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I understand why they go hand-for-hand and I don't care because now it's just a freeroll for me. I just want to keep adding to my stack like I've been doing

Bobby Zahour at the WSOP

Texas Hold'Em

Currently the most popular of all poker games, Hold'em is a community card game where two cards (hole cards) are dealt face down to each player in the game. After a round of (pre-flop) betting, the first three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table (the flop) and another round of betting takes place. After that, a fourth community card is dealt (the turn) and another round of betting ensues. Finally a fifth community card is dealt (the river) and the last betting round takes place. Once the last bet has been called, a showdown takes place and the best combination of ‘hole' cards and the five community cards (the board) wins the hand.

At the showdown a player might use one or both his cards to make the best hand. In some instance the five board cards might show the best possible hand. In these instances, all players left in the pot will share the spoils equally. Of course, this being poker…the best hand doesn't necessarily always win. A player might bluff during any of the betting rounds and win the hand without having to show his cards. This is more especially true in no limit and pot limit games where a player might bet his opponents out of the pot, well before any showdown on the ‘river'.

Hold'em is generally played at a full table of ten players but can be played with as little as two players (they'd be playing ‘head to head'). Historically, it's thought that the game was developed by ranch hands with only one deck of cards between them and maybe fifteen cowboys wanting a game. Considered by many to be the Cadillac of all poker games, Texas Hold'em (to give it its full title) is the game of choice in the ultimate test of skill for all poker players, the $10,000 buy-in, Main Championship Event at the annual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Omaha

Just like its not so distant poker cousin Hold'em, Omaha is a community card game with betting before the flop, on the flop, on the turn and finally on the river. Where the two games differ is that in Omaha each player receives four hole cards (down cards) and although they still share the five community cards (the board), Omaha players MUST use two cards from their hand to combine with the board in the hope of making the best hand. Omaha can be played as a limit and half-pot limit game but generally it's considered and played as a pot-limit game.

Omaha is often played as a ‘high' game (e.g.; as in Hold'em the highest possible hand wins) but is also commonly played eight-or-better high-low split (in this instance players can use any two different two card combinations in their hand, to win the high AND the low). The key to high-low is to ‘scoop' the pot (winning both the high and the low) but often as not the pot is shared by two or more players at the table (e.g. two players use the A-2 in their hands to share the low on a board showing 3 - 7- K - 5 - J and a third player wins the high with a nut flush).

7 Card Stud

Unlike Hold'em and Omaha there are no ‘community' cards in stud poker. Before the deal, each player puts in a small compulsory bet, the ante. The cards are dealt around the table until all players have three cards. Two of them are dealt down (the ‘hole' cards) and one is dealt up. The high card then begins the betting and each player to the left of him, acts upon this initial bet…either folding (passing), calling (equalling the bet), raising or re-raising until the all bets have been called

Nb: the high card is forced to bet even if he doesn't like his three cards – If for instance, two players are showing an Ace, the player nearest to the dealers left is elected to act first).

5 Card Stud

Five cards stud is pretty much the same game as its bigger brother 7 Card Stud. Players ante up and are dealt two cards (one down / one face up). High card is forced to start the action with at least the minimum bet (Often this concept is reversed and the low card is forced to make the initial bet). After this betting round and 2nd up card is dealt (one face down / two face up) and more betting takes place (just as in 7 Card Stud, the high hand is forced to act first although he does have the option of checking and is not forced to bet) This procedure is repeated on 4th Street when a third up card is dealt to each remaining player (one down / three up) and again on 5th Street when the fourth and final card is dealt face-up. This is the last betting round…there is a showdown when the last bet or raise has been called.

Thats given you the basics
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