Which Poker Variant and Format is Right for You?

12 Nov 2024

Beginner

This material is for beginner players

Deciding which poker variant to start with and which format suits you best can be confusing. Many beginners choose randomly, leading to lost money, stress, and sometimes a complete loss of interest in the game. A careful approach helps avoid these mistakes.

We'll briefly describe the main poker variants, discuss their pros and cons, and provide links to their rules. Let's dive in!

Texas Hold’em: Is This the Best Game for Beginners?

Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker variant today, and it’s likely the first one a beginner will try.

It may seem like a simple game where you can win big right away. But it’s not that easy — consistent winning, and even making a living from it, is possible but requires skill and strategy.

There are limit (LHE), pot-limit (PLHE), and no-limit (NLHE) versions of Hold’em.

Limit Hold’em has lower variance, with players risking less per hand. If you’re just starting out, try Limit Hold’em — you’ll often avoid complex all-in decisions.

• It’s worth noting that LHE and PLHE games are hard to find these days.

In NLHE, it’s easy to find favorable conditions for bonuses, rakeback, and table selection.

There’s a lot of information, charts, tools, and educational videos, which has made the field quite competitive.

However, on most poker rooms (some more than others), microstakes players tend to be weaker opponents. By following a solid preflop strategy and being careful postflop, it’s still possible to profit in No-limit Hold’em today.

• Rules of Texas Hold’em: Texas Holdem Rules — The Beginners Guide

Pros of Texas Hold’em

• Large variety of games in all poker rooms
• Easy to learn the rules
• Lower variance compared to other poker variants
• A lot of educational materials and tools, including free ones
• Bankroll requirements may be less conservative than in other games

Cons of Texas Hold’em

• Due to the abundance of educational resources, the NLH field is quite competitive
• There are many regulars, even at the microstakes
• Proper room and table selection is needed to minimize play against other regulars

Pot-Limit Omaha: An Alternative to Hold’em

This is the second most popular poker variant in poker.

Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) finds a balance between action and slightly higher variance.

Omaha games are usually more loose and active, as recreational players consider almost every hand playable. Many of them approach Omaha like Hold’em with two extra cards, which is a mistake. Strategies differ significantly both preflop and postflop.

Starting on the microstakes and carefully selecting starting hands can offer high EV. However, Omaha is highly volatile, starting hands have close equity, and situations on the turn and river can change drastically. Downswings can be significant due to pure bad luck.

• Rules of Omaha: Pot Limit Omaha: Explaining the Difference between PLO and NLHE

Pros of Omaha

• Available in most poker rooms
• Many microstakes players are unfamiliar with the rules and strategies
• The game’s dynamics attract a lot of recreational players

Cons of Omaha

• More complex to learn than Hold’em
• Fewer educational resources available
• Higher variance and larger bankroll requirements compared to Hold’em

6+ Hold’em: a Game for Risk-Takers

Several years ago, most online players hadn’t even heard of this variant of poker.

The game is played like regular Hold’em, but cards 2 through 5 are removed from the deck, which impacts strategy and hand probabilities. Starting hand equities are close, making 6+ Hold’em dynamic and appealing for gamblers.

This is a very high-variance game, and bad beats are common. If you’re interested, make sure you have a strong bankroll and patience. But the potential rewards can be high since many microstakes players lack an understanding of strategy.

6+ Hold’em is now the third most popular online poker variant and the most luck-based.

• Rules of 6+ Hold’em: Short Deck Poker (6+ Hold'em) Rules

Pros of 6+ Hold’em

• Good game selection
• Microstakes fields are generally weaker
• Preferred by Asian players, most known as fishy

Cons of 6+ Hold’em

• Even higher variance than Omaha
• Requires a much bigger bankroll
• Fewer educational resources available

Chinese Poker (Pineapple): a Game for Fun-Lovers

A several years ago, Chinese Poker became very popular online. Its unusual style of play caught people's attention, and even learning materials started to appear. However, the hype quickly died down.

It’s a mix of poker and solitaire, where players arrange their cards according to specific rules. The game is exciting and fun to play, easy to learn, but mastering winning strategies takes a lot of practice.

