LIST OF THE BEST CRAZY POKER GAMES

There are many variations of (online) poker, not just Texas hold’em!

Whether you’re about to host a home poker game or try a new poker variant at your favourite casino, you’ll want to have a look at the craziest poker variants out there.

Here, we’ll discuss ten poker variants with crazy game plays, where each game is bound to make for an entertaining poker night.

HOW TO PLAY POKER AND GET CRAZY FUN FROM IT

Playing poker and having fun with it is all about embracing the excitement and strategy of the poker game.

First off, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the basic rules of poker, such as understanding the different hand rankings and betting procedures.

Once you’ve got that down, gather some friends or join an online poker platform to start playing.

THE MOST POPULAR NON-OBVIOUS POKER VARIETIES

We’ve all heard of the popular poker games, so let’s have a look at some unpopular ones.

Seeing as every poker player should try to really explore the poker world, check these out!

• Omaha: Each player is dealt four hole cards instead of two. Players must use exactly two of their hidden cards and three cards from the board to make the best hand.
• 7 Card Stud: Players are dealt seven cards throughout the hand, but only the best five-card hand possible for each player is used to determine the winner.
• Razz: A variant of Seven Card Stud where the lowest hand wins.
• Pineapple: In Pineapple, players are dealt three hole cards instead of two, and must discard one card after the flop.
• HORSE: Players switch games after a set number of hands or a set time period.
• Badugi: A draw poker variant where the goal is to make the lowest four-card hand with cards of different suits.
• 2-7 Triple Draw: A lowball variant where the goal is to make the lowest possible five-card hand. Players have the opportunity to draw cards.
• Chinese Poker: Players are dealt 13 cards and must arrange them into three separate poker hands: two five-card hands and one three-card hand.

TOP 10 MOST CRAZY AND FUN POKER GAMES

Need a crazy poker game? Here are 10 solid games for you to explore!

STRIP POKER

Let’s start off with one of the most thrilling home poker games you could play.

In strip poker, players bet not with chips or cash but with items of clothing, turning each hand into a gamble with potentially revealing consequences.

GAMEPLAY

The gameplay of strip poker closely mirrors that of conventional poker. Players are dealt hands of cards, and the goal remains to secure the best possible hand to win each round.

However, losing a hand means parting with a piece of clothing — that’s why this should only be played in home games!

BETTING ROUND

Strip poker follows the same structure of wagering rounds as traditional poker. Players have the option to bet, raise, call, or fold in each round. Five community cards are dealt to help players make a combination of five cards.

SEVEN CARD STUD

Although not the wackiest of choices, this one is a great game that has been enjoyed by players for generations, especially with so many cards in play. While it has somewhat fallen out of favor compared to Hold’em and Omaha in recent years, it remains a staple in many home game variations and casinos.

GAMEPLAY

In Seven Card Stud, each player is dealt a total of seven different cards throughout the hand, consisting of three face-down cards and four face-up cards. The game begins with each player placing an ante before receiving their first three cards, two are given face down and one is dealt face up.

The hand begins with the player with the lowest upcard, who places a forced bring-in bet, followed by subsequent rounds where players still playing can bet, raise, call, or fold based on the strength of their hand and their assessment of other players’ hands.

After each phase, another card face up is given to each player until they have a total of four face-up cards. A final round of wagering occurs, followed by the showdown, where players reveal their hands to determine the winner.

BETTING ROUND

Seven Card Stud features five betting rounds, including the initial forced bet (bring-in), three rounds where players can bet, raise, call, or fold, and a final betting round after the last upcard is shown.

PINEAPPLE OPEN-FACE CHINESE POKER

Pineapple Open-Face Chinese Poker (Pineapple OFC) is not exactly a popular variation of poker, but it’s getting there. In Pineapple OFC, players are dealt more cards than in regular Chinese Poker.

GAMEPLAY

In Pineapple OFC, each player is dealt a total of five hole cards initially, and they must arrange these cards into three separate hands: two five-card hands, known as the “bottom” and “middle” hands, and one three-card hand, referred to as the “top” hand.

The goal is to create the strongest possible hands while adhering to specific hand-ranking rules.

The strategic element comes into play as players must balance the risk of chasing premium hands with the need to maintain a viable hand distribution to avoid fouling, where the hand becomes invalid and results in a penalty.

BETTING ROUND

Pineapple OFC focuses solely on the strategic placement of cards within the three hands and scoring based on hand strength.

Players compete to earn points based on the comparison of their hands with those of their opponents, with higher-ranking hands earning more points.

ANACONDA

Anaconda is a thrilling and social poker variant that adds a twist to traditional gameplay, emphasising strategy and bluffing while keeping players engaged and entertained.

GAMEPLAY

In Anaconda, players are dealt seven cards facing down, which they must arrange into their best five-card poker hand. The unique aspect of Anaconda is the series of passes that occur throughout the game.

Players select and pass a predetermined number of cards to their left, right, or into the center of the table, depending on the specific rules of the game variant being played.

Once all passing rounds are complete, players reveal their hands, and the player with the best hand will win the pot.

BETTING ROUND

Anaconda typically involves multiple rounds interspersed between the passing phases. The rounds follow the standard structure found in many poker variants, with players having the option to bet, raise, call, or fold based on the strength of their hand and their assessment of the other players’ hands.

Players must consider not only the cards in their hands but also the potential value of the cards they will receive through passing.

