Game Types

First off, the different poker game types. Poker is played in a multitude of different variations. If you already are a home game poker player, then you know all the crazy variations that can come up in a dealers choice session, for example: Chicago, Mississippi Seven-Card Stud, Pass the Trash, or Best Flush. There are many more, but none of the obscure variants will be brought up in this section. Instead the next four articles will explain the three game type categories that all poker games fits into:

• Community Card Games (Texas Hold'em and Omaha)
• Stud Games (Seven-Card Stud)
• Draw Games (Five-Card Draw)

as well as the most common variations that can alter basic games, namely:

• Lowball and Hi/Lo Variations

The texture of the three game types mentioned are different. In Community Card games; there are cards that are shared by all players. In Stud games; all cards are individual, but there is a mix of face-up and face-down cards. In Draw games; players get to draw new cards in order to improve after the first cards are recieved.

The game types are examplified with the most popular online poker games. For Community Card games, that is Texas Hold'em and Omaha. For Stud that is Seven-Card Stud, allthough Five-Card Stud is also quite common. For Draw, that is the basic Five-Card Draw (which is not as common as the other games mentioned here).

Concerning the variations, Omaha is played regularly as well as both Lowball and Hi/Lo. The same goes for Seven-Card Stud. Texas Hold'em is not suited for any of these variations; Five-Card Draw does play well as Lowball (but this is not common as of yet in the online poker world).

Game Types, Betting Structures and Game Formats

Game Types

Community Card Poker

Additional Poker School Articles

This is part of a series of articles designed to teach the beginner how to play poker, either "for real" or on the internet. Feel free to keep reading!

1. Poker School Introduction > 2. What is Poker? > 3. The Aim of the Game > 4. Hand Rankings > 5. Betting Rules > 6. Why Play Poker? > 7. From Riverboats to the Internet > 8. What Online Poker Offers > 9. One Hand of Texas Hold'em > 10. Subjects > 11. The Dealer > 12. The Blinds > 13. The Pocket Cards > 14. Betting Before the Flop > 15. The Flop > 16. The Turn > 17. The River > 18. The Showdown > 19. A New Beginning > 20. Basic Strategy > 21. Luck vs Skill > 22. Decisions > 23. The First Two Cards > 24. Categorization of Starting Hands > 25. Phil's Starting Hands > 26. Reading the Flop, Pairs > 27. Reading the Flop, High Cards > 28. Reading the Flop, Suited Connectors > 29. Position > 30. Bluffing > 31. Betting After the Flop > 32. Game Types, Betting Structures and Game Formats > 33. Game Types > 34. Community Card Poker > 35. Stud Poker > 36. Draw Poker > 37. Lowball and Hi-Lo Variations > 38. Betting Structures > 39. Fixed Limit Poker > 40. No Limit Poker > 41. Pot Limit Poker > 42. Game Formats > 43. Cash Games > 44. Multi-Table Tournaments > 45. Sit'n'gos > 46. Satellites