Poker Variants You’ve Never Heard Of

Though Texas Hold ’em remains the go-to poker game in casinos, there are other variations which offer great challenges and will help expand your skill set as an overall poker player.

Badugi is an intriguing draw poker variant which uses standard hand rankings as its foundation and can provide an opportunity for bluffers.

Deuce-to-Seven Lowball

Deuce-to-Seven Lowball is an exciting variation of draw poker that has seen immense growth both at mixed cash tables and prestigious tournaments like the World Series of Poker. The goal of Deuce-to-Seven Lowball is to construct an underhanded traditional poker hand – although with one notable distinction: straights and flushes count against you while aces count as high hands.

Rules in lowball poker are straightforward, while its various hand rankings can be more complex for newcomers. A good way to understand this ranking system is to refer to Card Player Magazine?s website’s Lowball Hand Rankings page and study your low hand through there.

Lowball poker comes in various varieties with various rules, yet most involve betting rounds and strategic decisions about betting decisions. A popular version is high-low split which uses a joker as the lowest unassigned card not already held (e.g. if Alice has 7-5-4-3-2 and Burt has Joker-6-5-4-3). Other variants such as 2-7 Triple Draw add another level of complexity by adding three drawing rounds into the mix.

Single-Draw Lowball

A unique variant of draw poker, this variant allows players to invert the usual hand rankings by discarding cards and drawing new ones – in essence inverting traditional poker rankings – allowing the lowest hand (ace counted low and straights/flushes not counting) to win! Also referred to as Kansas City Lowball.

Fixed limit betting requires players to employ more strategic gameplay. One key strategy involves giving more value to deuces as essential pieces in making strong low hands; also, knowing when discard cards for better odds at lower hands is vitally important.

As poker has become more mainstream, this variation has grown increasingly popular and now features regularly in mixed games at online poker sites and live tournaments worldwide. It uses different methods for determining the lowest hand, while variations vary based on whether aces count as low hands as well as how many draws each player receives.

Caribbean Stud

Caribbean Stud poker is another favorite among casino players, offering fast-paced action and high payout potential. Although its house edge may be higher than other forms of the game, Caribbean Stud can still deliver an entertaining and unforgettable casino experience.

There are a few strategies available to players in order to reduce the house edge in this game. While they cannot guarantee victory, these techniques may increase expected winnings while helping manage bankroll more efficiently.

Beginning the game, both dealer and player receive four cards each before receiving two more community cards from which to build a hand of Ace-King or better to qualify as dealer; otherwise all bets placed by player against dealer will be returned back to them; should player beat dealer, they are paid out according to strength of hand.

Draw Poker

Draw poker is an approachable form of the card game and its rules are straightforward. Each player receives five cards before being given one chance to improve their hand through one drawing round – discarding and replacing cards according to house rules can also be done at will.

Playing this variation, players may opt to switch between lowball and regular poker by exchanging high cards for lower ones (ace becoming low card). A flush or straight can also occur if your highest card matches with your opponent’s highest card in suit.

Betting for this variant begins with the player to the dealer’s left and follows a similar format to standard poker: players can call, raise, fold or bet during the initial round; once drawn there will be another round which allows bets to be raised or checked and, if none have been made during this second betting round they may choose to check out of their hand altogether.