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The card game of poker has many variations, most of which were created in the United States in the mid-1900s. The standard order of play applies to most of these games, but to fully specify a poker game requires details about which hand values are used, the number of betting rounds, and exactly what cards are dealt and what other actions are taken between rounds.
Popular poker variants[edit]
The three most popular poker variants are spread in casinos and poker rooms worldwide and can be divided into the following groups:
- Draw poker: Games in which players are dealt a complete hand, hidden, and then improve it by replacing cards. The most common of these is five-card draw.
- Stud poker: Games in which each player receives a combination of face-up cards and face-down cards in multiple betting rounds. The most common of these are five-card stud and seven-card stud. These two variants are further played in other different formats.
- Community card poker: Games in which each player's incomplete hidden hand is combined with shared face-up cards. The most common of these are Texas hold 'em and Omaha hold 'em.
Here are more common rule variations:
- Lowball: The lowest hand wins the pot. There are different rules about whether or not aces count as low, and the effects of straights and flushes. The most common variants are Razz and 2-7 Triple Draw
- High-low split: the highest and lowest hands split the pot. Generally there is a qualifier for the low hand. For example, the low hand must have 5 cards with ranks of 8 or less. In most high-low games the usual rank of poker hands is observed, so that an unsuited broken straight (7-5-4-3-2) wins low (see Morehead, Official Rules of Card Games). In a variant, based on Lowball, where only the low hand wins, a straight or a flush does not matter for a low hand. So the best low hand is 5-4-3-2-A, suited or not.
- Players can pass cards to each other. An example of this would be Anaconda.
- Kill game: When a fixed limit game is played and a player wins two pots in a row, the stakes are doubled. In some split-pot games, a player winning both halves of the pot may also cause a kill. In some variants of Lowball, a player may choose to kill by placing a double bet after seeing his first two cards.
- Wild cards are added. This can range from simply making deuces wild to the 7-card stud variant named baseball.
- A twist round in which players can buy another card from the deck. If a player does not like the purchased card, the player can purchase another one by adding money to the pot. This is sometimes called a 'tittle.'
- A stripped deck may be used. Poker was first played with only 20 cards. In the spirit of poker history, players will sometimes only play with a stripped deck. A popular poker game in Spain is played with cards 8-A. It is played similar to hold'em, except that one card is dealt at a time and a player must use both hole cards.
- Roll your own is played in stud games, and allows the player to determine which of his or her cards are turned up and visible to the other players. In a game like Seven-card Stud, the 'roll' action only applies to the first 3 cards, all of which are dealt face down. Each player then determines which card to expose. Play then continues as with regular Seven-card Stud. But a game like Mexican stud applies the roll option throughout the game. Two cards are dealt face down, and the players roll one card up. The game continues just as in Five-card Stud, except the cards are dealt face down, and each player then decides which of the two down cards is exposed.[1]
Mixed poker games[edit]
Poker can be played in a mixed game format, for example one half-hour of Texas hold 'em followed by one half-hour of Seven-card stud. There are many types of mixed poker games. The most notable mixed poker variation is H.O.R.S.E. poker. H.O.R.S.E. is a mix of Texas hold 'em, Omaha high-low, Razz, Seven-card stud and Seven-card stud Eight-or-better. Each game will usually be played for a fixed number of hands or time and then the players will move on to the next game.
Other mixed games include:
- H.O.S.E. – same as H.O.R.S.E., except without Razz.
- H.O.E. – same as H.O.R.S.E, except no Razz or Seven-card stud.
- H.O. – Texas hold 'em and Omaha high-low
- O.E. – Omaha high-low and Seven-card Stud Eight or better.
- H.A. – Pot limit Texas hold 'em and pot limit Omaha.
- Omaha High-low Mixed – Fixed limit Omaha and pot limit Omaha high-low
- Holdem Mixed – Fixed limit and no limit Texas hold 'em.
- Eight Game Mix – Fixed limit 2-7 Triple Draw, fixed limit Texas hold 'em, fixed limit Omaha Hi-Low Eight or better, Razz, fixed limit Seven-card stud, fixed limit Seven-card stud Hi-Low eight or better, no limit Texas hold 'em and pot limit Omaha.
