reading opponents’ tendencies is crucial.

Stud is also an important part of mixed games like HORSE, ensuring its continued relevance at high levels of play. For beginners, learning Stud sharpens awareness and teaches you to respect the importance of starting hand selection — an invaluable lesson for all poker variants.

2-7 Triple Draw

For a real brain teaser, try 2-7 Triple Draw, a fascinating lowball variant where the worst hand wins. It flips traditional poker logic upside down, forcing players to unlearn what they know about hand rankings. Instead of chasing high pairs or flushes, the goal is to build the lowest possible five-card hand.

Rules and Structure

2-7 Triple Draw is played with a standard 52-card deck. Each player is dealt five private cards face down. The goal is to make the lowest hand possible under the following rules:

• Aces are always high, which means A-2-3-4-5 (the famous “wheel” in many other games) is not a strong hand here — it’s actually a straight, which counts against you.
• Straights and flushes are bad. If your hand forms a straight or flush, it reduces its value. For example, 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ is terrible — it’s a straight flush, which in 2-7 Triple Draw is worthless compared to a simple 9-7-5-4-2 rainbow.
• The best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2 of mixed suits.

The poker game proceeds with four betting rounds: one after the initial deal, and one after each of the three drawing rounds. During a draw, players may discard and replace as many cards as they wish, or “stand pat” (keep their hand as is). After the third draw and final betting round, players reveal their hands, and the lowest wins.

Strategy Tips

• Start with strong lows. Ideal starting hands include unpaired cards like 2-3-4-7-x or 2-4-6-7-x. Avoid Aces and connected sequences like 5-6-7-8, which risk making straights.
• Value of position. Being last to act gives crucial information. If opponents draw two or three, your mediocre 9-low might be good. If they stand pat, tread carefully.
• Selective aggression. Bluffing works in 2-7 Triple Draw, especially when you stand pat early to represent strength. Use this sparingly as beginners tend to call too much.
• Think in reverse. Remember that flushes, straights, and pairs are harmful. The “uglier” your hand looks in Hold’em, the stronger it may be here.

Common Mistakes

1. Overvaluing Aces. In most poker, an Ace is premium. Here it’s poison — it makes your low worse.
2. Chasing straights or flushes. Many beginners accidentally build strong high hands that are worthless in 2-7.
3. Drawing too long. Knowing when to stand pat is key. A good 9-low is often a winner, but beginners keep chasing lower and miss value.
4. Ignoring betting patterns. If someone stands pat early and keeps firing bets, they probably have a monster like a 7-low.

Why It Matters

2-7 Triple Draw is a staple of high-stakes mixed games and a favorite among professionals who want variety from Hold’em. It teaches players to think outside the box, inverting the hand rankings they’ve grown used to. For beginners, it’s an excellent mental exercise in flexibility and discipline. Mastering this game will sharpen your reading of opponents’ draws, improve your bluffing instincts, and deepen your appreciation of poker’s endless variety.

5-Card Draw 

The simplest and most classic variant of poker is 5-Card Draw. For many players, this was their first introduction to the game — whether at the kitchen table, in old Western films, or in casual home games. Unlike modern community-card formats like Hold’em or Omaha, 5-Card Draw relies entirely on private cards, making bluffing and reading opponents the central skills.

Rules and Structure

5-Card Draw is usually played with 2 to 6 players using a standard 52-card deck. Each player is dealt five private cards (all face down). The structure unfolds as follows:

1. Initial Deal – Each player gets five cards.
2. First Betting Round – Starting to the dealer’s left, players may check, bet, call, raise, or fold.
3. The Draw – Each player may discard and replace up to all five cards (though usually not all). Some versions cap the number of cards drawn to three.
4. Second Betting Round – Another round of betting occurs.
5. Showdown – If more than one player remains, hands are revealed, and the best five-card poker hand wins.

Hand rankings follow the standard poker hierarchy: from Royal Flush down to high card.

Example Hand for Beginners

You’re dealt K♠ K♦ 7♣ 4♥ 2♠. This is already decent, with a pair of Kings. On the draw, you discard the 7, 4, and 2, hoping to improve. You receive K♥ Q♣ 9♠, giving you three Kings — a very strong hand.

Now imagine another player discards three cards and then suddenly bets big after the draw. Most of the time, that’s weakness (they were fishing), but occasionally it’s a bluff. Your three Kings are almost always good here, but observing betting patterns will confirm your read.

