Learning Zone

How to play the different games of poker that are now available on all major online poker sites

Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em (also known as Hold'em) is the most popular poker game in the world. Its fast, exciting and easy to learn. The objective is to make the best five-card poker hand from two cards in your hand and the five community cards face up on the table. Texas Hold'em can have up to 10 players in each hand, more than most poker games, and usually operates the lowest limit games in cardrooms. When played in casinos, Texas Hold'em is played with a dealer button to mark who the dealer would be if the casino weren't providing one for the table. The button rotates clockwise around the table between every hand. This is important as the dealer is the last to act, and thus has the greatest advantage for that hand.

Omaha

Omaha is similar to Holdem in using a five community cards, but has a few key differences. Every player is dealt four cards face down, followed by five community cards dealt face up in the middle of the table. The five community cards may be used by every player. In order to make a hand a player must use precisely two holecards with three from the table. When played in casinos, Omaha is played with a dealer button to mark who the dealer would be if the casino weren't providing one for the table. The button rotates clockwise around the table between every hand. This is important as the dealer is the last to act, and thus has the greatest advantage for that hand.

Omaha Hi/Lo

Omaha is often played high-low split, 8-or-better. The player may use any combination of two holecards and three community cards for the high hand and another (or the same) combination of two holecards and three community for the low hand. The highest and lowest ranking hands get half of the pot each. The low hand must contain an 8 or better, and no pairs. If there is no qualifying low hand, then the high hand wins the whole pot. It is possible to win both the high and the low pot. The lowest possible hand is A2345. The highest possible qualifying low hand is 87654. When played in casinos, Omaha Hi Lo is played with a dealer button to mark who the dealer would be if the casino weren't providing one for the table. The button rotates clockwise around the table between every hand. This is important as the dealer is the last to act, and thus has the greatest advantage for that hand.

Seven Card Stud

Seven Card Stud is the most popular version of stud poker, and is played between two and eight players. Every player is dealt a total of seven cards, three of them face down, and the other four face up. There are no community cards. Players can use any five cards out of the seven they are dealt to make the best five-card poker hand. There are five rounds of betting in Seven Card Stud, as opposed to the four rounds in Hold'Em and Omaha.