- Ten Game Mix (introduced at 2011 World Series of Poker) – No limit Hold'em, fixed limit Seven-card Razz, fixed limit Hold'em, fixed limit Badugi, fixed limit Seven-card Stud, no limit 2-7 Single Draw, fixed limit Omaha Hi-Low eight or better, pot limit Omaha, fixed limit 2-7 Triple Draw and fixed limit Seven-card stud Hi-Low eight or better (played with 6 players on a table).
Specific poker variant games[edit]
Some poker games don't fit neatly into the above categories, and some have features of more than one of these categories. These variants are most often played in home games, usually as part of a dealer's choice format.
High Chicago or Low Chicago[edit]
Either of these two versions can be played in any stud high game. In High Chicago, or sometimes simply called Chicago, the player with the highest spade face down (referred to as in the hole) receives half the pot. In Low Chicago, the player with the lowest spade in the hole receives half of the pot, with the A♠ being the lowest. If the player with the highest hand also has the highest/lowest spade in the hole, then that player receives the entire pot - having won both sides of the bet.
Follow the Queen[edit]
This 7-card stud game uses a wild-card designated as whichever card is immediately dealt (exposed, or face-up) after any queen previously dealt (exposed). In the event that the final card dealt (exposed) is itself a queen, then all queens are wild. If no queens are dealt (exposed), then there are no wilds for that hand. Betting is the same as in normal 7-card stud games. Follow the Queen is a typical game variant in Dealer's Choice poker games.[2][3]
Countdown[edit]
In this 5-card game, the dealer gives each player 5 cards face down. After the first round of betting, each player may choose to replace zero to three cards. A second round of betting follows and then players may opt to replace zero to two cards. Upon completing another round of betting, each player may replace one card of the cards in their hand. After a final round of betting, any remaining players show their hands, and the highest 5 card hand wins. The cost of cards doubles each round. For example, if the dealer says each replacement card costs $10 in the first round, then each card costs $20 in the second round, and $40 in the final round. When players purchase cards to replace ones in their hand, they put the cost of the cards in the pot.[4]
This game will only work with 4 players (or fewer) otherwise you will run out of cards.
Billabong and Shanghai[edit]
Just as Oxford stud is a mixed stud/community card version of Texas hold 'em, Billabong is a mixed version of Manila. Each player is dealt two down-cards and one up-card. Low up-card starts the betting with a Bring-in if you are playing with one, otherwise high card starts the betting. Next, two community cards are dealt, followed by a second betting round, beginning with the player with the best exposed partial poker hand (counting the community cards, as in Oxford stud). Then a third community card is dealt, followed by a third betting round. Finally a fourth community card is dealt, followed by a fourth betting round and showdown. Each player plays the best five-card hand he can make from the three in his hand plus the four on the board in any combination.
Shanghai is the same game with an extra hole card, but no more than two hole cards play. That is, the game begins with each player being dealt three down-cards and one up-card; each player must discard one of his hole cards at some point during the game as determined ahead of time. The most common variation is to discard immediately as in Pineapple; the second most common is to discard just before showdown as in Tahoe.
Guts[edit]
Guts is a family of games that are cousins of poker rather than poker variants. They usually involve hands of 3 or fewer cards, ranked similarly to hands in poker, and multiple successive rounds of betting each of which consist of the decision to be 'in' or 'out', and each with its own showdown. The losers of rounds of guts generally match or double the pot, which grows rapidly.
Five-O poker[edit]
Five-O Poker is a heads-up poker variant in which both players must play five hands of five cards simultaneously. Four of the five cards in each hand are face-up. Once all five hands are down, there is a single round of betting. The winner is determined by matching each hand to the corresponding hand of the opponent. The player with the stronger poker hand in three (or more) out of the five columns, wins, unless a player folds on a bet that was made. If a player beats their opponent with all five hands, this is called a “Five-O” win.
