Online Poker

Fans of five card draw, Caribbean stud, Pai Gow, Texas Holdem, or other poker variations will find all these games available through online poker. If standard "draw" poker is your specialty, you can join millions of online players at the virtual tables and start playing immediately. Almost everybody knows the rules of this straight-forward game, which makes it a good starting point for newcomers.

If, on the other hand, you crave a bit more variation and the thrill of head-to-head competition, why not try Texas Holdem poker instead? In Holdem, each player receives two cards, and the table shares five common cards that are revealed, first three at a time, then one by one. Betting takes place with each reveal as players try to concoct the strongest hand possible from their two cards and three shared cards.

Other Variations of Online Poker

Seven card stud is another popular variation that's widely understood by even novice gamblers. In this format, players are dealt seven cards and must assemble their strongest hand from the five best. In this instance, however, there are no drawing rounds, so what you're dealt is what you've got.

From Chicago and Lowball to Indian Poker, Omaha, and Midnight Baseball, there are literally dozens of possible permutations on straight online poker. Given the flood of new internet casinos, you should be able to find even the most obscure variations, provided there are enough fellow players out there to join you. Incidentally, these head-to-head games provide some of the best odds of winning if you know what you're doing, simply because the house plays no role in your outcome.