July 4, 2005
Pokerparty Variations are found in many shapes and sizes. There are a few basic types and most of the strange sounding games are derived from these. Pokerparty games can generally be split into 4 categories:
- Shared Hand Games (for example Omaha)
- Draw Games (for example 5 card draw)
- Stud Games (for example 5 card stud)
- Vs. Dealer Games
There are some other obscure pokerparty games that don't fit into these categories, some of the more popular of which are high/low pig, bid poker and guts.
In almost all types of poker game the hand rankings are the same, with a very few minor exceptions which have become more or less bingohome-madebingo rules.
Here are brief descriptions of some variations of pokerparty:
Texas Holdum Pokerparty
Texas Holdum is by far the most popular pokerparty game in the world today, probably because it is very simple to learn but extremely difficult to master. Two cards are dealt to each player, then three face up on the table (the flop), another face up on the table (the turn), then a final card face up on the table known as the river.
Players use their own two (hole) cards and any three from the table to make the best five card hand. There is a round of betting before the flop then before the turn and river, and finally after the river card is dealt.
Pai Gow Pokerparty
Pai Gow Poker Party is a fairly complicated casino game played between the dealer and up to seven players in the poker party room. It is played with a joker which counts as either an ace or any card required to complete a flush or straight. There are two variations in hand ranks compared to standard poker rankings, the highest hand is five Aces and the straight A2345 is ranked second to AKQJT.
The pokerparty players and dealer are dealt seven cards each which they split into two hands of five and two. The five card hand must be better than the two card hand. The dealer then shows his cards and plays against each player, the dealer's five card hand against the player's five card hand and the dealer's two card hand against the player's two card hand.
- If the dealer wins both pokerparty hands he wins
- If the player wins both pokerparty hands he wins
- If each player wins one hand there's a bingopushbingo which means no money changes hands.
- If any hand is tied the dealer wins it, so:
- Dealer/Tie - dealer wins
- Player/Tie - push
- Tie/Tie - dealer wins
Caribbean Poker party
Caribbean Pokerparty is one of the pokerparty games played in a casino between the player and the dealer. Each gets five cards and the pokerparty player has to decide whether his card is worth betting on after seeing the dealer's first card.
If the player has a better hand than the dealer he is paid out in a fixed odds system depending on the strength of his hand.
The fixed odds range from evens for a pair or high card to 100-1 for a royal flush.
7 Card Stud Poker
7 Card Stud Poker party is played by 3 - 10 players. Players are dealt two cards face down and one face up and there is a round of betting in the poker party room. Cards 4, 5 and six are then dealt face up with betting on each round. The final card is dealt face down and there is another round of betting before the showdown. 7 Card Stud pokerparty is still a popular game and is probably second at the moment to Texas Holdum.
5 Card Draw Poker
5 Card Draw pokerparty is played by 3 - 7 players. Each is dealt five cards and there is a round of betting based on the hands. After the betting pokerparty players can now put up to three cards back in exchange for new ones. (There's one exception where a player can exchange four cards if he shows the fifth to be an ace).
There's a further round of betting and the best hand wins. Draw pokerparty was once the standard way to play but it has of course been overtaken by Texas Holdum.
