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Online gaming has been booming in recent years, and the ever-popular poker has been at the heart of the surge in interest. Data from Grand View Research suggests that as a result of industry deregulation in key markets such as France, Germany and Spain, the continent is now responsible for 43% of global revenues. As we discussed here on iTerd recently, there are a number of other reasons driving the continent-wide growth, and with more growth predicted, there is little sign of the bubble bursting in this lucrative segment.
Against this backdrop, we’re going to look at some of the more popular variants of poker which are being played online and explain a little about how they differ from each other.
Draw Poker
This is perhaps the variant most non-players will be familiar with from seeing it in movies and on TV. Players are dealt five cards, and they can decide whether they wish to call the previous bet, raise it or fold. Once all the players have called, they can then choose to discard some of their cards with the dealer replacing them from the pack. They then go around the table again with each player deciding if they want to call, raise or fold. The best five card hand wins. More of a recreational variant, Draw Poker isn’t often found in a traditional casino, but it is a good place for new players to cut their teeth.
Stud Poker
Among the variants for Stud Poker are 5-Card Stud, 6-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud and Razz, which differs from other Poker games because here, the lowest hand wins the pot. 7-Card Stud used to be one of the most popular variants, and it is still widely played online. The game starts with players placing their ante and being dealt three cards, two of which will be face down. The player with the lowest card opens, and after all players have made their call (fold, call or raise), a fourth card is dealt face up. The cycle continues until all seven cards have been dealt, and the winner is the one with the best five card hand.
Community Card Poker
The most popular variant is Community Card Poker with Texas Hold ‘Em, perhaps the most commonly played form played anywhere, be it on or offline, as well as being the variant of choice at the big games and tournaments around the world. In community card games, each player receives a certain number of cards. In the case of Texas Hold ‘Em, it’s two face down known as the hole. Players decide if they wish to continue or not. With this round complete. The dealer lays three more cards face up on the table, known as the community cards. Again the players consider their options with their two-hole cards and those in the middle. Once there are five cards face up, the game is over. The winner is the one with the best set of five cards taken from their hole and the table. A variant of this is Omaha High.
Other Variants
Other variants include High/Low Split and Low Ball. Omaha Hi/Lo is an example of the former as players form two hands from their hole and the community. A high and a low hand – and the pot is shared between the highest and the lowest hand. Low Ball, like the aforementioned Razz, is all about the lowest count. Rules vary as to whether ace is high or low.