Strategy Tips

• Start strong. High pairs (Jacks or better), three-of-a-kind, or premium drawing hands like four to a flush are worth playing.
• Watch draws carefully. If an opponent discards three, they likely had only one pair or even just a high card. If they draw one, they could be completing a straight or flush. If they stand pat (draw none), they’re signaling a very strong hand — possibly a straight, flush, or full house.
• Bluff selectively. 5-Card Draw is a great bluffing game since so much information is hidden. However, avoid bluffing too frequently, as observant players will pick up on patterns.
• Position matters. Acting last lets you see how many cards others draw before making your decision. This can help you decide whether to bet, bluff, or fold.
  Discipline is key. Weak hands rarely improve enough. Save chips by folding early rather than drawing to unlikely winners.

Common Mistakes

1. Playing too many hands. Beginners often get attached to low pairs or high cards, hoping to get lucky on the draw.
2. Overvaluing weak pairs. A single pair, especially below Jacks, often won’t hold up.
   Bluffing too often. Since so little is visible, players may call you down more frequently than expected.
3. Failing to read the draw. Ignoring how many cards opponents exchange means missing out on crucial information about their strength.

Why It Matters

5-Card Draw is the foundation of poker literacy. It is the version most commonly shown in films and literature, embedding it deeply in poker culture. While it has largely disappeared from casinos and online platforms in favor of Texas Hold’em, it remains a perfect learning tool for beginners.

It teaches hand rankings, bluffing dynamics, and the psychology of betting in a simple, accessible format. For new players who want to learn how to play poker without the complexity of community cards or split pots, 5-Card Draw is the ideal starting point. Even experienced players often return to it for nostalgia and to sharpen their bluff-reading skills.

5-Card Omaha (Big O)

If Omaha is action-packed, Big O is pure chaos. This variant is essentially Omaha with an extra card, but that single change makes the game far more volatile. With five hole cards instead of four, players see monster draws and powerful made hands much more often. The result? Bigger pots, more frequent all-ins, and heart-pounding swings of fortune.

Rules and Structure

Big O follows the same structure as Omaha, with one key difference: each player receives five hole cards instead of four. The rules of hand construction remain identical — you must use exactly two hole cards and three community cards to make your best five-card hand.

The betting structure is usually pot-limit (like traditional PLO), though no-limit and fixed-limit versions exist in some home games.

The stages of play:

1. Pre-Flop – Each player receives five hole cards. Betting begins.
2. The Flop – Three community cards are dealt face up. Another betting round.
3. The Turn – A fourth community card is dealt. Another betting round.
4. The River – A fifth and final community card is revealed. Final betting occurs, then showdown if needed.

Example Hand for Beginners

You’re dealt A♠ 2♠ 3♦ K♣ Q♣. This is a premium Big O hand: wheel draw potential (A-2-3 for a straight), suited Ace for the nut flush draw, and high cards for backup.

The flop comes 4♠ 5♥ J♣. Suddenly, you’re open-ended for a straight (A-2-3-4-5), holding the nut spade flush draw, and even a backdoor club flush possibility. This is the kind of hand Big O players dream of — multiple nut draws wrapped together.

However, your opponent also started with five strong cards. If they hold 6-7-x-x-x, they already have the higher straight. This is why focusing on nut potential is so critical in Big O: being second-best can cost you an entire stack.

Strategy Tips

• Premium hands are highly coordinated. Look for connected low cards with nut potential, ideally double-suited. A hand like A-2-3-K-Q double-suited is about as strong as it gets.
• Nut draws only. In Omaha and especially Big O, second-best draws (like the King-high flush) will lose you money. Stick to hands with nut possibilities.
• Variance awareness. Expect huge swings. Even when you’re 70% to win on the flop, your opponent still has plenty of outs with five hole cards in play.
• Position matters even more. Acting last lets you control pot size and avoid committing chips when you suspect stronger holdings.
• Tighten your range. More hole cards doesn’t mean play more hands — it means be more selective, since opponents also start with stronger combinations.

Common Mistakes

1. Overvaluing two pair. In Big O, two pair almost never holds up by showdown.
2. Chasing weak draws. A 9-high flush draw is worthless when nut flushes appear so frequently.
3. Ignoring scoop potential. Especially in Hi-Lo versions of Big O, beginners chase only high or only low, instead of aiming for hands that can win both.
4. Playing too loose pre-flop. Five hole cards tempt players into action, but weak, uncoordinated holdings are money sinks.