Chinese poker[edit]
Chinese poker is a 2-4 player poker game with thirteen cards. The idea is to make three poker hands with increasing rank : two with five cards and one with three cards. If one of the hands does not adhere to increasing rank (i.e. is mis-set), the hand is declared dead and results in some sort of penalty.
Kuhn poker[edit]
Kuhn poker, using a three card deck, is more of game theory problem than an actual game people play, but it can be played by two players.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Pagat.com: Roll Your Own
- ^Pokernews.com: Fun Home Poker Game Rules - Follow the Queen
- ^Pokerrules.net: How to Play Follow the Queen
- ^Pokerrules.net: How to Play Countdown Poker
- ^'A Parameterized Family of Equilibrium Profiles for Three-Player Kuhn Poker'(PDF).
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_poker_variants&oldid=977503458'
Sweepstakes poker sites offer a legal online poker experience to players across the United States.
The games at a sweepstakes poker site operate as mini sweepstakes games and are available to poker players in virtually every US state. In states without legalized real-money poker, sweepstakes sites like Global Poker are the best option available to US players.
The sweepstakes gaming model offers players the opportunity to play poker for cash prizes. Sweepstakes poker sites offer both play money games, as well as sweepstakes games, using “Sweeps Coins” for gameplay.
Most Popular Sweepstakes Poker Site: Global Poker
stands at the front of the pack among US-facing sweepstakes poker sites. Launched in 2016, Global Poker operates under the banner of VGW Holdings. This is the same company that introduced sweepstakes casino sites like Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots.
Global Poker’s popularity is backed by a prominent presence on Facebook and other social media platforms. That social media presence powers Global Poker’s status as one of the highest-traffic online poker sites in the US.
Players can access the full gamut of online poker options at Global Poker. Ring games, multi-table tournaments, Sit N Gos, and Jackpot Sit N Gos all run around the clock at the biggest sweepstakes poker site in the US.
With the sweepstakes model in place, Global Poker is a great alternative to real money online sites. Global Poker legally operates in 49 states. This gives US players in just about every jurisdiction the opportunity to compete in the online poker realm.
The games at Global Poker are separated into two categories: play money games and sweepstakes games. Play money games, played with “Gold Coins”, run on the social poker side of the site.
Global Poker’s sweepstakes poker games allow players to compete for “Sweeps Coins,” which are redeemable for cash prizes.
Can I Win Real Money Playing Sweepstakes Online Poker?
How Does The Coin System Work At Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
Global Poker operates as both a social gaming site and a sweepstakes poker platform.
The games at Global Poker are divided into “Gold Coins” games and “Sweeps Coins” games. The Gold Coins side of the site offers play money games, using Gold Coins.
Gold Coins packages are available for purchase. With the purchase of a Gold Coins package, Global Poker also awards an amount of bonus Sweeps Coins.
The Sweeps Coins can be used to play in the sweepstakes games, aka Sweeps Coins games. Sweeps Coins are used on that side of the site and can be used to play in ring games and tournaments.
Sweeps Coins carry no cash value but can be redeemed for cash prizes. As such, the Sweeps Coins games at Global Poker operate legally as mini sweepstakes games and give players across the US a chance to play poker for cash prizes.
Do I Need To Deposit Money To Play?
Sweeps Coins can be acquired without making a Gold Coins package purchase. Global Poker offers free Sweeps Coins through mail-in and social media offers, and these promotions are open to anyone 18 or over.
Global Poker regularly runs Facebook promotions that give away Sweeps Coins for free. These offers can be found on Global Poker’s Facebook page.
Mail-In Offers At Global Poker
In addition to social media offers, Global Poker also extends the opportunity to obtain free Sweeps Coins through mail-in offers. Any player 18 or over, and with a valid Global Poker account, can redeem this mail-in offer.
To qualify, players must send an envelope with name, address, and the phrase “Sweepstakes Credits” on the front, to the VGW Holdings Sweepstakes Department.
Once Global Poker verifies the details, the Sweeps Coins appear on the player’s Global Poker account.
More information on Global Poker’s free Sweeps Coins offers is found by navigating to the “Sweeps Rules” link under the “Help Center” menu at the bottom of the Global Poker homepage.
