A Beginner's Guide to Less Known Games of Poker

Being an avid poker player, I know what it means from a beginners standpoint to try and comprehend the massive world of playing cards. There are hundreds of variations of poker, and it all can become quite confusing. Because of the many variations of poker, and the pure diversity of the games, it can be completely frustrating to know what game is being played at any given time. Because it is the most simple, and easiest to understand, no limit Texas Holdem' is the game most people are familiar with. It is essential to understand that the basic preface of every other poker game is the same as Texas Holdem'. Every poker game revolves around a five card hand, and the best, or in some cases the worst, five card hand will win the entire pot.

Stud used to be the most popular poker game before the recent poker boom. Studd is a much slower game than Holdem' and nobody shares any cards. Every player receives a certain number of hole cards, and then each player receives their own face up cards to make their best five card poker hand. Stud is a fairy simple game, and is usually played with seven cards. Razz, Stud Hi/Lo, are both variations of the game of Stud, along with hundreds of home game variations, such as Chicago, Follow the Queen, and High Heart in the Hole.

Draw poker, besides Holdem', is one of the more simple games of poker. It doesn't utilize poker skill level nearly as much as other games, mainly because all of the cards dealt are face down. In Draw, every player is dealt a set number of down cards, usually five. The game then proceeds with a round of betting, and every player is given a chance to exchange any of their cards for new ones from the deck. Then the best five card hand wins the pot. There is not much to learn when it comes to draw poker, and it is a very good game for a beginner to learn.