High-only rules and orientation
Start with Limit Hold'em and Seven Card Stud so the betting structure and visible-card reads stay clear.
Mixed poker games rules
Rules for every major mixed poker game.
Use this rules hub before a HORSE, 8-game, dealer's choice, or home-game rotation. Each guide explains the objective, hand values, starting hands, common mistakes, and practical rule tips, including advanced Drawmaha and mixed draw variants.
Beginner on-ramp
Send new players to the phase that matches the current game family.
These links point directly into the canonical beginner map, the right rules page, a practice tool, and the review queue so beginners do not have to search the site.
Split-pot basics
Move into Omaha Hi-Lo and Stud Eight once you can name scoop paths, quartering risk, and low qualifiers.
Stud memory
Use Stud and Razz to practice exposed-card tracking, dead cards, and low-board pressure.
Draw and lowball texture
Switch to 2-7 Triple Draw and Badugi when draw counts and pat timing become the main decision clues.
Rotation basics
Finish with HORSE and 8-game so you can reset quickly between variants and stay oriented.
How to use this library
Move from rules to differences, then into strategy and drills.
Treat this page as the starting point. Read the rule page, compare the family, open the beginner path when you need the study order, and finish with drills so the concept is tested before the next session.
Read the rules first
Use the game page to lock in the objective, hand-building rule, and the mistake that most often costs beginners bets.
Compare the family
Open the differences page when you want to see how high-only, split-pot, stud, draw, and rotation games change the same spot.
Move into strategy
Switch to the matching strategy or curriculum page once the rule change is clear and you are ready for decision guidance.
Finish with drills
Use drills last so the rule, the comparison, and the strategy all get tested in a short decision loop.
High-only
Limit Hold'em and Seven Card Stud are the cleanest mixed-game starting point because the whole pot goes to the best standard hand. Once the betting structure is fixed-limit, the real edge comes from revaluing thin pairs, reading visible pressure, and not giving away bets on the river.
If you can name the worse hands that still call a thin value bet, you are studying the right part of the game.Split pot
Omaha Hi-Lo and Stud Eight ask you to think in two directions at once. The best hands can scoop both halves, freeroll a shared low, or at least avoid quartering yourself with a low that looks stronger than it really is.
A low draw without high backup is usually a half-pot problem, not a premium hand.Stud
Seven Card Stud and Stud Eight reward players who can read the table in public. Because every upcard narrows the live deck, board texture matters as much as your hidden cards and the best decisions come from counting what is actually still available.
Before you pay a big bet, ask whether the ranks and suits you need are still live.Lowball
Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Badugi all reward the smallest hand, but they do it in different ways. Some formats want ace-to-five lows, some punish straights and flushes, and Badugi adds the extra wrinkle of unique suits and ranks.
Do not import Hold'em hand rankings; lowball is mostly about which cards stop your hand from being clean.Draw
2-7 Triple Draw and Badugi are the cleanest way to learn how hidden-card games create pressure without community cards. Because every draw reveals how many cards a player keeps, the betting story matters as much as the final hand.
A pat hand is only strong if its draw story makes sense against the action that came before it.Rotation
HORSE, 8-game, and dealer's choice ask you to reset constantly. The player who wins the most over time is often the one who can identify the game, the goal, and the betting structure before the first real mistake appears.
The fastest leak is not the wrong hand choice; it is carrying the previous game's rules into the next deal.High-only rules
Limit Hold'em and Seven Card Stud award the whole pot to the best standard poker hand. The important adjustment is fixed-limit pricing, where thin value bets and disciplined river calls matter more than stack leverage or splashy bluffs.
Split-pot rules
Omaha Hi-Lo and Stud Eight can divide the pot between high and a qualifying low. Beginners should look for hands that can scoop both halves instead of chasing a bare low that can be shared, quartered, or denied by the board.
Lowball and draw rules
Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Badugi all reward low hands, but each defines low differently. Check whether aces are low or high, whether straights and flushes count, and whether suits or paired ranks change the hand's actual strength.
Dealer's choice rules
Drawmaha, Badeucy, Badacey, Archie, Big O, Courchevel, and other advanced variants often combine two hand systems. Always confirm the exact house rules before the first deal: split-pot sides, qualifiers, draw timing, and required hole-card usage can change the whole strategy.
Advanced quick jump
Dealer's choice games added to the library.
Jump straight to Drawmaha variants, Badeucy, Badacey, Archie, Big O, SOHE, Scarney, and other advanced home-game formats.
Core variant library
Study each core mixed poker variant's rules.
Start with the HORSE and 8-game staples, then move into the advanced dealer's choice section below.
H Fixed-limit
Limit Hold'em rules
A familiar board game, but smaller bet sizes make one-pair value and river calls more precise.
- Each player receives two private cards and shares five community cards.
- Betting is fixed-limit: small bets preflop and flop, big bets on turn and river.
- Best five-card high hand wins at showdown.
O Split pot
Omaha Hi-Lo rules
Four-card hands with a high and qualifying low pot. Nut lows with redraws are the main target.
- Each player receives four private cards and must use exactly two of them.
