Whiz Poker

Poker comes in many forms and even more variations of specific popular games. While almost all the forms use a standardized ranking system and similarities in the play of the cards, there are three basic “families” of poker games to choose from. These are determined mostly by the specifics of how the cards are dealt and wagered upon.

Straight Poker is the most basic of poker forms. The play is simple, with a complete hand dealt to the players and then a round of betting and raising taking place until the winner is determined. A favorite variation of this is Draw Poker where, after the first round of bidding, players are allowed to exchange a number of their cards for new ones in hopes of forming a better hand. This allows a second round of betting and raising with each hand played.

The next oldest family of poker games is Stud. Originally played with three cards, five card and seven card varieties quickly came into being. In Stud Poker you do not hold your cards but leave them laying on the table. As the cards are dealt, first the hidden “hole” cards and then beginning with the rest face-up, each subsequent card dealt initiates another round of betting on the final outcome.

Having its origins in the 20th century, Community Card Poker has become an extremely popular form of play. This poker form gives the player several hold cards of their own to use along with a series of cards laid out face-up on the table that can be used by any or all players as part of their final 5-card hand. Omaha and Texas Hold’em are two of the most popular variations of Community Card Poker.