If you’ve heard of American Poker, you may have questions.
Firstly, American poker is not the same as Texas Holdem and it's not even a popular game in the U.S. It’s not even included in the top 10 most popular varieties of poker. It may even be outside of the top 20. Still, there are some games in Europe and often shown in Hollywood films when players hit the jackpot.
The game can be played on a slot machine or live when the dealer deals the cards and players play against each other.
Due to the scarcity of American poker, it’s probably best to choose higher-traffic types of poker. Still, we’ll explain the rules of the game for anyone curious.
American Poker Rules
The first difference from Texas Holdem is the deck size. It consists of 32 cards, from Seven to Ace, imposing changes on the rules for making combinations. For example, a low straight in American poker would be A-7-8-9-T.
Here’s how to start playing a hand of American poker:
Before the hand starts, all players make mandatory bets of the same size – ante. Depending on the game you are playing in, the bet size might change.
Next, the dealer gives each person two cards, with the second dealt face up. This allows opponents to assess their chances of collecting a combination.
The player with the highest card begins the betting round. If several opponents have the same card value, the dealer looks at suit seniority: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades. After this, the exchange or trading can begin.
When the betting is completed, players are again dealt one card face-up. The first move goes to the one with the strongest combination of open cards (face-up cards).
The maximum number of betting rounds is four. When all betting is completed, the remaining opponents reveal their hidden hole card to determine the winner. The one with the strongest combination collects the pot.
Important note: Since American poker doesn’t have an extreme amount of popularity these days, you might see it played with different rules. For example, some websites tell of full-sized decks and exchanging cards. Wherever you end up playing, check the posted rules there.
Where Can You Play American Poker?
Today, not a single poker room or popular application supports American poker. This makes it barely possible to play this game, even if you want to. Even some of the least poker formats of poker get far better player traffic, like 2-7 Triple Draw or other mixed games.
There may be several slot machine apps that offer jackpots. However, this game format has not gained popularity due to its monotonous process and extremely unfavorable conditions for players when played for real money.
This brings us to an important questions, which is, what other poker formats can you play?
What Other Types of Poker Are There?
In the poker world, Texas Holdem and Omaha rule the roost – these are the two most popular card games. Major tournaments are held in these formats, with games played online and offline among millions worldwide.
Some other types of poker are gaining attention these days, like Short Deck, and 5 or 6-Card Omaha. These ones are especially active mobile poker apps, rather than mainstream sites.
So, while Texas Holdem is still taking the top spot, it is far from the only one. With so many players online across all of the different types of poker, you can probably find action in many others aside from Holdem. PokerStars has over 20 formats on their app and offers the widest range if you’re interested in variety.
Are There Free Ways to Play Poker?
You can try playing with play chips on most poker sites. There are many ways to get started, by inviting friends for free games or playing against other members of the site. You could enter freerolls and compete for real money too.
Freerolls can pay off, but you’ll have to survive the volatile starting stage of the tournament. Everyone will be trying to double up as quickly as possible and playing a very wide range of hands. This is amplified by the free entry, which obviously loosens the game further.
The great thing is that sites like partypoker offer 24 freerolls every day. Across all the poker rooms, thousands and thousands of dollars are being fought for every day. Our schedule shows you where the freerolls are and how to join them.
If you enjoy the action and feel familiar with the rules, switch to real money. In all poker rooms, the lowest stakes are usually $0.01/$0.02, offering a low-investment game to test out new strategies and work on your skills. Use our reviews to avoid the worst sites and connect with the best.
