Poker game forms
In online poker, you can distinguish between 3 different game forms, which differ greatly from each other. Another variable is the size of the table. There are heads-up tables where only 2 players compete per table. The most common table sizes are 6, 8 and 10 players.
Cash Games
In cash games, you can sit down at the table at any time (provided there is a seat available) and you can also stop playing at any time. You take your money to the table and have to pay small blind and big blind (and an ante if there is one). When you leave the table, the current balance goes into your pocket.
You can lose or win money at will, but there are no placements. You play as long as you feel like it.
Sit n Go
Sit and Go is a tournament with a fixed number of players, which is especially common in online poker. There is no fixed start time, but the tournament begins when there are enough players.
The best players share the prize money, which is always divided exactly equally in a Sit N Go series. There is no option to rebuy.
Tournaments
Tournaments with a fixed start time are usually open in terms of the number of participants and often feature a larger field of players. In the really big tournaments you can win really big sums as a winner even with smaller buy-ins.
A special form of tournament is the satellite. This is a qualifying tournament without a cash prize pool. Instead, you can qualify for a larger and more expensive tournament.
Poker variants
Bein poker on the Internet is played today to about 90% No Limit Texas Hold’em. However, this was not always the most popular variant. Before poker was available online, players were most familiar with 5 Card Draw Poker.
Texas Hold’em No Limit
Texas Hold’em is mainly played in the No Limit variant. Any player can go all-in at any time. A deck of 52 cards is used. Each player receives two cards face down and up to 5 community cards are revealed: Flop (3) cards, Turn (1) and River (1). A betting round takes place before the flop and after each community card is revealed.
Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo
In Omaha, up to 5 community cards are also dealt to the table, but each player is dealt four cards face down. Unlike Texas Hold’em, you have to make your hand from exactly 3 community cards and 2 of your own cards. This makes the game more complex and less predictable.
In Omaha Hi-Lo, the highest hand wins half the pot and the lowest hand wins the other half.
5 Card Draw Poker
5 Card Draw Poker was the most widespread variant in German-speaking countries in the 1990s. There are no community cards. Instead, each player is dealt 5 cards.
Then, after and during betting rounds, cards can be exchanged if desired to try to build a good hand. Nowadays, however, 5 Card Draw is almost extinct as a poker variant.
Caribbean Stud Poker
This variant is a casino poker game where you compete directly against the dealer. You are dealt 5 cards and the dealer shows you one card. Then you can decide if you want to bet.
The dealer, on the other hand, only plays if he holds at least Ace King. With all cards above AK (for example a pair) the bet stands and the better hand wins. On the Internet you can play Caribbean Stud Poker in live casinos.
