HOLD 'EM POKER GAMES

HOLD EM POKER GAMES
HomePokerEdge.com has assembled an extensive collection of Texas Hold'em poker game variations designed to keep your dealer's choice home poker game lively and interesting. In addition to explaining how to play each game, we provide valuable playing tips and insight on how to win for many of these unique Hold'em poker game varieties.

The HomePokerEdge.com staff has played most of these games and are confident you will find them realistic, challenging and fun to play.  Give some a try at your next home poker game.
Descriptions and instructions provided assume you already know how to play Texas Hold'em and the other basic poker games. Should you have questions or want to know more about any of these games, let us know via our Contact HPE page and we will be happy to respond.

Hold'em games can also be played online. The ultimate experience is to try an online casino that offers live Casino Hold'em where you are seated around a table with a real person croupier dealing the cards in live mode. ​

We are constantly on the lookout for new games.  If you have your own favorite dealer's choice poker game variation you'd like to share, please send it to us.​

​The Dealer's choice poker games on this page are based on Texas Hold 'em, but there are lots of other games, too:

 Stud Poker Games 
 Draw Poker Games  
 Omaha Poker Games  
 Wild Card Poker Games 
​ Other (non-poker) Games

Most of the games described may be played as high-low split. Playing high-low split poker games introduces many additional factors that must be considered.  See our  High-Low Poker Guide for exclusive playing tips, hand odds or probabilities and much more information you will need to play high-low spilt poker games.​​​
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​SHORT DECK HOLD'EM
Played exactly like Texas Hold 'em but with a deck from which the 2's, 3's, 4's and 5's have been removed leaving 36 cards.   Concentrating the deck results in hand values that rise considerably.  Mathematical probabilities also change, resulting in hand rankings that differ from full deck poker and are detailed and explained on our Playing Tips page.
Playing Tips for Short Deck Hold 'em.  Includes detailed playing instructions and strategy, starting hand selection, hand rankings and more.  

HOT & COLD PINEAPPLE
Played like Texas Hold Em with this twist:  Deal 4 hole cards to each player.  Before any betting each player must discard one hole card face down in the middle of the table.  These "hot" cards are shuffled or mixed together.  After a round of betting, 3 of these discarded cards are drawn for the flop.  Immediately after the flop each player must discard 1 hole card leaving them with 2.  Play continues  with the turn and river cards being dealt from the "cold" remaining deck.   As in Texas Hold 'em, players may make their hand from any combination of the 5 board cards and their 2 hole cards.
Playing Tips for Hot & Cold Pineapple Poker.​  Includes detailed playing instructions and strategy, starting hand selection and more.      

RED RIVER HOLD'EM
Red River is played exactly like Texas Hold'em with this exception:  If the river card is a red card (heart or diamond) an additional river card (6th board card) will be dealt.  If that card is red, another river card (7th board card) is dealt.  This continues until a black (club or spade) card is dealt.  A round of betting occurs between each additional card. 
Red River can also be played as Pineapple or other Hold 'Em variations on this page.

COUNT DOWN HOLD EM
Deal 5 hole cards to each player. Bet and reveal flop, turn and river exactly like Texas Hold'em.  After the flop is revealed each player must discard 1 of their hole cards leaving them with 4.  After the turn each player discards 1 hole card leaving them with 3.  After the river each player discards 1 hole card leaving them with 2 cards. As with Texas Hold em, players may use both, 1 or none of their hole cards to make their hand. 
Variation of Countdown Hold'em:  Try this variation to introduce a bit of uncertainty into the game.  Discard 1 card  before  the flop, 1 card after the flop and 1 card after the turn.

DOUBLE TEXAS HOLD 'EM
Played exactly like Texas hold'em except that there are two sets of board cards.  Expose the flop, turn and river cards of each set of board cards at the same time.  The highest hands of each board split the pot.  Can be played as "cards speak" or with a declaration as to which board(s) a player is using for his hand.

DOUBLE TEXAS HIGH-LOW
As in "Double Texas Holdem" there are two sets of board cards.  Either set can be used for the high hand or low hand.  The best high hand and best low hand split the pot.  May also be played with requirement that low is 8 or better.

SUPER HOLD EM
Played exactly like Texas Hold'em except that each player is dealt 3 hole cards.  Use 1, 2 or all 3 of the hole cards along with the cards on the board to make your hand.

MEGA HOLD EM
Deal 5 cards face down to each player.  Play identically to Texas Hold 'em.  Players make their hand using any combination of 5 cards from their hand and from the board.  i.e 1 hole card & 4 board cards; 2 hole cards & 3 board cards, 3 hole cards & 2 board cards; 4 hole cards & 1 board card; 5 hole cards & no board cards.   
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REVERSE HOLD EM
Play this game just like Texas Hold 'em, but reverse the order in which the board cards are revealed.  The flop and turn will be one card each, with the river being the remaining 3 cards. 

PINEAPPLE
Played as Texas Hold'em, however each player is dealt 3 hole cards instead of 2. One of those cards must be discarded  prior to the flop. Play then continues exactly like Texas hold'em. 

CRAZY PINEAPPLE
Played as Texas Hold Em, but each player is dealt 3 hole cards instead of 2. After the flop each player must discard one hole card. Play then continues exactly like Texas hold'em.  

PASS THE PINEAPPLE
Played as Texas Hold em, but with these differences. Start by dealing each player 3 hole cards instead of 2. Prior to the flop, and after a round of betting, each player must pass 1 hole card to the player on their right. After the flop each player then must discard 1 hole card leaving them with 2 hole cards.  Play then continues exactly like Texas Hold em. 

CRAZY PINEAPPLE WITH REPLACEMENT
Played exactly like Crazy Pineapple with this one exception:  After the river card has been exposed each player has the option to replace one of his hole cards for a pre-determined fee.  Suggested fee is 2-4 times the upper betting limit.  The player must first discard a hole card and is then dealt the replacement from the deck.  

4 CARD PINEAPPLE
Deal 4 hole cards to each player.  Before play, each player must discard one of those cards, leaving them with 3 cards.  After the flop, each player must discard another card, leaving them with 2 hole cards.  Play then continues as Texas Hold em. 

DRAW POKER GAMES

OMAHA POKER GAMES

STUD POKER GAMES

WILD CARD POKER GAMES

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