Online Poker Games

There are several great online poker games available today, including the ever popular Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud and Omaha Hi/Lo. Since these great games have become so popular recently, we would like to help you to get an overview of the games. This article will provide a basic overview for these wonderful poker games.

Texas Hold’em is a game that can be explained in twelve easy steps. The first step is to set a betting limit for the game. Generally, the max bet is twice that of the min bet. The next step is for the player to the left of the dealer to post the “Small Blind” (one half of the min bet), and continuing to step three, the next player to the left posts the “Big Blind” (equal to the min bet). The fourth step is for the dealer to deal each player two cards face down. The first betting round now begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind. The first three community cards (the Flop) are placed face up on the table and yet another round of betting ensues. The next steps involve another community card, another betting round and a final community card and betting round before the showdown where the winner is determined.

Seven Card Stud is another very popular and fun poker variation. It can be played with up to eight players per table. Games of Seven Card Stud are often offered from low spreads to high limits. The min and max bets for this game are determined in the same manner as in Texas Hold’em – the max bet is generally twice the min bet. The major difference (besides lack of community cards) with Seven Card Stud is that unlike Texas Hold’em, this game is played with antes. An ante is a nominal fee posted in order to be included in the hand. If you do not post you ante, you are not dealt into the hand. Once everyone’s antes have been paid, the players are dealt two down cards and one face up card. The lowest up card will be forced to be the ‘bring in’ to start the betting action. The ‘bring in’ will be forced to throw in a small bet. Now, other players will have to call the bring in or fold. You must now decide to play on or to fold based on the strength of this holding combined with the strength of the holdings of the other players. Remember, in stud you get to see how the other players’ hands develop. Based on a player’s up cards, you can estimate their hand and decide if you have a chance to beat them.

Omaha Hi/Lo is another great community card game. In this game, each player is dealt four cards face down, and then there are five community cards dealt face up in the middle of the table. The object of the game is to your best five card high hand, and your best five card low hand, using exactly two hole cards, and three board cards. You may use different hole cards in making your low hand then you used in making your high hand, as long as you use two hole cards and three board cards for each. The player with the best high hand wins half the pot, and the player with the best low hand wins the other half. If there is no qualifying low hand, the player with the best high hand wins the entire pot.