Why It Matters

Big O is less common in major casinos but is a favorite in private games, online rooms, and among action-loving players. Its adrenaline-pumping pace attracts those who find Texas Hold’em too slow and even Omaha too predictable.

For beginners who have already learned Omaha, Big O is a natural next step. It sharpens your ability to evaluate equity-heavy situations, teaches discipline about nut potential, and toughens your bankroll management skills in high-variance environments. If you’re looking for poker at its most explosive, Big O delivers.

Badugi

Badugi is unlike any other poker game you’ve probably encountered. Originating in Asia and spreading through high-stakes mixed games, it stands out because of its unusual hand rankings and unique four-card structure. Unlike Hold’em or Omaha, where players build traditional five-card poker hands, Badugi asks you to think differently: the goal is to make the lowest hand possible, while avoiding pairs and duplicate suits. For beginners, it feels strange at first — but that’s also what makes it exciting and refreshing.

Rules and Structure

Badugi is played with a standard 52-card deck and works best with 2–6 players. Each player is dealt four private cards, all face down. The object of the game is to make the lowest hand possible with:

• No pairs
• All four suits represented
• Lowest cards preferred

The best possible hand is A♠ 2♦ 3♣ 4♥ (Ace through Four in all different suits).

The game features four betting rounds: one after the initial deal, and one after each of the three drawing phases. On each draw, players may discard and replace as many cards as they like, or stand pat (keep their current hand).

At showdown:

• A four-card Badugi (four unpaired cards in different suits) beats any three-card Badugi.
• If two players have four-card Badugis, the one with the lowest highest card wins (e.g., 6-4-3-2 beats 7-3-2-A).
• If no one makes a four-card Badugi, the best three-card hand wins, and so on.

Example Hand for Beginners

You’re dealt A♠ 2♦ 2♣ 7♥. At first glance, this looks promising: you have three low cards and four suits. But the problem is the pair of 2s, which means only one of them counts. You effectively have a three-card Badugi: A♠ 2♦ 7♥.

On your first draw, you discard the duplicate 2♣ and pull a 4♣. Now you have A♠ 2♦ 4♣ 7♥ — a complete four-card Badugi. This is a strong hand, and unless your opponents improve to an even lower four-card Badugi, you’re in great shape.

Strategy Tips

• Draw carefully. Don’t get too attached to high Badugis like Q-J-9-8; they’ll almost never win. Prioritize low cards and dump high ones quickly.
• Three-card Badugis are vulnerable. Even a weak four-card Badugi (say, 10-high) will beat your strong-looking three-card hand.
  Leverage position. Acting later lets you see how many cards opponents are drawing, giving you clues about their strength. If everyone else draws two or three, your made three-card Badugi might be worth betting.
• Use bluff pressure. If an opponent keeps drawing multiple cards, you can represent strength by standing pat early. This often forces folds, even when your hand isn’t perfect.
• Discipline wins. Don’t waste chips chasing hands that are unlikely to improve. Sometimes folding early is the best play.

Common Mistakes

1. Overvaluing three-card Badugis. New players often think they’re safe with something like A-2-4 rainbow, but even a mediocre four-card hand will beat them.
2. Chasing high Badugis. A J-9-8-5 Badugi might look complete, but it’s a weak loser at showdown.
3. Drawing too many cards. Constantly discarding three shows weakness and drains your stack.
4. Ignoring betting patterns. If an opponent stands pat from the first draw, they likely already have a strong Badugi. Bluffing them is rarely profitable.

Why It Matters

Badugi is a niche game compared to Texas Hold’em or Omaha, but it’s a staple in mixed-game formats like 10-Game or Dealer’s Choice. Its quirky rules force players to adapt, re-evaluate what “strength” means, and develop a flexible mindset. For beginners, learning Badugi sharpens skills in bluffing, positional play, and hand evaluation.

Even if you don’t encounter it often, mastering Badugi makes you a more versatile poker player. And because so few people study it seriously, a beginner who invests time in understanding Badugi can often outperform casual opponents who only dabble in it.