This information is also found by clicking the ‘Get Coins” link from the main lobby, and then clicking on the “Play For Free Tab” and navigating to the “Sweeps Rules” link.
Using these free offers, players can win cash prizes at Global Poker without making any kind of deposit.
How Do I Purchase At A Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
Sweepstakes poker sites don’t legally operate the same way as a real money poker site. There’s no way for players to deposit a USD amount of their choosing and play poker with those funds.
Sweeps Coins are available, however, as a gift that comes along with the purchase of a Gold Coins play money package.
For example, players can purchase a $100 USD package that comes with 500,000 Gold Coins for use in the play money games. That package also gives the player bonus SC 103. The SC 103 can then be used in the sweepstakes poker games.
Purchase Methods
Gold Coins packages can be purchased using online banking, with players able to use an account from virtually every bank in the US to make a purchase. Debit and credit cards issued by Visa, MasterCard, and American Express can also be used.
Other purchase options include Skrill eWallet and Instant ACH. Instant ACH purchases require a valid Skrill account.
How Do I Win Real Money At These Sites?
As Poker Chips
Sweeps Coins can be used to play Global Poker’s sweepstakes poker games. After meeting the site’s playthrough requirement, Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash prizes.
Cash-out methods include direct deposit into a valid bank account or Skrill account. Sweeps Coins can also be converted into a USD gift card.
To cash out, players must provide proof of identity, age, and location.
Sweepstakes Poker: Blocked And Allowed States
Global Poker is by far the most widely available legal online poker option in the US. The sweepstakes platform operates in 49 states, as well as Washington DC.
Players in these jurisdictions can access, play, and redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes 24 hours a day at Global Poker. This availability to US players makes Global Poker one of the highest traffic online poker sites in the US.
The exception to this availability is Washington state. By state law, sweepstakes gaming sites are outlawed in Washington. Players in the state are unable to purchase Gold Coins packages or redeem Sweeps Coins.
Comparing Sweepstakes Poker Sites To Traditional Poker Sites
What’s The Same?
Global Poker offers US players the full online poker experience. The sweepstakes poker games come in many of the same formats offered at other legal poker sites.
Cash games can be found at a variety of Sweeps Coins stakes. Both six-max and full ring games run around the clock, at stakes from SC .02/SC .04 up to SC 5/SC 10. Ring game variants include both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha.
Multi-Table Tournaments
Multi-table tournaments also run around the clock at Global Poker, giving players access to the biggest tournament player pool among US-facing poker sites.
Tournaments include both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, and run from the micro stakes up to high buy-ins like SC 110 and SC 218.
The centerpiece tournament on the Global Poker schedule is the weekly Sunday Scrimmage. The Sunday Scrimmage offers a prize pool of at least SC 50,000, and at times that guarantee has gone all the way up to SC 500,000.
Global Poker also runs special tournament series like the annual Rattlesnake Open, which offers a total prize pool of SC 1,000,000 across numerous events.
Sit N Gos and Jackpot Sit N Gos are also on the menu of games at Global Poker.
What Sets Sweepstakes Poker Apart?
With a wide array of tournaments and cash game options, Global Poker’s game selection is on par with any US-facing online poker site.
The availability of Global Poker across virtually the entire US, however, puts the site in a category of its own. While legal online poker is only available in a few states, Global Poker’s ability to operate in so many jurisdictions makes it a viable option for poker players around the country.
Accessibility To US Players
Global Poker’s legal status as a sweepstakes gaming site makes it possible for the platform to operate just about anywhere in the US.
The future looks bright for state-regulated, legal online poker in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Those states, along with a handful of others, have legislation in place allowing state casinos to legally offer online poker.
Most of the US, however, has yet to legalize online poker. For the majority of US poker players, Global Poker is the best legal option to enjoy online poker for cash prizes.
Global Poker also offers the easiest barrier to entry of any US-facing online poker site. With no download required, players can register for an account and play the sweepstakes poker games within minutes.
