Hold'em Poker

Different Poker Variants

• Holdem: The most popular variant

Each player receives 2 cards face down, which are visible to him or her alone (these are known as “hole” cards). Then, during the course of the different bidding rounds, a total of 5 cards are placed face up in the centre of the table. These are known as “community” cards, as they are available to all of the players. The players build up their hands by combining their hole cards with the community cards. To win, you must form the best combination of 5 cards from the 7 that are available.

• Omaha

In this variant of poker, each player receives four hole cards instead of two! To win, you must hold the best combination of 5 cards, formed by two “hole” cards and three “community” cards. As each player receives four hole cards instead of the two used in Holdem, winning hands in Omaha are generally stronger.

• 7-Card Stud

In contrast to Omaha and Holdem, there are no community cards in 7-Card Stud. Even the “upcards” (cards which are dealt face up and seen by everyone at the table) are specific to each player. All players first receive 2 cards dealt face down (hole cards) and one card dealt face up (upcard). After the first round of betting, a fourth upcard is dealt to each of the players still in the game. Two more upcards are dealt to each of the players during the two following bidding rounds. Finally, in the fourth and final round of betting, each player receives a final hole card (dealt face down). Therefore, if you manage to stay in a game of 7-Card Stud until the final round of betting, you receive 3 hole cards and 4 upcards. To win, you must form the best combination of 5 cards from the 7 that are available.

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