In online poker, you can distinguish between 3 different game formats, which differ greatly from each other. Another variable is the table size. There are heads-up tables where only 2 players compete per table. The most common table sizes are 6, 8 and 10 players.
Cash games
In cash games, you can sit down at the table at any time (provided there is a seat available) and you can also stop playing at any time. You take your money to the table and must pay the small blind and big blind (and ante if there is one). When you leave the table, your current balance goes into your pocket.
You can lose or win money at will, but there are no placements. You play as much as you want.
Sit down and go.
A Sit and Go is a tournament with a fixed number of players, which is particularly common in online poker. There is no set start time, but the tournament begins when there are enough players.
The top players share the prize money, which is always split exactly equally in a Sit N Go series. There is no rebuy option.
Tournament
Tournaments with a fixed start time are usually open to the number of participants and often include a larger field of players. In the really big tournaments you can win really big amounts as a winner even with smaller buy-ins.
A special type of tournament is the satellite. This is a qualifying tournament without a cash prize. Instead, you can qualify for a larger and more expensive tournament.
Poker variations
Bein Poker online is played today in about 90% No Limit Texas Hold’em. However, this was not always the most popular variation. Before poker was available online, players were more familiar with 5-card draw poker.
Texas Hold’em No Limit
Texas Hold’em is played primarily in the No Limit variation. Any player can go all-in at any time. A 52-card deck is used. Each player is dealt two cards face down and up to 5 community cards are revealed: Flop (3), Turn (1) and River (1). A betting round takes place before the flop and after each community card is revealed.
Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo
In Omaha, up to 5 community cards are also dealt to the table, but each player is dealt four hole cards. Unlike Texas Hold’em, you must make your hand from exactly 3 community cards and 2 of your hole cards. This makes the game more complex and less predictable.
In Omaha Hi-Lo, the highest hand wins half the pot and the lowest hand wins the other half.
5 Card Poker
5 Card Draw Poker was the most popular variant in German-speaking countries in the 1990s. There are no community cards. Instead, each player is dealt 5 cards.
Then, after and during the betting rounds, cards can be exchanged if desired to try to create a good hand. Today, however, 5 Card Draw has almost disappeared as a poker variant.
Caribbean Stud Poker
This variation is a casino poker game where you compete directly against the dealer. You are dealt 5 cards and the dealer shows you one card. You can then decide if you want to bet.
The dealer, on the other hand, only plays if he holds at least Ace King. With any cards above AK (for example a pair) the bet stands and the best hand wins. Online you can play Caribbean Stud Poker in live casinos.