Poker Types Evolution

Poker types include American poker variants like Five Card Draw, common in 19th-century saloons and home play. By the mid-1900s, Seven Card Stud and Razz took over formal settings. These formats thrived under fixed limit games, structured betting rounds, and the early use of blinds and antes.

In the 2000s, online poker platforms and televised events shifted the spotlight to Texas Hold’em and no limit games. Meanwhile, Omaha poker, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Badugi grew in cash games among both high stakes players and online poker game grinders. While Crazy Pineapple appealed to casual users, Chinese Poker and other Asian poker variants gained global interest. 

In contrast, HORSE poker and other mixed games became fixtures in tournament poker, especially in MTTs, Sit & Go tournaments, and modern mobile poker games.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Holdem poker is the most played of all variations, known for its fast pace and strategic depth. Each player receives two private cards and competes using five shared community cards, which are revealed over four betting rounds. 

It’s the go-to format for both professional poker players and recreational players, featured on major broadcasts and across leading poker apps. Here’s how it works:

• Hole cards: Each participant is dealt two private cards.
• Community cards: Five cards are placed face-up in the center of the table.
• Wagering phases: Bettors wager across four stages—pre-flop, flop, turn, and river.
• Winning hand: The best five-card combination wins the pot, using any mix of hole and community cards.

Omaha

It is a community card poker variant where you receive four private cards and must use precisely two in every hand. This rule leads to stronger hands, more frequent draws, and fast-shifting outcomes across four structured betting rounds:

• Hole cards: Each player gets four private cards
• Hand rule: Use exactly two hole cards and three community cards
• Variants: Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo (a split pot game used in HORSE poker)
• Formats: Found in tournament poker, mobile poker games, and as the “O” in HORSE poker

Draw Types of Poker Games

Draw poker is a simple poker type where bettors receive five cards and can swap some to make a better hand. There are no shared cards, so it’s all about reading your opponents. 

Five Card Draw

Five card draw poker is one of the oldest and most straightforward draw poker formats, rooted in traditional American poker variants. It remains a favourite in informal cash games, especially among micro stakes players and recreational poker players. Here’s how a typical hand works:

• Structure: Each player gets five private cards
• Draw phase: One chance to discard and draw new cards
• Betting: Two betting rounds — before and after the draw
• Game type: Played as a high hand game, no low split
• Setup: Usually played with antes, though some online or tournament versions use blinds instead.

Triple Draw Lowball

2-7 Triple Draw is among the strategic lowball games where players aim to build the lowest possible hand, ideally 2-3-4-5-7 offsuit.  Players get up to three chances to exchange cards, paired with four betting stages that demand strong hand reading and timing.

• Format: Played in fixed limit games
• Game types: Found in cash games, tournaments, and mixed formats like 8-Game or 10-Game
• Players: Popular among professional poker players and high stakes players
• Structure: Only the lowest hand wins; there’s no split pot

Stud Forms Of Poker

Among other poker types, these formats deal a mix of open and hidden cards over multiple action rounds, with no community cards or draws. These American poker variants rely on visible information and memory, not bluff-heavy tactics.

Seven Card Stud

Seven card stud poker is a classic poker type played without community cards or draws. Each participant builds a hand from seven dealt cards across five structured bet cycles. It remains popular in mixed games like HORSE poker, where it represents the “S,” and in select cash games or tournament poker formats:

• Cards: Seven per player (3 down, 4 up)
• Hand goal: Best five-card combo; standard high hand game
• Structure: Uses antes (small forced bets from all) and a bring-in (first bet by the lowest upcard)
• Betting: Played as a fixed limit game as bet sizes are set and increase at predetermined stages
• Where to play: Found in mixed games and some poker apps targeting legacy formats

Seven Card Stud Low

This also comes in a low-only version commonly known as Razz, where the lowest five-card hand takes the pot. As one of the oldest lowball games, it trades big hands for smooth, unpaired lows and avoids straights and flushes:

