Poker Games
The card game of poker has many variations, most of which were created in the United States in the mid-1900s. The standard order of play applies to most of these games, but to fully specify a poker game requires details about which hand values are used, the number of betting rounds, and exactly what cards are dealt and what other actions are taken between rounds.
Popular poker variants[edit]
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The three most popular poker variants are spread in casinos and poker rooms worldwide and can be divided into the following groups:
- Draw poker: Games in which players are dealt a complete hand, hidden, and then improve it by replacing cards. The most common of these is five-card draw.
- Stud poker: Games in which each player receives a combination of face-up cards and face-down cards in multiple betting rounds. The most common of these are five-card stud and seven-card stud. These two variants are further played in other different formats.
- Community card poker: Games in which each player's incomplete hidden hand is combined with shared face-up cards. The most common of these are Texas hold 'em and Omaha hold 'em.
Here are more common rule variations:
- Lowball: The lowest hand wins the pot. There are different rules about whether or not aces count as low, and the effects of straights and flushes. The most common variants are Razz and 2-7 Triple Draw
- High-low split: the highest and lowest hands split the pot. Generally there is a qualifier for the low hand. For example, the low hand must have 5 cards with ranks of 8 or less. In most high-low games the usual rank of poker hands is observed, so that an unsuited broken straight (7-5-4-3-2) wins low (see Morehead, Official Rules of Card Games). In a variant, based on Lowball, where only the low hand wins, a straight or a flush does not matter for a low hand. So the best low hand is 5-4-3-2-A, suited or not.
- Players can pass cards to each other. An example of this would be Anaconda.
- Kill game: When a fixed limit game is played and a player wins two pots in a row, the stakes are doubled. In some split-pot games, a player winning both halves of the pot may also cause a kill. In some variants of Lowball, a player may choose to kill by placing a double bet after seeing his first two cards.
- Wild cards are added. This can range from simply making deuces wild to the 7-card stud variant named baseball.
- A twist round in which players can buy another card from the deck. If a player does not like the purchased card, the player can purchase another one by adding money to the pot. This is sometimes called a 'tittle.'
- A stripped deck may be used. Poker was first played with only 20 cards. In the spirit of poker history, players will sometimes only play with a stripped deck. A popular poker game in Spain is played with cards 8-A. It is played similar to hold'em, except that one card is dealt at a time and a player must use both hole cards.
- Roll your own is played in stud games, and allows the player to determine which of his or her cards are turned up and visible to the other players. In a game like Seven-card Stud, the 'roll' action only applies to the first 3 cards, all of which are dealt face down. Each player then determines which card to expose. Play then continues as with regular Seven-card Stud. But a game like Mexican stud applies the roll option throughout the game. Two cards are dealt face down, and the players roll one card up. The game continues just as in Five-card Stud, except the cards are dealt face down, and each player then decides which of the two down cards is exposed.[1]
Mixed poker games[edit]
Poker can be played in a mixed game format, for example one half-hour of Texas hold 'em followed by one half-hour of Seven-card stud. There are many types of mixed poker games. The most notable mixed poker variation is H.O.R.S.E. poker. H.O.R.S.E. is a mix of Texas hold 'em, Omaha high-low, Razz, Seven-card stud and Seven-card stud Eight-or-better. Each game will usually be played for a fixed number of hands or time and then the players will move on to the next game.
Other mixed games include:
- H.O.S.E. – same as H.O.R.S.E., except without Razz.
- H.O.E. – same as H.O.R.S.E, except no Razz or Seven-card stud.
- H.O. – Texas hold 'em and Omaha high-low
- O.E. – Omaha high-low and Seven-card Stud Eight or better.
- H.A. – Pot limit Texas hold 'em and pot limit Omaha.
- Omaha High-low Mixed – Fixed limit Omaha and pot limit Omaha high-low
- Holdem Mixed – Fixed limit and no limit Texas hold 'em.