It’s hard to consider this game as a main focus for a beginner today, but it’s useful to learn about it for overall poker development.

• Rules of Chinese Poker:  How to Play Open Face Chinese Poker

Pros of Chinese Poker

• Easy to learn the rules

Cons of Chinese Poker

• Very few poker rooms offer it
• Almost no educational resources available

Different Poker Formats

Of course, you can mix cash games and tournaments, but at the beginning, it’s better to focus on one.

Cash Game

Most professional players agree that beginners should start with this format.

Playing at regular tables will give you the necessary practice and help you master most of the nuances.

Pros:

• Long downswings are less frequent compared to other formats.
• Great table selection opportunities.
• Playing a sufficient number of hands will make rakeback a significant part of your profit.
• Flexible schedule: you can start or stop playing at any time.

Cons:

• A lot of educational material focuses on cash games, so the player pool is stronger compared to other formats at similar limits.

Zoom Poker (FastForward, Snap, etc.)

A variant of cash games where players can fold their hand before the end of the round, and they’re automatically moved to another table.

Beginners should start with regular tables, master opening ranges to an intuitive level, gain practical experience, and only then move to Zoom poker.

Pros:

• Higher volume of hands played.
• Microstakes opponents often can’t adapt to your playing style.
• Additional value from rakeback, which is easier to accumulate at fast tables, and from participating in rake leaderboards.

Cons:

• Table selection isn’t possible.
• Playing multiple fast poker tables requires more focus, making it harder to keep track of the hand flow.

Multi-Table Tournaments (MTT)

MTTs are the second most popular format after cash games.

Tournament players often bet chips without understanding the real value of their stack. Cash game players, on the other hand, win and lose real money, so they act more cautiously.

You can play in tournaments without spending your own money. Most poker rooms offer freerolls, which are a great way to sharpen your skills without risking your bankroll. The opponents in freerolls are very weak, making it easy to play against them.

Pros:

• Even in low-stakes tournaments, you can win a significant amount for first place.
• Weaker player pool.
• Freerolls and satellites to higher-stakes tournaments are available, and you can participate almost for free.

Cons:

• High variance: even strong players may lose money for months due to it.
• Very often, you’ll have to play in large fields.
• Tournament poker takes a lot of time, and even after spending that time, you may not make it to the ITM.

Sit-and-Go (SnG)

SnGs are tournaments with a limited number of players. Many beginners don’t consider this format and jump straight into MTTs, where large prize pools are announced.

Although SnG guarantees are lower, it’s a good idea to start with these tournaments.

Pros:

• With a limited number of opponents, you’ll reach the ITM zone more often.
• Easier to practice tournament skills at different stages.
• They take less time, so it’s easier to accumulate distance.

Cons:

• Many regulars prefer this format, even at microstakes.
• Prizes are much smaller, so you’ll need to play a lot to win meaningful cash.

Spin&Go (aka Spins)

Spin&Go is a type of hyper-turbo, three-player tournament format. Players start with a small stack, and the prize pool is randomly determined at the beginning of each tournament.

This format is difficult to recommend to beginners, as there are few educational materials available, and the game has high variance. The prize pool depends on luck, and you'll need to play many tournaments to hit a good multiplier.

Pros:

• Spins are very fast, allowing you to play high volumes.
• There’s a chance to hit a life-changing multiplier.

Cons:

• Very high variance.
• Long downswings are possible.
• A lot depends on luck rather than skill.
• Opponents often outdraw you due to luck.

Heads-Up (HU)

At one time, this format was quite profitable, and many current professionals started with it. However, today, especially at microstakes, it has almost disappeared.

There are very few games, and most of the players are regulars.

Pros:

• If you play against fish, they’ll give all their money to you, not someone else.
• There is a lot of material available on HU strategy.

Cons:

• Many regulars play HU.
• Very few games are available at microstakes.

Summary

It can be difficult for beginners to navigate the many types and formats of poker. The trial-and-error method may not be the best approach and can cost a lot of money, especially if you jump into a high-variance variant of poker.

It’s important to realistically assess your skills and readiness to develop in your chosen direction.

We hope this article has helped you choose the right game for you.