- The pot can split between best high hand and best qualifying low hand.
- Low usually requires five unpaired cards eight or lower.
R Stud lowball
Razz rules
The lowest five-card hand wins. Board texture and dead cards are more important than hidden strength.
- Each player receives seven cards across the hand, with some exposed.
- The lowest five-card hand wins.
- Straights and flushes do not count against you in standard razz.
S Stud
Seven Card Stud rules
No community cards. You track upcards, live outs, door cards, and when your pair is likely best.
- Players receive seven cards total and make the best five-card high hand.
- There are no community cards.
- Antes, bring-ins, and exposed boards drive action.
E Stud split
Stud Eight or Better rules
A high-low stud game where starting low with straight and flush potential creates scoop pressure.
- Seven-card stud structure with a high pot and a qualifying low pot.
- Low usually requires five unpaired cards eight or lower.
- If no low qualifies, the high hand wins the whole pot.
2 Draw lowball
2-7 Triple Draw rules
Lowball draw poker where straights and flushes count against you. 7-5-4-3-2 is the best hand.
- Players receive five private cards and have three drawing rounds.
- The lowest hand wins, but aces are high.
- Straights and flushes count against you.
B Draw
Badugi rules
A four-card lowball draw game where each card must be a different rank and suit.
- Players receive four private cards and draw across multiple rounds.
- The best hand is four low cards of different suits and different ranks.
- Four-card badugis beat three-card hands, which beat two-card hands.
Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha, Badeucy, Badacey, and home-game variants.
These games are common in dealer's choice and mixed cash games. Many have local rule differences, so each guide highlights what to confirm before you play and where the biggest strategy traps are.
DM Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha rules
A split-pot hybrid where players make one Omaha high hand from a board and one five-card draw hand from private cards.
- Players receive five private cards and share a community-card board.
- The pot is usually split between best Omaha high hand and best five-card draw hand.
- House rules decide draw timing, number of draws, and whether exactly two cards must be used for the Omaha side.
D49 Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha 49 rules
A Drawmaha variant where the private draw half is scored by adding card values, often with 49 as the target or premium total.
- Players receive private cards, share a board, and usually draw to improve the private total.
- One half is usually Omaha high; the other half uses a point-total target around 49.
- Confirm exact card values and whether closest, exact, or highest qualifying total wins.
D0 Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha Zero rules
A Drawmaha split-pot variant where the draw half rewards a low or zero-style private-card target instead of a normal high hand.
- Players play an Omaha-style board half plus a private draw half.
- The private half uses a zero or low-total target depending on house rules.
- Confirm whether pairs, suits, aces, and face cards affect the zero score.
DD Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha Dugi rules
A Drawmaha variant where the private draw half is scored like Badugi while the board half plays Omaha-style.
- Players receive private cards, draw, and also share a community board.
- One half is an Omaha-style board hand; the other half is the best Badugi-style private hand.
- Confirm whether the private side uses four cards or the best four-card subset from five cards.
D27 Advanced dealer's choice
Drawmaha 2-7 rules
A Drawmaha split game where the private draw half uses 2-7 lowball rankings and the board half uses Omaha high.
- Players make one Omaha-style high hand from the board and one private 2-7 lowball hand.
- Aces are high and straights or flushes hurt the 2-7 half.
- The best 2-7 hand is usually 7-5-4-3-2 with no flush.
BD Advanced dealer's choice
Badeucy rules
A split-pot draw game where half the pot goes to the best Badugi hand and half goes to the best 2-7 lowball hand.
- Players draw across multiple rounds from a five-card private hand.
- Half the pot is awarded to the best Badugi-style hand.
- Half the pot is awarded to the best 2-7 lowball hand.
BA Advanced dealer's choice
Badacey rules
A split-pot draw game where half the pot is Badugi and half is ace-to-five lowball.
- Players draw from private cards across multiple betting rounds.
- Half the pot uses Badugi rankings.
- Half the pot uses ace-to-five lowball rankings where straights and flushes do not hurt.
BO Advanced dealer's choice
Big O rules
Five-card Omaha Hi-Lo with more combinations, bigger draws, and more ways for players to share or quarter the low.
- Players receive five private cards and must use exactly two with three board cards.
- The pot can split between high and qualifying eight-or-better low.
- More private cards create more wraps, low draws, and blocker-heavy decisions.
CV Advanced dealer's choice
Courchevel rules
A five-card Omaha variant where the first flop card is exposed before preflop betting begins.
- Players receive five private cards.
- One board card is exposed before the first betting round.
- Players still make the best hand using exactly two private cards and three board cards.
AR Advanced dealer's choice
Archie rules
A split-pot draw game often played with qualifiers where high and low hands can both need minimum strength to win.
- Players draw from a five-card private hand.
- The pot can split between high and low, usually with local qualifiers.
- Common house rules use a pair of sixes or better for high and an eight low or better for low, but this must be confirmed.
A5 Advanced dealer's choice
A-5 Triple Draw rules
A triple draw lowball game where aces are low and straights or flushes do not hurt the hand.
- Players receive five private cards and draw across three rounds.
