Justin Kuraitis - Basic Poker Game rules and strategies

Poker Game basic strategy as well as how popular they currently are. The only poker game on the block. Nowadays, there are so many more pore variations that players can choose to play.

Texas Hold’em

Pros: Because of its popularity, you can usually find this game played anywhere that poker is offered.

Cons: The popularity of Hold’em is a double-edged sword. Because the poker boom happened 15+ years ago, the number of informational products and articles that have been created since then has helped speed up the learning of the game. This factor has helped to level out the playing field and skill gap between pros and recreational players.

Omaha Hi

Pros: It’ll be easier to make a strong hand because of the increased number of hole cards you’re dealt.

Cons: The variance is quite high in Omaha Hi because equities between hands will often run much closer together than in Texas Hold’em. Players can use different combinations of their hole cards to ultimately help improve the strength of their hand.

Omaha Hi-Lo

Pros: Because the pot is divided in two to both the highest and lowest hands, it’s subsequently easier to win (a portion of) the pot in any given hand.

Cons: Bluffing is a less prominent part of the game because players might be either trying to make the highest hand OR the lowest hand (or both). As such, more players will stick around until showdown than in other poker variants. Therefore, more emphasis is placed on hand selection (to make both low and high card hands simultaneously) than is placed on trying to make well-timed bluffs.

7-Card Stud

Pros: It’s a fun environment to be dealt your own individual poker hand, yet still have the ability to see 4 of your opponents’ 7 cards during a hand, too.

Cons: With a limit betting structure typically used for stud, profits that one can make each hand are usually capped. The value of gaining an additional big bet (versus losing one) carries much more significance than otherwise.

2-7 Triple Draw

Pros: You have 3 draw chances (instead of just one) to try to make the lowest-ranked hand. Additionally, it’s very easy to determine what the strength of your hand, as you only have 5 cards (as opposed to 7 or more in other forms of poker).

Cons: None of your opponents’ cards are visible to you. So, you have nothing to go by in trying to deduce the strength of your opponents’ lowball hands. Additionally, some players may not find this poker variant as fun to play as some of the others because you’re trying to make the lowest 5-card ranked hand (instead of the highest).

5-Card Draw

Pros: Because there is only one drawing round, not only is the game easy to follow and understand, but it’s also quick to move from one hand to the next. You’ll be playing many more hands per hour in this game than you would in some other forms of poker. Additionally, there’s some added fun to be had in that “one shot” of drawing a new card to see if you’ll be able to improve your hand.

Cons: None of your opponents’ cards are visible to you. So, you have nothing to go by other than bet sizings and number of cards drawn in terms of trying to deduce the strength of your opponents’ hands.