- Eight Game Mix – Fixed limit 2-7 Triple Draw, fixed limit Texas hold 'em, fixed limit Omaha Hi-Low Eight or better, Razz, fixed limit Seven-card stud, fixed limit Seven-card stud Hi-Low eight or better, no limit Texas hold 'em and pot limit Omaha.
- Ten Game Mix (introduced at 2011 World Series of Poker) – No limit Hold'em, fixed limit Seven-card Razz, fixed limit Hold'em, fixed limit Badugi, fixed limit Seven-card Stud, no limit 2-7 Single Draw, fixed limit Omaha Hi-Low eight or better, pot limit Omaha, fixed limit 2-7 Triple Draw and fixed limit Seven-card stud Hi-Low eight or better (played with 6 players on a table).
Specific poker variant games[edit]
Some poker games don't fit neatly into the above categories, and some have features of more than one of these categories. These variants are most often played in home games, usually as part of a dealer's choice format.
High Chicago or Low Chicago[edit]
Either of these two versions can be played in any stud high game. In High Chicago, or sometimes simply called Chicago, the player with the highest spade face down (referred to as in the hole) receives half the pot. In Low Chicago, the player with the lowest spade in the hole receives half of the pot, with the A♠ being the lowest. If the player with the highest hand also has the highest/lowest spade in the hole, then that player receives the entire pot - having won both sides of the bet.
Follow the Queen[edit]
This 7-card stud game uses a wild-card designated as whichever card is immediately dealt (exposed, or face-up) after any queen previously dealt (exposed). In the event that the final card dealt (exposed) is itself a queen, then all queens are wild. If no queens are dealt (exposed), then there are no wilds for that hand. Betting is the same as in normal 7-card stud games. Follow the Queen is a typical game variant in Dealer's Choice poker games.[2][3]
Countdown[edit]
In this 5-card game, the dealer gives each player 5 cards face down. After the first round of betting, each player may choose to replace zero to three cards. A second round of betting follows and then players may opt to replace zero to two cards. Upon completing another round of betting, each player may replace one card of the cards in their hand. After a final round of betting, any remaining players show their hands, and the highest 5 card hand wins. The cost of cards doubles each round. For example, if the dealer says each replacement card costs $10 in the first round, then each card costs $20 in the second round, and $40 in the final round. When players purchase cards to replace ones in their hand, they put the cost of the cards in the pot.[4]
This game will only work with 4 players (or fewer) otherwise you will run out of cards.
Billabong and Shanghai[edit]
Just as Oxford stud is a mixed stud/community card version of Texas hold 'em, Billabong is a mixed version of Manila. Each player is dealt two down-cards and one up-card. Low up-card starts the betting with a Bring-in if you are playing with one, otherwise high card starts the betting. Next, two community cards are dealt, followed by a second betting round, beginning with the player with the best exposed partial poker hand (counting the community cards, as in Oxford stud). Then a third community card is dealt, followed by a third betting round. Finally a fourth community card is dealt, followed by a fourth betting round and showdown. Each player plays the best five-card hand he can make from the three in his hand plus the four on the board in any combination.
Shanghai is the same game with an extra hole card, but no more than two hole cards play. That is, the game begins with each player being dealt three down-cards and one up-card; each player must discard one of his hole cards at some point during the game as determined ahead of time. The most common variation is to discard immediately as in Pineapple; the second most common is to discard just before showdown as in Tahoe.
Guts[edit]
Guts is a family of games that are cousins of poker rather than poker variants. They usually involve hands of 3 or fewer cards, ranked similarly to hands in poker, and multiple successive rounds of betting each of which consist of the decision to be 'in' or 'out', and each with its own showdown. The losers of rounds of guts generally match or double the pot, which grows rapidly.
Five-O poker[edit]
Five-O Poker is a heads-up poker variant in which both players must play five hands of five cards simultaneously. Four of the five cards in each hand are face-up. Once all five hands are down, there is a single round of betting. The winner is determined by matching each hand to the corresponding hand of the opponent. The player with the stronger poker hand in three (or more) out of the five columns, wins, unless a player folds on a bet that was made. If a player beats their opponent with all five hands, this is called a “Five-O” win.