- Lowest ace-to-five hand wins.
- A-2-3-4-5 is the best possible hand.
SD Advanced dealer's choice
2-7 Single Draw rules
A no-limit or pot-limit lowball draw game with one draw, where 7-5-4-3-2 is the best hand.
- Players receive five private cards and have one drawing round.
- Aces are high and straights or flushes count against you.
- The lowest 2-7 hand wins at showdown.
DBO Advanced dealer's choice
Double Board Omaha rules
An Omaha variant with two boards, usually splitting the pot between the best hand on each board.
- Players receive Omaha hole cards and two separate community boards are dealt.
- Each board is evaluated independently.
- The pot is usually split between the winner of board one and board two.
SO Advanced dealer's choice
SOHE rules
Simultaneous Omaha and Hold'em: players split private cards into a Hold'em hand and an Omaha hand before showdown.
- Players receive multiple private cards and must divide them into separate Hold'em and Omaha hands.
- One half of the pot goes to the Hold'em hand and one half to the Omaha hand.
- Local rules decide when cards must be set and whether they can be rearranged.
SC Advanced dealer's choice
Scarney rules
A chaotic Omaha-family dealer's choice game where board cards can be killed by matching ranks, changing which board cards play.
- Players receive Omaha-style private cards and a board is dealt.
- Certain board cards can be removed or killed when later board cards match ranks, depending on house rules.
- The final playable board determines the winning hand.
IR Advanced dealer's choice
Irish Poker rules
A Hold'em-Omaha bridge where players start with four private cards and discard down before later streets.
- Players receive four private cards before the flop.
- After the flop, players discard two cards and continue like Hold'em.
- The best five-card high hand wins unless the table adds a split-pot rule.
PN Advanced dealer's choice
Pineapple rules
A Hold'em variant where players receive three private cards and discard one before or after the flop depending on the format.
- Players receive three private cards.
- One card is discarded at the timing set by the table.
- The hand then plays like Hold'em with the remaining two private cards.
CP Advanced dealer's choice
Crazy Pineapple rules
A Pineapple variant where players discard one of three private cards after the flop, creating stronger post-flop decisions.
- Players receive three private cards.
- Players see the flop before discarding one private card.
- The hand continues like Hold'em with two private cards.
5O Advanced dealer's choice
5-Card PLO rules
Pot-limit Omaha with five private cards, creating bigger wraps, stronger redraws, and more frequent nut-versus-nut decisions.
- Players receive five private cards.
- Players must use exactly two private cards and three board cards.
- Betting is usually pot-limit.
TH Advanced dealer's choice
Tahoe rules
A board game where players receive three private cards and can usually use zero, one, or two of them with the board.
- Players receive three private cards.
- A community board is dealt.
- House rules normally allow players to use up to two private cards, but exact use rules should be confirmed.
Strategy bridge
Move from rules into the right study path.
Use these family-level routes to jump from the rules hub into the matching strategy page, curriculum, and drill.
High-only
Limit Hold'em and Seven Card Stud are the cleanest mixed-game starting point because the whole pot goes to the best standard hand. Once the betting structure is fixed-limit, the real edge comes from revaluing thin pairs, reading visible pressure, and not giving away bets on the river.
If you can name the worse hands that still call a thin value bet, you are studying the right part of the game.
Keep the best-high goal, then reprice thin value and river calls around fixed-limit pressure.
Split pot
Omaha Hi-Lo and Stud Eight ask you to think in two directions at once. The best hands can scoop both halves, freeroll a shared low, or at least avoid quartering yourself with a low that looks stronger than it really is.
A low draw without high backup is usually a half-pot problem, not a premium hand.
Start with scoop paths, then check whether your hand can still win the high side if the low is shared.
Stud
Seven Card Stud and Stud Eight reward players who can read the table in public. Because every upcard narrows the live deck, board texture matters as much as your hidden cards and the best decisions come from counting what is actually still available.
Before you pay a big bet, ask whether the ranks and suits you need are still live.
Read the board first, then count live outs and dead cards before you keep investing.
Lowball
Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Badugi all reward the smallest hand, but they do it in different ways. Some formats want ace-to-five lows, some punish straights and flushes, and Badugi adds the extra wrinkle of unique suits and ranks.
Do not import Hold'em hand rankings; lowball is mostly about which cards stop your hand from being clean.
Recheck the exact lowball ranking before you carry any Hold'em or split-pot intuition into the hand.
Draw
2-7 Triple Draw and Badugi are the cleanest way to learn how hidden-card games create pressure without community cards. Because every draw reveals how many cards a player keeps, the betting story matters as much as the final hand.
A pat hand is only strong if its draw story makes sense against the action that came before it.
Treat the number of cards drawn as the board, then re-evaluate smoothness before you stand pat or call.
Rotation
HORSE, 8-game, and dealer's choice ask you to reset constantly. The player who wins the most over time is often the one who can identify the game, the goal, and the betting structure before the first real mistake appears.
The fastest leak is not the wrong hand choice; it is carrying the previous game's rules into the next deal.
Say what wins, what is public, and what betting structure applies before you use any prior-game instinct.