IRISH POKER

This variant is a fun game to play when you’re bored of the same old poker rounds. Originating from Ireland, this variant combines Texas hold’em and Omaha rules so you can expect a community card game, but with a great twist!

GAMEPLAY

In Irish Poker, each player is dealt four hole cards face down, similar to Omaha, but unlike Omaha, players must discard two of their hole cards after the flop betting round, creating a more dynamic and challenging environment.

The remaining gameplay follows the structure of Texas hold’em game. Players must use their three board cards and exactly two hole cards to make the best possible five-card hand.

BETTING ROUND

Irish Poker features the same betting rounds as Texas hold’em games, consisting of pre-flop, flop, turn, and river rounds. Players have the option to bet, raise, call, or fold during each round, based on the strength of their hand and their assessment of their opponents’ hands.

CRAZY PINEAPPLE

Originating from the family of Pineapple poker variants, Crazy Pineapple adds a unique twist by requiring players to discard one of their hole cards after the flop, creating intriguing possibilities and strategic challenges that keep players engaged and entertained.

GAMEPLAY

In Crazy Pineapple, each player is dealt three hole cards dealt face down at the beginning of the hand, similar to Texas Hold’em. The initial wagering round ensues, followed by the flop, where three community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table.

In Crazy Pineapple, players must retain all three of their hole cards until after the flop.

After the flop, players must discard one of their hole cards, leaving them with two cards to combine with the comm. cards to form the best possible five-card holding. The rest of the game continues like Hold’em.

BETTING ROUND

Crazy Pineapple features the same wagering rounds as Hold’em. The additional challenge of discarding one hole card postflop is a big deal, so players have to carefully assess their hand to decide which card they should be discarding and which they should keep.

HI-LO POKER

Hi-Lo poker is a variant of traditional poker that adds some complexity by introducing the possibility of two winning hands: the highest poker hand and the best possible low hand.

GAMEPLAY

Players aim to create the best possible hand for both the high and low halves of the pot. The high hand follows traditional hand rankings, where the strongest hand wins, while the low hand is determined by specific rules that vary depending on the variant being played.

In games like Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, the low hand must contain five unpaired cards with a value of eight or lower.

BETTING ROUND

Betting rounds in Hi-Lo poker typically follow the base poker variant’s structure, such as Seven Card Stud or Omaha.

There are multiple rounds of wagering throughout the hand, allowing players to bet, raise, call, or fold based on the strength of their hands and their assessment of their opponents’ hands.

BASEBALL POKER

This variant, often played in home games and casual settings, introduces wild cards and special rules inspired by the sport of baseball, creating a unique and entertaining gaming experience for players.

GAMEPLAY

In Baseball Poker, players are given three cards face down, followed by a phase of wagering. After the initial wagering round, the dealer flips over the first card from the deck, known as the “baseball card.”

This card has a special significance, as it serves as a wild card that can be used to substitute for any other card in the deck.

Following the baseball card reveal, the dealer continues to deal cards facing up, one by one, with a wagering round after each card given. These subsequent cards are known as “innings,” and each card has its own unique effect on the game.

After all five innings have been completed, there is a final round of betting followed by a showdown if more than one player remains. The player with the best hand wins the pot.

BETTING ROUND

Baseball Poker features multiple rounds, occurring after each card shown during the game. Players have the opportunity to bet, raise, call, or fold based on the strength of their hand and their assessment of other players’ hands.

ROLL YOUR OWN

This variant is often played in home games and casual settings, offering players the opportunity to influence the outcome of the hand by selecting their own board cards! Welcome to Roll Your Own.

GAMEPLAY

In Roll Your Own Poker, players are given a combination of hole cards and community cards, and they have the option to select which community cards will be revealed.

The game typically begins with each player being given a set number of hole cards shown face downwards. Following the initial dealing, a phase of wagering occurs.

After the phase, the first set of community cards is given face downwards in the center of the table.

Each player in turn has the opportunity to select one card or more of the face-downwards board cards to be flipped over and revealed to all players.

The selected cards are then turned face up, allowing all players to see and use them to form their best hand.

Once all players have chosen their community cards, another phase of wagering takes place. After the phase, additional community cards may be given and selected by players, followed by further rounds of betting.

The process continues until every community card has been revealed and all wagering rounds have concluded.

At showdown, players reveal their hole cards and the best five-card hand wins the pot.

BETTING ROUND

Roll Your Own poker features multiple betting rounds, occurring after the initial dealing of hole cards and after each set of community cards is revealed.

Players have the opportunity to bet, raise, call, or fold based on the strength of their hand and their assessment of other players’ cards.

FOLLOW THE QUEEN

In this variant, the appearance of certain cards, particularly the queen, triggers changes in the game’s dynamics.

GAMEPLAY

Players are given a combination of hole cards and community cards, with the goal of creating the strongest possible poker hand.

However, the unique feature of Follow the Queen is the introduction of “wild” cards, particularly the queen.

When a queen is dealt face up during the game, it becomes a wild card, allowing players to use it to substitute for any other card to improve their hand.

BETTING ROUND

Betting rounds in Follow the Queen Poker typically follow the standard structure found in traditional poker variants, such as Seven Card Stud or Texas hold’em.

CONCLUSION

Playing these poker games involves using a different number of hole cards to make the best or worst hand.

With so many different poker games to choose from, it would be unwise to stick to one poker game without trying others!

FAQ