Chinese poker[edit]
Chinese poker is a 2-4 player poker game with thirteen cards. The idea is to make three poker hands with increasing rank : two with five cards and one with three cards. If one of the hands does not adhere to increasing rank (i.e. is mis-set), the hand is declared dead and results in some sort of penalty.
Kuhn poker[edit]
Kuhn poker, using a three card deck, is more of game theory problem than an actual game people play, but it can be played by two players.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Pagat.com: Roll Your Own
- ^Pokernews.com: Fun Home Poker Game Rules - Follow the Queen
- ^Pokerrules.net: How to Play Follow the Queen
- ^Pokerrules.net: How to Play Countdown Poker
- ^'A Parameterized Family of Equilibrium Profiles for Three-Player Kuhn Poker'(PDF).
There are three primary ways to play video poker online, depending primarily on in which state you live, but also based on the type of video poker games you are looking to play.
Whether you are an expert at traditional poker or just interested in learning the game, there are tons of options available online. Free video poker games give you the chance to play the game without depositing a cent, so you can enjoy a fun hobby without worrying about deposits and withdrawals. It also has the advantage of letting you play from home, rather than traveling to a casino that might be miles away from you.
- Play free video poker online – Available in all states
- Play video poker for cash prizes at online sweepstakes casino sites – Available in all states except Washington
- Play video poker for real money – Available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia
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If you don’t happen to live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or West Virginia your best bet is a sweepstakes online casino where you can play online video poker for cash prizes.
How Sweepstakes Casinos Work
Online sweepstakes video poker is an alternative for those who aren’t in areas where real money poker is legal. These sites take old laws about sweepstakes and use them as a way to offer legal options for those who want to play poker recreationally.
Sweepstakes casinos use digital coins instead of real money as currency. Players accumulate digital coins by winning games and can later exchange them for cash prizes. Because sweepstakes casinos are not legally classified as gambling, they are popular among players who live in states that have not yet legalized real money online gambling. The sweepstakes format provides a similar, but legal alternative to the online casino experience.
In order to participate in a sweepstakes casino’s games, you must first buy their coins (or whatever they label as their sweepstakes currency). Your purchased coins typically come with a set number of free sweeps coins. You cannot directly deposit money into an account or withdraw money.
Your purchased coins are valid only for recreational gaming at the sweepstakes casino. Your free sweeps coins can be played on sweepstakes games, and your winnings can then be exchanged for real prizes.
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Chumba Casino is a great option as it offers both slots and table games. Its variety is what makes it a unique sweepstakes casino.
Playing Free Video Poker At Legal Online Casinos
When you want to play video poker for free at a legal online casino, you have a variety of options. There are tons of variations of poker, and you can find almost all of them in an online version so you can play from home. With the advent of free poker games, anyone who is over 21-years-old and in the United States can enjoy a game of poker whenever they feel like it.
Do Legal Online Casinos Offer Free Video Poker Games?
As more states legalize online casinos, having access to online video poker is becoming easier than ever. While most of these casinos offer real money games, there are also demo and practice modes where you can play without spending a single dime. Everyone can play free online slots, even those in states where online gambling is not yet legal.
The best option for choosing a reputable site for video poker is by looking at large brands you have heard of in the past. The websites that operate in partnership with physical casinos are an excellent place to start since they need to adhere to specific rules and regulations.
Do I Need An Account To Play Free Video Poker Games Online?
It depends on where you want to play. In some cases, you can play by just navigating to the site and clicking on a game. However, there are other instances where you must register to access the catalog of games at a poker site. If you prefer a quick and easy poker game, you’ll want to look for sites without registration.
Keep in mind that sites with registration may offer perks to those who become members, which can make signing up feel like less effort. When it comes to real money video poker sites, you must sign up to be a member just to play the practice games. If your privacy is important to you, you may have to use other websites for your video poker.