HORSE 

At the poker table, HORSE is not a singular game — it’s a cycle of five different forms of the same game: Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Stud Eight-or-Better. It’s played once (or once around the table) per game, then switched to the next game in rotation. The cycle continues to the end of the session or blinds/limits are increased.

This format is popular in high-stakes mixed games and really tests a player’s poker skill. Unlike focusing on one specialty, HORSE requires players to constantly adapt to small and big blinds, deciding who has the greatest overall knowledge of poker.

Rules and Structure

HORSE rotates through the following:

1. H – Texas Hold’em: Standard limit Hold’em, two hole cards and five community cards.
2. O – Omaha Hi-Lo (Omaha 8 or Better): Split-pot game where the highest high and best qualifying low hands share the pot.
3. R – Razz: Lowball Stud variation of the game where the lowest five-card hand is the winner.
4. S – Seven-Card Stud: Classic Stud poker, no community cards, each player making his/her best hand from seven dealt cards.
5. E – Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better (Stud Hi-Lo): A variation of Stud Horse with split pots, giving both the high and low hands a reward.

Each of the games is played in fixed-limit, leveling the playing field and minimizing variance over no-limit games. Each player should be aware of the rules for each variation before taking a seat, as the game can shift every few hands.

Example Scenario for Beginners

You find yourself in a HORSE cash game:

• On the Hold’em round, you are dealt A♠ K♠ and win a small pot with top pair.
• In Omaha Hi-Lo, you are dealt A♦ 2♦ 3♣ K♠ and win the entire pot with a nut low and straight.
• And then there’s Razz: you are dealt A♠ 3♦ 5♣, a solid low beginning, and build a winning 7-low hand. A.
• But as the game becomes Stud, you are playing a poor initial hand of 6s against a player who is showing higher upcards.
• By the time it reaches Stud Eight-or-Better, you are adjusting again, only this time you are splitting a pot with a qualifying low hand.

This illustrates how quickly the structure is changing and how valuable it is to be flexible.

Strategy Tips

• Play to your strengths, protect in your weaknesses. If you’re comfortable in Hold’em but weaker in Razz, play tighter during Razz rounds and focus on minimizing losses.
• Hand selection changes per game. Don’t apply Hold’em logic in Omaha or Stud — they reward very different starting ranges.
• Stay patient. Each game rotates, so a bad run in one format can be offset when the next rotation plays to your strengths.
• Be aware of opponents. Some will only be good in one game but do not know the other ones. Exploit them in their vulnerable forms.
• Bankroll control. HORSE can fluctuate. Fixed-limit helps, but extended sessions demand stability.

Common Mistakes

1. Equating all games. Each game requires special strategy; playing Omaha as Hold’em or Stud as Razz is a disaster waiting to happen.
2. Overplaying out-of-range hands. New players overplay lifeless Stud hands or undervalue Omaha lows.
3. Not studying weaker structures. Most players study only Hold’em and Omaha, neglecting huge leaks in Razzi and Stud Eight-or-Better.
4. Loss of concentration. Because rotations happen quickly, sloppiness means costly mistakes.

Why It Matters

HORSE is the "true test" of all-around poker ability, played in most esteemed competitions like the $50,000 Poker Players Championship on the World Series of Poker. To be a champion at HORSE requires not merely technical ability, but endurance, self-discipline, and the ability to adjust.

For beginners, HORSE is an ideal way to learn multiple variants of poker simultaneously. It acquaints you with different structures of betting, hand rankings, and tactics. More importantly, though, it does teach adaptability — the art of changing gears as the game does. Instead of being a one-horse pony, HORSE players are versatile strategists capable of performing well at any game.

Razz

If you know Seven-Card Stud, Razz will sound familiar — but it turns all of that on its head. Instead of going for the best five-card hand, the goal of Razz is to build the worst possible hand. That single difference completely changes the way you perceive cards, evaluate your opponents, and design your strategy. Most poker players enjoy Razz as something new and annoying: new because it makes them think differently, annoying because monster hands in Stud or Hold’em — A-A-K, for example — are completely useless here.

Rules and Basics

Razz is played with a standard 52-card deck and is best played with 2–8 players. Seven cards are dealt to each player:

1. Third Street: Two downcards and one upcard are dealt. The strongest upcard puts up the bring-in (a small obligatory bet).
2. Fourth Street: All players get a second upcard. Betting follows.
3. Fifth Street: A fifth upcard is dealt, then a betting round (bet sizes usually double here).
4. Sixth Street: A sixth upcard is dealt, and betting follows.
5. Seventh Street (the River): Each player receives a final downcard. There is one final round of betting prior to showdown.