How Sweepstakes Games Work
The sweepstakes games on the Sweeps Coins side of Global Poker run around the clock. Starting with the smallest limits at SC .05/SC .10., players can find games at a variety of stakes.
Cash games for both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha run from the micro stakes up to SC 5/SC 10. The No-Limit Hold’em games offer six-max and full ring formats.
Even during the slower traffic hours of the day, players can find multiple games running at all stakes. Like most poker sites, most of the full tables are micro and low stakes at and given time, but plenty of action awaits for mid-stakes players as well.
No-Limit Hold’em
There’s never a bad time to get into a No-Limit Hold’em cash game at Global Poker. Players looking for micro and low stakes game will always find plenty of games running.
Multiple tables for both six-max and full ring cash games run throughout the day at these stakes. From the micro stakes at SC .05/SC .10, up to SC .25/SC .50, No-Limit Hold’em players will have no trouble finding a seat.
The player pool at stakes from SC 1/SC 2 up to SC 2/SC 5 isn’t as large as the micro stakes pool, but players at those stakes can still find multiple games at most times. The highest-stakes cash games at Global Poker run at SC 5/SC 10, as well as short-stacked buy-in games at SC 10/SC 20.
Peak hours for traffic for Global Poker’s No-Limit Hold’em games occur from 5 pm to midnight eastern time on weekdays, and throughout most of the day on weekends.
Pot-Limit Omaha
Six-max cash games for Pot-Limit Omaha offer plenty of opportunity for PLO players at Global Poker. Games can usually be found running all day at stakes from SC .05/SC .10 up to SC 1/SC 2.
The highest-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha games at Global Poker run at SC 2/SC 5 up to SC 10/SC 20. Games at these stakes run multiple tables at peak hours, which are generally on weekday evenings and throughout the weekend.
How Sweepstakes Tournaments Work
The multi-table tournament schedule at Global Poker presents one of the largest selections of poker tournaments available to US players.
More than 100 different tournaments run daily. This includes traditional structure tournaments, as well as rebuy, bounty, and satellites. Deep stack, regular, turbo, and hyper-turbo tournaments can be found throughout the day.
From buy-ins as low as SC 1 up to the highest-stakes events at SC 218, the tournament menu at Global Poker offers plenty of options for players at a variety of levels. No-Limit Hold’em tournaments make up most of the schedule, with a few Pot Limit Omaha events offered as well.
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All of Global Poker’s tournaments run with guaranteed prize pools. The biggest guarantee on the schedule is the weekly Sunday Scrimmage, with a guarantee of at least SC 50,000.
Global Poker often raises the guarantee on the Sunday Scrimmage, sometimes as high as SC 500,000. Special tournament series events, like the annual Rattlesnake Open, attract big player numbers as well.
How Do Bonuses Work At Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
Global Poker offers a free sign-up bonus for new players upon submission of verification documents. This free SC 20 is easy to collect and requires no purchase.
New players can register an account at Global Poker by simply signing in with an existing Facebook or Google account. If neither of these options is used, the sign-up process requires a simple fill out of first and last name details, and a valid email address.
Once registered, players can immediately begin the steps to earn the free sign-up bonus.
How To Get The Global Poker Sign-Up Bonus
To earn the SC 20 sign-up bonus, new players must provide documentation of age, address, and identity to the Global Poker support team. The verification process is rapid, and the SC 20 becomes available in the player’s account with 24 hours.
To verify a new account, players must click on the menu icon at the top left of the main lobby. From there, clicking on “Account” brings up the account verification menu.
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The “Identity Verification” section of this menu needs to be completed to obtain the bonus. Clicking on that section will prompt the site to ask for an upload of a valid identification document, as well as a photo for facial recognition.
Once these documents are verified, the SC 20 bonus becomes available by clicking on the “Get Coins” button at the top right of the main lobby. The free SC 20 will appear in that menu.
How Does Rake Work At Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
The rake structure for cash games and tournaments at Global Poker is comparable to some of the world’s biggest legal online poker sites.
