Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker variant worldwide. Each player receives two private cards (hole cards), followed by community rounds where five shared cards are revealed in stages: the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (final card). Players must make the best five-card hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards. The betting structure includes pre-flop, flop, turn, and river rounds. Understanding position, pot odds, and hand ranges is crucial for success in Texas Hold'em.

Omaha is similar to Texas Hold'em but players receive four hole cards instead of two. The critical rule distinguishing Omaha is that players must use exactly two of their four hole cards combined with exactly three community cards to form their best hand. This restriction creates significantly different mathematical probabilities and strategic considerations compared to Hold'em. Omaha games often feature higher action and larger pots due to the increased number of hole cards, making hand selection and position even more important.

Seven-Card Stud was the dominant poker variant before Texas Hold'em's rise. Players receive seven cards throughout the hand: three dealt privately (two face-down, one face-up) and four dealt face-up. There are no community cards. Each player must make the best five-card hand from their seven cards. Stud poker requires excellent memory skills to track exposed cards and opponent tendencies. Hand selection focuses heavily on starting cards, and players must carefully evaluate the strength of their hands relative to visible opponent cards at each stage.

Five-Card Draw is one of the oldest and simplest poker variants. Each player receives five cards face-down, followed by a betting round. Players then have the opportunity to discard and replace cards to improve their hands. A second betting round follows, and the best five-card hand wins. Draw poker emphasizes hand rankings and reading opponent betting patterns since no cards are visible to other players. Success depends on position, bankroll management, and understanding the mathematical probabilities of improving various hand combinations.

Razz is a lowball stud game where the lowest hand wins rather than the highest. Straights and flushes don't count against you, and aces are low. The best possible hand in Razz is A-2-3-4-5 (called "the wheel" or "bicycle"). Players receive seven cards like in Seven-Card Stud but are competing for the lowest hand value. Razz requires completely different hand evaluation and strategy compared to traditional high poker. Understanding starting hand values, drawing probabilities, and opponent board reading is essential for competitive Razz play.

Advanced players often engage with mixed game formats that rotate between multiple variants. Common rotations include HORSE (Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, Eight-or-better) and other combinations. Mixed games require comprehensive knowledge across all poker variants and the ability to quickly adapt strategy based on the current game. Other notable variants include Badugi (draw game with unique hand rankings), Irish poker, and numerous regional variations. Mastering multiple variants significantly enhances a player's overall poker competency and adaptability.