Upon showing, players use their lowest five-card hand. In Razz:

• Aces are always low.
• Straights and flushes are not used. That is, A-2-3-4-5 (the "wheel") is the best hand.
• Pairs are worse, because they reduce your odds of having a smooth low.

Example Hand for Beginners

You are given A♠ 3♦ 6♣ (two down, one up). A great start: three very low cards, no pair.

• On Fourth Street, you receive a 7♥, and you have an even low draw of A-3-6-7.
• On Fifth Street, you are given a K♠. This is a "brick" — a useless high card. You can continue, but your hand grows weaker compared to someone with 2-4-5 showing on their upcards.
• On Sixth Street, you are dealt a 4♣, bringing you back to power. You now hold A-3-4-6-7, a very powerful 7-low hand.
• In showdown, when your opponent makes a pair or catches up with better cards, you will win.

This shows the swingy nature of Razz: a bad card hurts, but waiting generally pays.

Strategy Tips

• Start with three low cards. Preferably 8 or below, and no pairs. A-2-3 is ideal.
• Resist drawing to exposed high cards. When there are several Kings and Queens exposed, your chances for a good low are significantly enhanced.
• Be persistent. Do not continue on unsuccessful starts. Beginning with two big cards is almost folding every time.
• Sit tight. Razz can be slow, much folding and waiting. Play the good starts, and the winnings are yours.
• Use board-reading. Your opponents’ upcards tell you if they are bricking or building. Pressure them if they make catches on high cards.

Common Mistakes

1. Overplaying poor beginnings. Beginners will continue playing 9-8-7, hands that are usually dominated.
2. Forgetting to keep dead cards in mind. When there are a lot of low cards on the board, your chances of catching one are reduced.
3. Tilting after bricks. Razz will give you one or two great starting cards and then a useless King or Queen. Don’t chase if the table is against you.
4. Not changing bet sizes. In Fifth Street, bets usually double. Calling with a bad hand in this case is costly.

Why It Matters

Razz is among the classics of mixed games such as HORSE, and professional poker players must be familiar with it. Most importantly, it sharpens your board reading ability, your self-control, and your patience. After you’re used to the lowball logic — where Aces are treasured and flushes don’t count — Razz is a breeze and quite surprisingly entertaining.

For beginners, Razz is a great way of learning to fold bad hands, track visible cards, and value patience over aggression. These skills apply to any other form of poker.

Chinese Poker

Of the many poker variations, Chinese Poker is most distinctive and welcoming to new players. Unlike Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or Stud, Chinese Poker doesn’t involve heavy bet rounds, bluffing wars, or deep strategy with pot odds. Instead, it’s primarily a game of card arrangement and creativity. You’re given a lot of cards — thirteen, to be exact — and your challenge is to organize them into three separate poker hands that must follow specific rules.

This ease coupled with the problem-solving aspect of Chinese Poker makes it all the more attractive to beginners. Even if you don’t know betting strategies, you can play the game all the same, and because luck plays such a prominent role in the game, it levels the playing field between newcomers and veterans.

Rules and Basics

Chinese Poker is played normally with 2–4 players and a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player receives 13 cards, all dealt face down. The objective is to organize those cards into three independent hands:

• Front hand (3 cards): Worst hand. You can only make high card, a pair, or three-of-a-kind. Straights and flushes cannot be made using three cards.
• Middle hand (5 cards): Middle-grade hand. It must be stronger than the front but weaker than the back.
• Back hand (5 cards): The strongest of the three. It must be your best five-card hand each time.

The order must be maintained: Back > Middle > Front. If your layout breaks this rule, you are committing a foul and lose the round outright.

Scoring can vary depending on the version played:

• Typically, each of your three hands is matched up with your opponents’ hands, which are matched to them. You score one point for each victory and minus one point for each defeat.
• Certain versions use royalties — bonus points for very strong hands like flushes, straights, or full houses.

Betting is quite minimal or none at all compared to most games of poker. The thrill is in placing hands well and observing how luck unfolds.