Multi-table tournaments are generally offered at around 10% rake per buy-in. For example, the SC 11 buy-in tournaments put SC 10 toward the prize pool and SC 1 toward rake. Rake as a percentage of buy-in goes down as the buy-ins increase.
Global Poker Cash Game Rake
The rake structure for cash games varies at different limits, becoming more player-friendly as the stakes go up. At all stakes, pots that go past the preflop betting round are raked at 5%.
Each stake level has a cap on the maximum amount of rake Global Poker takes in from the pot. The cap is based on the stake level and how many players are in the pot.
The rake structure for Global Poker’s cash games is as follows:
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Stakes | Rake Percentage | 2 Players Cap | 3+ Player Cap | 5+ Player Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
SC .05/SC .10 | 5% | SC 0.75 | SC 1.00 | SC 1.50 |
SC .10/SC .20 | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 1.50 | SC 2.00 |
SC .20/SC .40 (20BB) | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 1.50 | SC 2.00 |
SC .25/SC.50 | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 2.00 | SC 3.00 |
SC .50/SC 1 | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 2.00 | SC 3.00 |
SC .80/SC 1.60 (20BB) | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 2.00 | SC 3.00 |
SC 1/SC 2 | 5% | SC 1.00 | SC 2.00 | SC 3.00 |
SC 2.50/SC 5 | 5% | SC 1.25 | SC 2.25 | SC 3.50 |
SC 4/SC 8 (20BB) | 5% | SC 1.25 | SC 2.25 | SC 3.50 |
SC 5/SC 10 | 5% | SC 1.50 | SC 2.50 | SC 3.50 |
SC 10/SC 20 (20BB) | 5% | SC 1.50 | SC 2.50 | SC 3.50 |
Online Sweepstakes Poker FAQ
No. PokerStars, the largest online poker site in the world, operates real money games around the world on its primary PokerStars.com client. PokerStars also operates legal, state-regulated platforms in select US states.
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None of PokerStars’ platforms operate as sweepstakes poker sites. PokerStars.net is a play money site open to most of the US, but is strictly a social gaming site. Players on PokerStars.net cannot win real money prizes.
How old do I need to be to play sweepstakes poker online?
The minimum age to redeem Sweeps Coins for real US dollars at Global Poker is 18. This age applies in all US states in which Global Poker legally operates.
To cash out on Global Poker, players must provide proof of age, identity, and location. Once these documents are verified, players can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes.
Players unable to provide these documents will not be able to redeem cash prizes at Global Poker.
Can you also play casino games at sweepstakes poker sites?
No. Global Poker is a poker-only platform, with no other casino games available to play on the site. The parent company to Global Poker, VGW Holdings, does operate a pair of sweepstakes casino sites separate from Global Poker.
Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots are sister sites to Global Poker, operated by VGW Holdings. These are both sweepstakes casino platforms, with a variety of slots and other casino games.
Yes. Global Poker’s software offers a simple, intuitive interface that online poker players will find familiar. New players will likely have no problems playing the games and following the action as well.
The software execution and presentation at Global Poker is comparable to other legal poker sites. Since debuting the product in 2016, Global Poker has continually updated the software to accommodate its growing player base.
Yes. Sweepstakes poker sites like Global Poker operate legally in 49 US states. The sweepstakes gaming model behind Global Poker has been used in the US for many years by other companies and promotions.
Global Poker is owned by VGW Holdings. VGW Holdings is a public company with a vested interest in providing legitimate sweepstakes poker games to US players.
How do I get paid by sweepstakes poker sites if I win?
The sweepstakes games at Global Poker use Sweeps Coins for gameplay. Sweeps Coins function as entry credits to the sweepstakes poker games at Global Poker.
Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash prizes at a redemption rate. Redemption options at Global Poker include direct deposit to a bank account, Skrill eWallet, and conversion of Sweeps Coins into a USD gift card.
Can I play at sweepstakes online poker sites in California?
Yes. Global Poker is legal in California, as well as a total of 49 US states. The only US state outlawing sweepstakes poker and casino sites is Washington state.
In California, as well as other states without state-regulated online poker, Global Poker is the best option for playing poker for real-money prizes.