Texas Hold’em isn’t the only poker game on the block. The multi-billion-dollar industry, with over 100 million dedicated players worldwide, relies on a few variations of the game to keep the players hooked. In this list, we’ll highlight the five most interesting poker variations apart from Texas Hold’em that amateurs and veterans can try their hands on for a change.

Top 5 Poker Variations Worth Trying

1.         Five-Card Draw – Draw poker is often considered one of the most difficult variations to master. Players can replace existing cards by drawing from the deck, adding multiple layers to the decision-making process. Five-Card Draw is ideal for veterans looking for a change.

Players are initially dealt with a complete set of five-cards (face down) and given the opportunity to stick with the initial draw or replace as many cards as they wish. Like most flop-based games, the betting starts from the left of the dealer while there are small and big blinds.

2.         Seven-Card Stud – One the most popular poker variations, Seven-Card Stud, starts with the players being dealt seven cards. The game’s primary objective is creating the best five-card combination from the hand dealt, with Royal Flush being the best and high card the worst combination.

Players must contribute a small blind to the pot before the game starts. The round begins by dealing with three cards (two face-down and one face-up). Players can choose to call, raise, or fold. If there is more than one player after the final round of betting, the game moves into the showdown. The winner is the person with the best hand.

3.         Omaha Hi – The Hi in Omaha Hi refers to the highest hand being awarded the entire pot after the final round of betting. The game follows a pot-limit format, which is why it’s often called Pot-Limit Omaha or PLO.

Omaha Hi follows the rules similar to Texas Hold’em, with a few differences like dealing 4-hole cards instead of 2. Players still need to form the best 5-card combination by using 3 community cards and 2-hole cards.

4.         Short Deck – Another popular Texas Hold’em variation, Short Deck, is increasingly gaining popularity at tournaments in recent years. All 2s and 5s are removed from the deck, and the game is played with 36 cards. Hence the name! Fewer cards increase the chances of higher combinations.

Unlike Texas Hold’em, Short Deck is played as an ante where players must contribute to the pot before beginning. Although the game shares many similarities with Hold’em, Short Deck creates numerous variances and larger swings for the players.

5.         5-Card Omaha – Instead of dealing 4-hole cards like Omaha Hi, each player gets 5 cards at the beginning. Players must still use 2-hole cards and 3 community cards to form the best hand.

Although not as popular as Omaha Hi, 5-Card Omaha is a favorite among online poker enthusiasts. The rules are the same as Omaha Hi, save for the extra hole card. The game is ideal for creating loads of action at the table.