Example Hand for Beginners

If you’re dealt:

A♠ K♠ Q♦ J♦ 10♠ 10♣ 9♥ 8♠ 7♣ 5♠ 5♦ 3♣ 2♥

Here is one possible way to put them in order:

• Back hand (strongest 5): A♠ K♠ Q♦ J♦ 10♠ (a Royal Flush — the best possible hand).
• Middle hand (medium 5): 10♣ 9♥ 8♠ 7♣ 5♠ (a straight).
• Front hand (3): 5♦ 3♣ 2♥ (a simple high-card 5).

This arrangement respects the rule that the back must be stronger than the middle, which must be stronger than the front. With this setup, you’re almost guaranteed to sweep your opponents in scoring.

Strategy for Beginners

• Balance your hands. Don’t over-develop your back hand so that your middle hand is shortchanged and messes up the order. Saving all pairs for the back will make your middle hand worse than your front, for example.
• Look for synergy. Try to make hands that complement each other rather than competing for the same cards.
• Practice speed. In timed versions, grabbing 13 cards in a rush can be stressful. The faster you get at recognizing potential straights, flushes, and sets, the better.
• Master royalty bonuses. If your featured game offers bonuses for strong hands (e.g., quads or flushes), adjust your setup to factor in those bonuses.
• Play points, not hands. In some situations, losing one hand but gaining two others is preferable to over- committing on one unbeatable back hand.

Common Mistakes

1. Incorrect fouling. Beginners confuse order of hands and in the process make the middle stronger than the back. Double-check before showdown at all times.
2. Overcommitting on a single hand. Putting everything in the back hand weakens the front and middle and leads to scoring losses.
3. Overlooking potential royalty. Forgetting a flush or straight bonus can cost points dearly.
4. Not practicing setup. Taking too long setting up cards will lead to tension or error when timed games are played.

Why It Matters

Chinese Poker is simple to learn since it removes a great deal of frightening betting strategy and leaves you with card arrangement. Luck steps into play a major way — sometimes your 13 cards just won’t give you much to work with — but ability at arranging them does pay dividends in the long term.

It is also social and fun, thus popular for social games. Despite losing its popularity among casinos, Chinese Poker continues to be played at home and sometimes on the web. More importantly, it introduces new players to poker hand values, acquaints them with experience in assessing strength, and educates them about combinations’ interaction with one another.

For beginners who want to learn how to play poker without the tension of needing to make constant betting decisions, Chinese Poker is an excellent starting point.

Short Deck

Better known as Six Plus Hold’em, Short Deck is an innovation on Texas Hold’em that has grown phenomenally in popularity over a very short period of time, especially among Asia’s high-roller poker clubs. The game is similar enough to Hold’em that players feel at home with it, but different enough to maintain novelty and challenge in strategy.

Rules and Basics

Short Deck uses a 36-card deck, and the cards ranked 2 to 5 are removed. This change alters the mathematics of the game in some profound ways:

• Because there are fewer low cards, it is easier to make straights and they occur more frequently. For example, A-6-7-8-9 is a straight in Short Deck.
• Flushes are better than full houses in all but the most standard versions because flushes are more challenging to obtain with fewer suited cards.
• Gameplay and betting format is otherwise standard in Texas Hold’em: two hole cards are distributed to players, five community cards are used, and four rounds of bets are made (pre-flop, flop, turn, river).

Example Hand for Newcomers

You are dealt A♠ K♠. In Hold’em, this is a high hand already, but in Short Deck, it’s even better. Why? Because there are no small pairs such as 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s, so your high cards dominate more often. If the flop is Q♠ 10♠ 9♦, you already have a redraw straight to a Royal Flush — a demonstration of how rapidly hands can explode in Short Deck.

Strategy for Beginners

• Pairs rise in value. With fewer cards in the deck, you’ll see higher pairs more often, and they tend to hold up better. Pocket 9s, for example, are much stronger in Short Deck than in traditional Hold’em.
• Suited connectors are trickier. Straights are easier, but flushes are harder to make, so don’t overvalue hands like 8♠ 9♠ unless the situation is right.
• Play aggressively. Short Deck is far more variance than Hold’em. Powerful hands and draws bump into each other a lot, so playing tight and waiting is not typically rewarded.
• Adjust to hand rankings. Always check the house rules — there are still casinos out there that rank full houses over flushes, which is a major shift in strategy.