Is There Any Way To Win Real Money Playing Free Video Poker?
In most cases, the sites that have free video poker do not offer cash payments. Instead, you will typically be racking up virtual currency that cannot be turned into money. Free games are usually used by players who just want to have a good time or who want to practice outside of paid games to become better at a particular type of poker.
However, there are some exceptions in terms of free sites that offer real money. Most of them are going to be found in sweepstakes video poker sites, which we’ll look at in more depth below.
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Playing Las Vegas-Style Video Poker Online For Free
If you’re searching for legal online casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that have Vegas-style video poker, you have plenty of options. Both of the states have a wide variety of casinos that offer video poker and many of the games are based on Vegas poker options. Three of our options for playing video poker online in these states are listed below for your convenience.
BetRivers Casino is partnered with the land-based Rivers Pittsburgh Casino and offers a selection of video poker options. Users can log in to play practice games or deposit money to play for cash if they are located in Pennsylvania. In addition to providing video poker, this casino also has hundreds of slot games, as well as table games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
Hollywood Casino is another online legal casino in Pennsylvania that provides the option to play poker. This was the first online casino to launch in the state and it partnered with IGT to power the gaming options on the website and apps. This casino also offers dozens of slot games, roulette games, blackjack, baccarat, and more.
Those who are looking for New Jersey video poker will find it in various locations, including BetMGM. There are many variations of poker at this provider, including Regal Jacks or Better, Triple Play Draw Multi-Hand Poker, Bonus Poker, Texas Hold’em, and more. It also offers a variety of slot games and table games that you can peruse.
Playing Video Poker For Real Money Online
For those who want to spend money playing poker, there are several options available. However, this is only the case in states where you can legally gamble online. If you are not in one of those locations, real money gambling on video poker is not allowed. While more states are slowly allowing online real money poker, it’s a good idea to know what the rules are for your specific location.
States With Legal Online Video Poker
Before we delve into other specifics, knowing where online video poker is legal is essential. It might be surprising to learn that some states allow online poker but don’t allow online table games and slots, while others go in the opposite direction. Since it can be confusing to determine what states allow legal online video poker, we have provided a list of legal states below:
- Delaware
If you don’t see your state listed above, playing video poker for real money is not allowed in your state. There are two alternatives available to you if you want to enjoy video poker. The first is to choose a free online site that has poker available and the second is to use a sweepstakes gaming site like Chumba Casino.
How Many Different Video Poker Games Are Available?
Counting up all the different video poker games would leave you with a number that might be mind-boggling. Many types of poker have been introduced in an online version that you can play on your own without other players. In fact, if it’s available in a land-based casino, you can likely find it in a video poker option.
However, different websites and apps are going to have different games, so finding one that has your favorite type might take time if it’s a lesser-known variation. Those who are fans of games like Jacks or Better, on the other hand, will find this kind of poker on nearly any site that includes poker.
What Are The Smallest Stakes You Can Play Online?
This is another question that will depend on the provider you use for your video poker. However, what you should know is that video poker typically requires bets that are much smaller than traditional poker in a physical casino. While some of these poker games have high payouts, they don’t always require you to empty your wallet to try to win.
Because these games have lower stakes than a typical poker table, they make an excellent option for those who are just learning to play. They also feature the opportunity to get better for those with some level of experience without spending too much. Once someone is happy with the progress that they’ve made with video poker, they can try live games or traditional poker with more confidence in their performance.
Fundamentals Of Video Poker Strategy
Just like other forms of poker, video poker has many different strategies that players employ to ensure they win more from their hands. Different people enjoy different techniques, so there are many to choose from. Having a basic strategy you can use will help you do better at video poker, whether you are just beginning with the game or have been at it for many years.
Video Poker Strategy Basics
While games like slots rely only on luck, poker is a casino staple where the players have a lot of impact on how the game ends. Since you have more choices in terms of what cards you keep, which you discard, and what hand you play at the end, you can learn to play a hand that is the most beneficial and likely to result in a big payoff. However, a lot of players continue to rely only on play streaks or hunches to decide how to play a game.
