In the world of poker, there’s almost no end to what you have to learn and master in order to be consistently on the top of your game. This is especially true with poka or Greek poker, when new poker variations seem to crop up everyday.

Basics of Greek Poker

Greek poker or poka is actively played in Greece but is slowly finding its way to other parts of the world. Three hand orders are used in poka, and you have to familiarize yourself with each and every one of them before you can proceed to learning the different poker variants that make up poka.

Types of Greek Poker

Monos or Singles
A tria-full or three full is often used for this type of poka. The dealer deals each player one card and betting commences as the dealer reveals a community card. When three community cards have been dealt, players are dealt another card. Afterwards, betting resume as two more cards are added to the poker table separately. Singles is the only game where players favor the tria-full hand order.

Diplos or Double
This poker variant adheres to the same rules used in Monos except that this time, once the third community card has been revealed, the dealer deals players with two and not just one more cards. This will bring up the total number of cards available to players to eight. Players are required to use at least two of his own cards to form his own hand.

Diplo Tampo or Double Tableau
In this game, two rather than just one set of community cards are used. Players have to decide then which set they’d prefer to use in combination with his own cards. He must use at least two of his own cards. Furthermore, players are prohibited from combining cards from different sets of community cards.

Mpompes or Bombs
This is one of the most popular variants of Greek poker. Players are dealt one card each before the dealer lays out a bomb. A bomb is made up of three cards - although it could be more, depending on the rules of the game – revealed to the players concurrently. The dealer then proceeds to dealing each player another card before laying out another bomb.

When the third bomb has been laid out, it’s up to the dealer or management rules if two triple or quadruple bombs would follow. Betting takes place between explosions. Bombs explode one by one and players must form a hand by combining at least two of his own cards with one of the bombs on the table.

Mpompes Me Kapelo or Bombs with a Hat
This game is like playing bombs with a twist. Bombs are still made up of three or four cards. A kapelo or hat, on the other hand, may be one or two wildcards dealt on the table. A winning hand is composed of at least two of the player’s cards combined with cards from one bomb and, if he so chooses, one of the wildcards.

It will take a bit of time to look for websites offering Greek poker games online, but at the meantime, you can divert yourself by playing it with your friends. Good luck!

If you’re itching to play online poker, try the Virgin Poker room.

If you’re looking for a bit of harmless fun at the poker tables then what you need to play is a game or two of Anaconda poker. This fun poker variant actually allows players to pass cards with each other, creating wild opportunities that can get you doubled up in laughter…and maybe triple your profits at the same time!

What is Anaconda Poker?
This game is also known as Pass the Trash Poker. Often played informally, it does however occasionally find its way in professional poker tables, both online and in the real world. Eight to nine players can take part in Anaconda poker, depending on the inclusion of Jokers as wild cards.

Anaconda can be further divided into several variants such as 3-2-1 Anaconda or “Screw Your Neighbor”.

How to Play Anaconda Poker
A simple version of Anaconda poker starts with players given six cards each. Players choose which three cards they wish to pass off and place them face down on the table. Only when all players have readied cards to be passed on the table can they pick out the cards separated for them.

For the second round, players will choose two cards to pass off. For the third round, players will choose one card to pass off. And for the final round, players will simply have to choose which one last card to discard in order to form the best possible five-card hand.

If eight players are at the table, forty-eight cards will be immediately at play and with four cards discarded from play. Including wild cards can add another player at the table. In other Anaconda poker variants, players are dealt seven cards each.

Betting in Anaconda Poker
Betting rules often follow those used in standard poker games. Blinds may or may not be used and limits may or may not be placed on the pot. Betting will commence prior to each round. Once a player opts out of the game by folding, his cards will be immediately excluded from the succeeding round of card passing.

In some cases, more betting rounds are added by revealing the players’ final hand card by card. Players start by exposing their top card and betting accordingly. This cycle continues until the last card is revealed. Card arrangement in this case is expectedly vital when bluffing against your opponents.

Variants in Anaconda Poker
While you’re certainly allowed to make up your own rules in Anaconda poker, the following are the most commonly used variations in public poker tables.

High or Low
Similar to other hi-lo poker variants, Anaconda poker players with the lowest and highest hands both stand to win the pot. If you’re lucky, a straight or flush can even give you both the lowest and highest hand.

Passing
Instead of the usual 3-2-1 passing combination, some Anaconda poker tables require players to use a 3-1-2 or 1-2-3 passing cycle instead.

Merry Christmas
Finally, this variation provides a consolation prize to players who pass the winning cards to the person sitting next to them. If the person you passed cards to ends up with the winning hand, you automatically win half the pot.

If you’re ready to play poker, check out the Blue Square Poker room.

To be a master in playing online poker games, you need to know all the variants of the game. One fun variation to learn playing is Badugi. A handful of websites offer this to online players, and if you manage to hone your skills in Badugi, it can be quite a lucrative field to excel in.

What is Badugi?
Also known as Padooki or Badougi, this game is a type of draw poker and is indeed similar to how triple draw is played with one notable exception: its hand values are counted differently from what you’ve learned in traditional poker games.

Its putative origins are in Asia, but Badugi is gaining popularity in the United States. It is the favorite of many South Koreans, and the word in Korean actually refers to dogs with different colored patches or spots in its coat. This imagery best symbolizes the rules of Badugi as hands of different suits can win the pot. Discarding cards in search for a lower hand for the first three rounds are referred to as breakfast, lunch, and supper – all of which a Badugi certainly partakes.

How to Play Badugi
Each player at the poker table is given four face-down cards. They are not allowed to see other players’ cards but theirs.

Blinds may or may not be used in Badugi. The player to initiate the pre-draw betting round is the player to the left of the dealer, or in the case of inclusion of blinds, the player to the left of the one posting the big blind.

Once every player has called, raised, or folded, the next round commences with every player allowed to discard any of his four cards and receive the same number of replacement cards, also known as draw, in return. The preceding player must conclude his business before the next player draw cards. Discarded cards are not placed back in the deck.

The cycle is repeated four times. In the final round, players may have to go on a showdown if there is more than one player remaining at the table. If, however, only one is left, then that player automatically takes the pot.

How to Count Cards in Badugi
A hand is made up of one to four cards in Badugi, with four card combinations the highest among all, automatically beating other combinations with fewer cards.

If two hands have the same number of cards, they are then compared with each other based on which hand has the best value. Please take note that aces are counted as low in Badugi. Similar to lowball poker, Badugi favors low hands over high hands. If there’s a tie between cards with the highest value then the cards with the succeeding value are compared with each other next.

Ties occur when all cards of both hands have the same values. Suits do not alter the value of cards in any way.

Badugi may also be played with or no limits. Winning poker strategies in Badugi are similar with what you may use to play triple draw.

If you want to try a different variant of online poker, you might like to try the Red Star Poker room.