• Objective: Build the lowest hand (best is A-2-3-4-5)
• Structure: Seven cards dealt; no draw phase
• Betting: Played as fixed limit games with antes and a bring-in
• Formats: Seen in cash games and mixed rotations
• Audience: Favoured by high stakes players for its strategic depth

HORSE

HORSE poker is a rotation format often seen in multi-table tournaments, where bettors compete across five structured poker types in a fixed order. With no wildcards or dealer’s choice, it rewards consistency over luck. Here’s what each letter stands for:

• H: Texas Hold’em – High hand game, played with blinds and two hole cards.
• O: Omaha Hi-Lo – Split pot format, players must use two of four hole cards.
• R: Razz – Lowball game, aim for the lowest five-card hand.
• S: Seven Card Stud – Uses antes, combines visible and hidden cards.
• E: Stud Eight-or-Better – Split between the best high and qualifying low.

Dealers Choice

Dealer’s Choice allows the dealer to pick the poker types for all hands, offering variety across formats in home or mixed sessions. The lineup often includes both lowball and split pot games, making it essential for users to adapt to changing rules and hand values:

• Five Card Draw – A classic poker type where players draw once to improve their hand.
• 2-7 Triple Draw – A lowball format with three draw rounds; popular in strategic kinds of poker.
• Razz – A seven-card low game where the lowest hand wins; often played in mixed formats.
• Omaha Hi-Lo – A split pot game using community cards; part of advanced poker rotations.
• Pineapple Poker – Players get three hole cards and discard one; a casual twist on Hold’em-style play.
• Crazy Pineapple – Like Pineapple, but the discard happens after the flop.
• Caribbean Stud Poker – A table game vs. the house with no bluffing or player competition.
• Badugi – A draw game aiming for four low cards of different suits and ranks.
• Chinese Poker – Players create three hands from 13 cards; one of the more unusual kinds of poker.

Casino Poker Types

These poker types focus on playing against the house, not other players. Fast-paced formats like Caribbean Stud Poker and Pineapple Poker simplify traditional rules for quicker hands and easier decisions. You’ll find them on online poker platforms, in live dealer poker rooms, and always under proper poker licensing.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is a dealer-based poker type where you try to beat the house with a better five-card hand. It uses high hand game rules, fixed limit games betting, and no player-to-player action. Additionally, it requires awareness of responsible gambling due to its higher house edge.

• Ante Bet: Place your opening wager to join the round
• Card Deal: You get five cards; the dealer gets five, with one face up
• Call or Fold: Decide to continue or forfeit your hand
• Dealer Qualification: Dealer must have Ace-King or better to “open” and play.
• Payout: If you win, you’re paid based on a set payout table, not on odds or pot size.

Pineapple Poker

Pineapple Poker is one of the more casual poker types, based on Texas Hold’em rules but with a twist: players start with three hole cards and discard one. It plays like most high hand games, uses familiar blinds and antes, and usually follows no limit games structure.

• Hole Cards: Start with three, keep two
• Gameplay Style: Based on Texas Hold’em flow
• Discard Timing: Before the flop (Pineapple), after the flop (Crazy Pineapple)
• Betting Format: Typically no limit, suited for informal tables
• Goal: Make the best 5-card high hand using your hole cards and community cards

Where can Players try out Different Poker Types

Looking to explore different kinds of poker? From live tables to mobile formats, top casinos offer diverse options for every skill level. Whether you enjoy video poker, live dealer setups, or app-based play, these platforms operate under strict poker regulations to ensure fairness and safety. Here’s where to get started:

• Yukon Gold Casino: Offers classic video poker variations through Microgaming’s platform.
• Casino 22Bet: Features live dealer poker, rare poker types, and mobile-friendly options.
• Royal Vegas Casino: Provides video poker and card games, without peer-to-peer or tournament play.
• 888 Casino Online: Hosts freeroll tournaments and real-money tables via its online poker platform. 

Conclusion

Poker types are simply different ways the game is played, each with its own rules and strategies. Some, like Five Card Draw, are simple and quick to learn, while others, like Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, or European poker variants, require more practice and strategic thinking. By understanding how each version works, you can choose the one you enjoy most and refine your skills across several types of poker games.