How to Play Poker
Poker games and rules
From Texas Hold'em to Pineapple, every game comes with illustrated rules, worked examples, beginner tips and the poker rooms that offer it.
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A♠︎K♥︎NLH
No-Limit Hold'em
Texas Hold'em
The most popular poker game in the world. Each player gets 2 hole cards and combines them with 5 community cards to make the best 5-card hand.
Learn to play -
A♥︎K♥︎Q♠︎J♠︎PLO
Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO)
Omaha Poker
Each player gets 4 hole cards and must use exactly 2 of them with 3 community cards. Bigger hands, more draws and bigger pots.
Learn to play -
A♦︎6♦︎6+
6+ Hold'em
Short Deck Hold'em
Texas Hold'em with the 2s to 5s removed, leaving 36 cards. A flush beats a full house and A-6-7-8-9 makes a straight, so the action is fast.
Learn to play -
Q♠︎Q♦︎4♣︎9♥︎9♣︎9♦︎K♠︎2♥︎3♠︎7♠︎8♠︎J♠︎A♠︎OFC
Open-Face Chinese
Pineapple OFC
A fast-paced version of Open-Face Chinese poker. Set 13 cards into three rows, compare each row and chase royalties and Fantasyland.
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MTT · SNG · CASHMTT
MTT / SNG / Cash
Tournaments & Cash Games
The differences between cash games, multi-table tournaments (MTTs), sit & gos (SNGs), jackpot sit & gos and fast-fold tables, and how to choose.
Learn to play
Compare
Poker games compared
| Game | Hole cards | Board / rows | Deck | Level | Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Hold'em No-Limit Hold'em | 2 cards | 5 community cards | 52 cards | Beginner | 6 |
| Omaha Poker Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) | 4–6 cards | 5 community cards | 52 cards | Advanced | 5 |
| Short Deck Hold'em 6+ Hold'em | 2 cards | 5 community cards | 36 cards | Advanced | 2 |
| Pineapple OFC Open-Face Chinese | 13 cards set | Top / middle / bottom rows | 52 cards | Intermediate | 1 |
Suggested learning path
FAQ
Poker games FAQ
What are the most common poker games?
Online, the most common games are Texas Hold'em (NLH), Omaha (PLO), Short Deck Hold'em (6+) and Pineapple OFC, played in different formats such as tournaments, sit & gos and jackpot sit & gos.
Which poker game should beginners learn first?
Start with Texas Hold'em. It has the simplest rules and is offered by the most rooms, and once you know it, moving on to Omaha, Short Deck or Pineapple is easy.
How is Pineapple different from Texas Hold'em?
Texas Hold'em is decided by betting and comparing hands, so you can bluff. Pineapple has no betting: it is about the strategy and odds of setting 13 cards into three rows.
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