Poker is the most popular card game in the world, leaving just about everything else far behind, even blackjack. The most common kind of poker that most people know how to play is Texas Hold’em, which is what was popularised over the last century in regions like the United States.

It’s a fantastic game to play at home amongst friends and can make for a memorable and enjoyable experience that everyone can partake in, regardless of their age. The rules are easy to learn and memorise, and it doesn’t take long for a new player to get into the stride of things. For those that have grown bored of playing the normal kinds of pokers at home, these are some of the best alternatives to take poker to an entirely new level.

Texas Hold’em

Most people have heard of Texas Hold’em, as it’s arguably the most common kind of poker game played around the world and can often be found in professional tournaments and casinos. The rules are as simple as possible, where each player receives a hand, and has to use that hand to try and best the other players.

Players will be given two cards at the start of a round, and will need to make use of these cards, as well as the five community cards that the dealer puts down, to score as highly as possible. It’s a great game to play and never needs more than a single deck of cards and a few people.

Omaha Poker

Similar in many ways to Texas Hold’em, particularly in the fact that there are five community cards and usually a total of four rounds. The difference here, however, is that in Omaha poker, the community cards will always start with face up, and each of the players in the game will be given a total of four pocket cards rather than the usual two in the Texas version. There are also a few variations of Omaha poker that can spice up the game after it becomes a bit stale.

Draw Poker

While draw poker is similar to normal poker in many ways, some key differences make it a unique game. Here, the players are completely swap the cards that they are given with the dealer after they are given their first set of hands. They can then use these cards, along with the community cards, to start playing their hand. It tends to make for a faster game but also offers plenty of complexity and competition, but some might find it frustrating to play and may look for something easier and more entertaining.

Stud Poker

Another variation of standard poker, stud poker player must be able to put together the best hand that they are able to use the cards that are given out by the dealer at the start of the round. There are no community cards here, and they are not able to swap out cards at any point. It can make the game more difficult but does add an interesting twist to it.