Instructions and Rules for Over 30 Different Poker Games

Dealer’s choice card games are variants from the traditional games of poker and more often played during a home game than the casinos. Our selection of dealers choice poker games are based on stud, omaha, hold’em, draw poker, community card games and of course games that make use of wild cards. We’ve played each of the games listed on this page and we’re sure you’ll find them challenging, fun and add a bit of a twist to your normal poker game. Below you’ll find a list of 35 different poker games or variants to choose from, categorized by the variation the game originates from and the number of players needed to play.

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Poker strategy in dealer’s choice card games is somewhat different from Holdem or Omaha. Some of the games use wild cards or kill cards which ultimately make the games more difficult to win whereas others require a fixed number of legs or force you to discard and will make the games that much more challenging. This guide, written by OnlinePoker.net players,  gives you detailed instructions on how to play Texas Hold’em or Seven Card Stud.


Texas Holdem is by far the most popular and widely played poker game in the world.  Hold’em can be played in multiple formats including Limit, No Limit, and Pot-Limit.

Omaha Poker allows you four hole cards and five community cards. Players must create their poker hand using only two of the four hole cards and three of the five community cards.

Unlike Holdem and Omaha where players use community cards, Seven Card Stud players are dealt a total of seven cards, two face down and five face up with the object to create the best five card poker hand.

HORSE is a combination of Holdem, Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Eight or Better. Before you dive into playing HORSE we suggest you read our guide.

Razz is a form of Stud Poker however players will be playing for the best lowest hand rather than the highest poker hand. Razz is also referred to as lowball poker.

he biggest difference between Badugi Poker and the other traditional games is that hands are created using only four cards instead of five with three drawing rounds in total.

This game is played like 7 Card Stud, however players are given the option of choosing which cards will be face up cards.

This game adds a lot of twists to your traditional 7 Card Stud game. You never know what wild card will be wild till the last queen is up.

This game is played just like Roll Your Own except players will receive wild cards, which means stronger hands and bigger bets.

In this game the highest ranking five card hand is a pair of sevens. Played just like seven card stud, but pair of sevens take all.

Similar to Roll Your Own, Shifting Sands allows players to choose which face up card they want to expose, but offers a wild card at the end of the game.

In this draw card game, players must hold at least a pair of jacks or better in order to open up betting.

In this game players will be able to use any K and their smallest hole card as wild cards to complete their hands. Can be played forcing players to have a K or any low.

Played as a draw card game with players needing to win three rounds in order to win the pot. Players will draw three times in this game

This game uses alot of wild cards and because of that the hands will be very strong and the pots are often big.

Similar to Kings and Little ones, this game uses your lowest hole card as wild and all 4’s are wild. Wild cards are also pay cards.

3-5-7 is played like the standard version of Guts, except there are three rounds per hand, with different wild cards per round.

A unique game that forces all losing players to match the pot. This game often requires a cap set at how much a player is forced to match.

Played just like Omaha Poker with a unique twist and big pots when players lose their hands.

This game is played similar to Omaha, with four hole cards and a set of community cards to complete your best five card hand.

This match pot game gives every player seven cards to make their best five card hand. Two More Inches can be played with wild cards which can also act as a kill card.

This page offers rules for playing traditional Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple. Both games are played similar to Texas Holdem with a twist.

Each player receives four hole cards and five community cards, with one wild card to complete their hands. Up to 11 players can play.

Outhouse has multiple betting rounds and up to four chances for players to win the pot.

Elevator Poker is played similar to Iron Cross with the same overall objective. Up to 7 players can play this game and uses wild cards and community cards to complete hands.

This game is played just like Roll Your Own except players will receive wild cards, which means stronger hands and bigger bets.

This game plays for two pots like Omaha. Players will either play for seven or twenty seven. Winner takes all when a player has both 7/27 in their hand.

In this game players will receives two cards and bet if the third card will fall in between the first two cards.

Russian Poker is played with 13 cards and only four players. Object of the game is to make your best poker hand with three different hands to complete.

This game is similar to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. This game can play with as many as seven players.

Anaconda is a game where players win with the best hand and the worst hand. Up to seven players can play this game. No wild cards.

Players receive a total of nine cards which they will strategically select which cards will be shown to the other players to make their best five card poker hand. Wild cards are optional.

Criss Cross is played with five community cards and five hole cards. The game includes a shared wild card.

A fun game with plenty of twists that can change a players hand quickly. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly uses wild cards, kill cards and can make a player go from winner to loser in one swoop.

Up to 8 wild cards are available for each player, with the first set being 8’s wild and your second wild card based on your position in the game. This game is played like 7 Card Stud.


Using Wild Cards, Kill Cards or Burning

Kill Cards – If the game calls for a kill card, which is an option the dealer can make before the game is played, any player who receives that particular card will fold their hand. Kills cards kill your hand regardless of what other cards you may hold or how many bets you have in the pot.

Dropping or Burning – Both of these terms mean the same thing. In a game that requires players to drop or burn, players will need to decide if they want in or out of the hand. To stay in a game you place a chip in your hand and each player will hold their fist above the table. When instructed, each player will open their hand simultaneously and those who drop chips will play the hand against each other.

Wild Cards – Wild cards are to be announced before the deal by the dealer. Wild cards replace an suit or rank to complete the best hand possible. When a wild card game is announced it’s not uncommon to see five of a kind which outranks all other hands unless stated.