Like most poker players, you’ve probably played Texas Hold’em more times than you can count. While it’s definitely the most popular version of poker, it’s not the only one out there. In fact, a number of poker variants can be just as enjoyable and lucrative to play. It would help if you actually tried something new this year. For even more info here, we’ll highlight four poker variations you should check out Omaha, Razz, Stud, and Draw. So, read on for some refreshing card games.

Omaha

First, let’s start the list with Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). If you’re a fan of Hold’em, then you’ll be right at home with this game since it’s very similar. The main difference is that each player is dealt four cards instead of two. This means that there are more ways to make a hand and more action as a result. The easiest way to think of it is that PLO is simply Hold’em with an extra set of hole cards.

Mostly, the gameplay is almost similar. The big difference between Omaha and Hold’em is that you must use two hole cards with three community cards to make the best hand possible in Omaha. No more, no less. Otherwise, you would be declared ineligible to win the pot. The key to success in Omaha is understanding how to make the best possible hand given your starting four cards.

Stud

I believe you’ve already familiar with the Seven Card Stud. But it’s one of the oldest and most classic poker games, so it deserves a spot on this list. If you’re new to Stud, the game is actually quite simple. Each player is dealt two down cards (hole cards) and one up card (exposed). There are then four betting rounds, with three more up-cards after the first and second rounds. The final card is dealt down.

The main difference between Stud and Hold’em is that each player is dealt their own separate hand. There are also no community cards in Stud. This means you can only use your own cards to make a hand, making it a bit more challenging than other games. However, this also means more opportunity for bluffing since your opponents don’t have as much information about your hand.

Razz

Did we mention that there are a ton of poker variations out there? Another one you should try is called Razz. This particular game is a lowball game with the goal of making the lowest hand possible. It’s often considered the polar opposite of games like Hold’em and Omaha since making a high hand is usually the objective.

The best way to think of Razz is as a lowball game of Seven Card Stud. Each player gets seven cards, but only the best five-card hand will count. The catch is that the Ace always counts as low, and the best hand possible is 5-4-3-2-A. From there, it goes down in value from there. So, a hand like 10-9-8-7-6 would actually be considered the second-best hand. In addition, the game is usually played with an ante and a bring-in bet.

Draw

Finally, we can’t complete the list without mentioning the Draw poker. This is a bit of a simpler game than the others on this list, but it can still be a lot of fun. In Draw poker, each player is dealt five cards and then has the opportunity to replace any of those cards with new ones. There are three betting rounds, with the final round being the showdown.

The main difference between Draw poker and games like Hold’em is that each player is dealt their own hand. There are also no community cards. This means you can only use your own cards to make a hand, making it a bit more challenging than other games. However, this also means more opportunity for bluffing since your opponents don’t have as much information about your hand.

So there you have it. These are just four of the many poker variations out there that you can try this year. So mix things up and see which ones you like the best. And who knows, you might just find a new favorite game.