When starting out on your poker journey, practice is key. The trick is to find easy poker variations, the games with simple rules and gameplay. Once you have mastered the petite versions of the popular card game, you can level up to the big leagues at Juicy Stakes Poker!
The ‘Easy to Master’ Poker Variations
Poker is more than a card game. It is a standalone genre consisting of countless variations. At its core are timeless classics like Seven Card Stud, Five Card Draw and more recently, Texas Hold Em and Omaha.
Since the early days of poker playing gunslingers, stud and draw poker have morphed into a wide range of games. Some online poker variations reward low hands. Others are played with fewer cards in the deck.
Here is a round-up of three poker variations suitable for inexperienced players – Eight or Better, Three Card Poker and Short Deck Poker.
Eight or Better – Split Pot Poker with Two Possible Winners
Eight or Better is an exciting split pot poker game. It is based on Seven Card Stud and rewards the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand. The players with the winning hands in the respective categories share the pot… with one exception.
Before we get into splitting the pot or not, here is a brief overview of the gameplay. In this poker variation, players ante up as usual and are dealt two hole cards and one face-up card. The player with the lowest card gets the action underway by placing a nominal bet known as the bring-in bet.
Thereafter, players have the option to fold, call or raise – as they would in most other poker variations. Once the betting round is concluded, a fourth card is dealt face-up to each player. This is followed by two more betting rounds, where the betting limits are doubled each time.
At that point, each player shows four cards and has two cards in their hand. A fifth and final card is dealt face down, followed by a round of betting. The players remaining in the game progress to the showdown, where the winner – or in this case, the winners – are determined.
How are the low and high hands evaluated in Eight or Better Poker? The best five-card high hand is awarded according to the standard poker hand rankings. Low hands only qualify:
- when all five cards have a face value of 8 and under
- there is no pair in the mix
- the hand does not consist of a straight or flush
Then it is the lowest qualifying hand that is declared the winner. Here is the kicker. If there is no qualifying low hand, the player with the best high hand wins the entire pot!
Short Deck Poker – 36-Card Texas Hold Em
Originating at the high stakes tables in Macau, Short Deck Poker is one of several poker variations of Texas Hold Em. The key difference between the two is the size of the deck.
- In Texas Hold Em Poker, all 52 cards are in play.
- In Short Deck Poker the deck is cut to just 36 cards.
Other than that, the structure and objective of the game is the same. Players must make the best five-card poker hand using their two hole cards and the five community cards on the table. They have four betting rounds, or streets, in which to construct their hand – pre-flop, flop, turn and river.
In this form of the game, all 2, 3, 4 and 5 value cards are stripped out of the deck. That leaves 6 through Ace, where Aces count high or low when making a straight. Due to the short deck, the traditional poker hand rankings, from high to low, have been adjusted to:
Short Deck Poker | Traditional Poker Rankings |
Royal flush | Royal flush |
Straight flush | Straight flush |
Four of a kind | Four of a kind |
Flush | Full house |
Full house | Flush |
Three of a kind | Straight |
Straight | Three of a kind |
Two pair | Two pair |
One pair | One pair |
High card | High card |
Three Card Poker – Short and Sweet
Of all the poker variations available online, Three Card Poker is a breeze. There is no draw to consider and no complex strategy to wrap your head around. The only cards in play are the three cards you are dealt. If you’ve been avoiding poker due to the intricacies of the game, this one is a winner!
Along with a pared-down structure, the objective of the game is slightly different. Rather than facing off against other players, it is you up against the dealer. Your aim is to beat the dealer by holding the best three-card hand.
In this concise version of poker online, you only have one decision to make – fold or place a second bet. Once that is over, the dealer’s cards are exposed and you either win or lose. Learning how to play Three Card Poker is as easy as learning how to ride a bicycle – perhaps even easier!
In most Three Card Poker games, the dealer must qualify with a Queen or higher. That of course gives you the edge – and one that can pay dividends. Although there is not much in terms of gameplay, it does get you thinking about stuff like hand rankings and when and when not to fold.
Easy Poker Variations for Noobs at Juicy Stakes Poker
At Juicy Stakes Poker, the games of choice are Texas Hold Em and Omaha. That said, you can find plenty of easy poker variations at our online casino. Besides Triple Edge Poker – Betsoft Gaming’s version of Three Card Poker – there is a comprehensive suite of video poker games, all of which are based on five-card draw!
The good news is you can access the casino and the Juicy Stakes Poker room with the same login credentials. Whether it is pure poker or video poker you’re after, we’ve got you covered! Sign up, login and check out your options right now.