Common Mistakes

1. Playing it like normal Hold’em. The mathematics are different, so you can’t just transfer your Hold’em strategy.
2. Overestimating weak-suited hands. Since flushes are tougher, weaker ones lose more frequently to higher flushes.
3. Forgetting straights. Since straights are easier to create, they come along all the time — don’t expect two pair or trips to win as often.

Why It Matters

Short Deck skyrocketed in Asian high-stakes communities and soon became popular all over the globe, particularly after being seen in big-time televised events. For beginners, it’s basically Texas Hold’em with just enough variations to spice things up. It instills flexibility, sharpens your sense of odds, and offers quick, aggressive play.

If you already know how to play Hold’em, Short Deck is easy to learn — and a thrilling way to refresh the game you love.

Pineapple

Almost a cousin of Texas Hold’em, Pineapple adds a simple twist that changes the game’s tempo: instead of two hole cards, players receive three hole cards. The only quirk is you can’t keep them all — ultimately, you must discard one, and it’s important when you do so in the particular variation being used.

Rules and Variations

Pineapple has a couple of famous variants:

• Regular Pineapple: You discard one card immediately, prior to the flop.
• Crazy Pineapple: You discard one card following exposure to the flop, so you can make your choice with adjustability based on community cards.
• Lazy Pineapple: You hold all three cards until showdown, but you still have to discard one prior to exposing your final hand.

Aside from this additional discard rule and extra card, the game is the same as Hold’em: community cards are dealt in three stages (flop, turn, river), with four betting opportunities.

Beginner’s Hand Example

You have A♠ K♠ Q♣. In Crazy Pineapple, you still have all three until after the flop. Flop is K♥ 10♠ 5♦, giving you top pair and a straight draw. Now, it’s best to eliminate the Q♣ — you’re left with the strong A-K suited pair that can become top pair/top kicker and a nut flush. This shows how the discard option injects strategy in Pineapple that isn’t there in Hold’em.

Strategy for Novices

• Play tighter. With each player being dealt an extra card, more solid hands are potential. Mediocre holdings devalue.
• Expect multi-way pots. With extended ranges on both sides, you’ll have more of your opponents seeing the flop, so you’ll often be dealing with multiple players at showdown.
• Take advantage of the discard. In Crazy Pineapple especially, the discard is essential. Keep cards that provide nut potential, as opposed to short-term strength.
• Be versatile. Avoid locking yourself into one strategy — think about how the flop relates to your hand before choosing what to discard.

Common Mistakes

1. Overestimating poor kickers. When everyone has bigger hands, a best pair with a bad kicker just isn’t enough.
2. Giving away with impunity. Beginners tend to muck the "obviously worst card" without knowing how a board can turn things around.
3. Playing too many hands. More cards get you into more hands, but remain disciplined.

Why It Matters

Pineapple is not a typical casino game, but it does originate from home games and recreational affairs. It’s thrilling for players who know Hold’em but want something fresh without having to study an entirely new format. Easy to learn but strategical more than it seems, Pineapple is a great way of making poker nights exciting and varied.

Conclusion

To learn poker is to enter a huge, vibrant universe. On first glance, it’s overwhelming: so many rules, so many types, so much to think about. But the great news is you can start small. With Texas Hold’em or 5-Card Draw alone, you can play, learn the basics, and have fun with friends.

With the passing of time, playing Omaha, Stud, or Razz re-teaches you. You come to enjoy the intricacies of poker strategy. It is not long before games like HORSE, Badugi, or Short Deck compel you to break old habits and think differently. This mix ensures the game remains new all the time.

Each game teaches a different poker lesson:

• Hold’em re-teaches patience and positional play.
• Omaha re-teaches equity and draws.
• Stud re-teaches memory and observation.
• Lowball types like 2-7 Triple Draw enhance your flexibility.
• Chinese Poker is all about hand construction.
• Mixed games test worldwide flexibility.

No other card game on the planet combines skill, fortune, psychology, and variety as poker does. By learning about these 13 forms, not only are you learning to play poker — you are improving as a thinker, a strategist, and decision-maker. Whether your aspiration is a Friday evening with the lads, a weekend tournament at the local casino, or even the World Series of Poker, this foundation is preparation for the journey ahead.

Poker is not won hand for hand. It’s won decision by decision. It’s won by reading people, controlling emotions, and considering risk versus reward. Most importantly, it’s won by having a good time testing.

So choose where to begin. Shuffle the deck. Place your bet. The game of poker is waiting.