The strategies that can help you win are based on math, which is excellent for anyone who has excelled at this subject in the past. Some approaches focus on getting royal flushes as often as possible, which is the best hand you can have in most poker games. Others are going to have a focus on winning every hand, even if it’s by a small amount through a hand that has less optimal cards.
Video Poker Strategy Charts
Those who are interested in serious strategy in video poker may choose to use a video poker strategy chart to do so. These charts will show that cards you can have to get the most significant return on the match. Below the best return, it will show the next best and continue in this way until you should discard an entire hand rather than saving any of it.
For example, when playing Jacks or Better, the chart would show a royal flush on top, followed by a straight flush, four cards of a royal flush, a full house, and so on. If you’re looking to improve your ability to play poker, taking a look at strategy charts can put you on top of your game.
Video Poker: The Five Minute Guide
No matter what kind of poker you like, you’ll find it in an online video poker version. This kind of poker involves one player against a computer dealer, rather than having several players at a table who are competing against each other. While the most common poker variations are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, you can also find a selection of different games to play.
Basic Rules Of Video Poker
Since there are dozens of video poker variations, going through the rules of each one would require a long article all of its own. However, since Jacks or Better is one of the most popular options, we’ll use that as an example to explain the rules of video poker.
The basic idea behind this kind of video poker is to acquire a five-card poker hand with a winning combination. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. Other combinations that can win a hand include the following:
- Two Pair – Two card pairs that have the same number or symbol
- Three of a Kind – Three cards with the same symbol or number
- Straight – Five cards that make up a sequential order of numbers
- Flush – Five cards that have the same suit
- Full House – A pair along with a three of a kind
- Four of a Kind – Four cards with the same symbol or number
- Straight Flush – Five cards of the same suit that are in sequential order
The Royal Flush is the best hand you can get and consists of cards of the same suit that go from 10 to Ace. The idea behind the game is to get the best hand possible to earn the most points. You are dealt cards and choose which to discard before being dealt more to make up your final hand.
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Common Video Poker Variations
We already mentioned that Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better are two variations of video poker, but there are dozens of others. Aces and Eights is another version where you get additional coins or money for having Aces or Eights in your hands. Double Bonus is a video poker game where you get massive bonuses for four of a kind hands. Some of the other games you will commonly see include:
- Bonus Deuces Wild
- Deuces and Joker
- Double Double Bonus
- Jokers Wild
- Tens or Better
The House Edge In Video Poker
One of the reasons that so many people enjoy video poker is because the house typically has an exceedingly small edge. While a slot machine might return only 70 to 90 percent of what you spend on it, video poker at an online casino is more likely to offer a return of 95 to 99 percent. This means that playing video poker is going to be better for your wallet than many other online casino games.
However, keep in mind that different casinos have different odds and may have a unique house edge. This is also an excellent reason to choose a reputable site or app that lets you know what you’re getting into when you sit down to play a game.
Free Video Poker Online Play FAQ
Yes. Some websites that offer free video poker will allow you to play without making an account. However, other websites and apps may require you to register before you take part in games. In most cases, if you do register, you will get some kind of reward for doing so. If you prefer to play without registration, make sure that’s an option at the site you are visiting first.
Yes. With sweepstakes video poker sites, you can often win real money or other premium prizes even though you are playing for free. At websites like Chumba Casino, you can earn coins that may be turned into real money for playing particular games, taking advantage of promotions, or making deposits to play additional games.
Yes. One of the best ways to get better at video poker is by playing free games. You can enjoy learning all the best strategies without worrying that you’re going to break the bank. Since these games are often the same as real money poker, you can take the knowledge you gain and use it to win cash once you’re happy with how you are playing.
No. Most of the free video poker games online do not require a flash player, although there are some exceptions. If you aren’t interested in a flash player, you will have no issues finding games that don’t require it. However, having one available may make your options more robust if you want to play a specific game or use a particular website.