Community Card Poker Games

The Line

The Line format is widely used in Hold ‘Em poker games, typically played between high rollers.

It is simple: the dealer flips a line of cards over, either just one or multiple at the same time, to be used with the cards already dealt to players. That will allow them to form a hand of five cards.

The Cross

This poker community card format uses multiple rows connected by a cross-point card, which is usually wild (it can become any card as needed). However, there is another rule for the Cross format: the player holding the most valuable card of the same suit as the cross-point card claims half of the pot.

The Circle

The Circle format involves cards arranged in a circular pattern, flipped one by one or multiple at a time. One common rule of the Circle format is that players can only use cards adjacent to one another in the circle.

The Betting

Betting rounds are a major part of community card poker games. The general consensus is that there should be a betting round for each card that a dealer flips. The player to the dealer’s left often opens these rounds when no cards are showing, but that’s not always the case.

However, for games with a high number of betting rounds, the process may be different. For example, the order of opening bets can move clockwise around the table, shifting from player to player every time a card is flipped.

High/Low

When using the High/Low format for community card poker games, the pot is divided into two at the close of a game: the player with the strongest hand claims one half, and the player with the weakest hand gets the other.

Roll ‘Em

With the Roll ‘Em format, community card poker games may incorporate extra betting rounds. Players need to “roll” cards: once community cards are flipped, players choose a face-down card to flip. The best card revealed opens the betting round, then players flip another card each. Next, a betting round is opened by the strongest hand shown.

Players follow this process until they only have one face-down card left each. Once the last betting round is finished, the showdown takes place.

Texas Hold ‘Em

In Texas Hold ‘Em, players aim to use their two hole cards and community cards to build the best five-card hand they can. Players can take their pick of community cards based on the two starting cards they receive. They can use all community cards and no hole cards if necessary.

Omaha Poker

In this poker community card game, each player is dealt four hole cards each (instead of the two in Texas Hold ‘Em). Players pick two of those cards to combine with three community cards, aiming to form the best five-card hand possible.

Omaha Hi/Lo Poker

This is largely the same as Omaha Poker. Players are dealt four hole cards each, and five face-up community cards are dealt to the middle of the table. Players use two hole cards and three community cards to make the strongest hand they can.

However, the pot is split: half goes to the player with the best hand, and the rest goes to the player with the worst hand.

5 Card Omaha Poker

In this community card poker game, players receive five hole cards at the start and five face-up community cards are dealt to the table. Players use three community cards and two hole cards to make the best hand. Choosing two cards from five can be a challenge.

5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo Poker

Each player receives five hole cards from the dealer, and five community cards are dealt to the table. Players must combine just two of their hole cards with three community cards to form their strongest hand. The pot is split between the highest and lowest hands.

6 Card Omaha Poker

In this community card poker game, six hole cards are dealt to each player and five community cards are dealt face-up to the table. Players need to use two hole cards and three community cards to make a five-card hand.

Pot Limit Omaha Poker

Pot Limit Omaha Poker is a similar poker community card game to Texas Hold ‘Em. Each player is dealt four hole cards, and uses two of these with three community cards to create a hand of five cards. The Pot Limit rules stipulate that the maximum bet accepted is appropriate to the pot’s size, so players won’t always be able to wager all of their chips.

Courchevel Poker

In this poker variation, players receive five hole cards each, while five face-up community cards are dealt to the table. Players can only use two of their hole cards with three community cards to build their hand of five cards.

The difference between this and 5 Card Omaha is that the first flop card comes face-up at the start of the hand, ahead of the pre-flop betting round.

Courchevel Hi/Lo Poker

Players combine two hole cards and three community cards to build a potentially winning hand. The pot is separated between the highest and lowest hands equally (low hands need five unique cards of eight or lower to qualify).

Tempest Hold ‘Em

Tempest Hold ‘Em is similar to Texas Hold ‘Em, but with a few differences. Players post an ante at the start of every hand, and a Giant Blind sits on the Big Blind’s left (twice the Big Blind’s value). Players can go all-in or fold before the flop.

Limit Texas Hold ‘Em

This poker community card game plays like Texas Hold ‘Em. However, players can only wager a fixed amount to the pot per round, and the amount of raises they can make per round is limited.

Crazy Pineapple Poker

In Crazy Pineapple Poker, players get three hole cards and keep them until the second betting round ends. Gameplay follows Texas Hold ‘Em rules from then on.

Irish Poker

Players start an Irish Poker game with four hole cards, but get rid of two after the flop. The rest of the hand continues with standard Texas Hold ‘Em rules.