The principles and mechanics of poker are very easy to enjoy. Which is why almost every part of the world has their own distinct flavor of the card game! True, there may be a few caveats to take into consideration when learning poker games from another country, but that’s also part of the fun.
Not only do poker players get to learn something from it, they also discover how local culture influences the rules and the depth of the game. Globetrot in gaming tables around the world by learning these!
Pusoy Dos – Philippines
Before explaining how Pusoy Dos works, there is also another game in the Philippines named Pusoy so be sure to learn their names first before playing. To differentiate one from the other, Pusoy is more similar to Chinese poker while Pusoy Dos is more of a ‘shedding’ card game. Either way, both are lots of fun to learn and play!
For players that might be familiar with poker on websites like betway, Pusoy Dos deconstructs a few mechanics from the traditional card game. It adds a few strategic challenges for the player while also relying on a player’s knowledge about the basic principles of poker. While a bit of luck is also needed, excellent foresight can still win games in Pusoy Dos.
Pusoy Dos uses the entire deck of cards for games, with four players being dealt with around 13 cards each. Players will then have to lose their hand by taking turns laying down poker combinations like pairs, flushes, and straights. If there is no stronger combination from opposing players, the player that dealt the last combination can possibly steamroll his way to winning the game! So thinking ahead which cards to lay down can potentially create an easy victory.
Mahjong – China
While not an outright variation of poker, the ancient game of mahjong bears many similarities to the traditional card game. In fact, knowledge of poker can help tenfold when it comes to playing mahjong. While it’s always advised to play a few games in sites like betway casino, the main difference in playing mahjong over poker is how to approach hands. Mahjong prioritizes defensive strategies compared to poker and the challenges that the game poses can be quite rewarding to master.
Much like poker, painted tiles in mahjong have values and patterns that can be combined for stronger hands. Players will have to create full sets of these combinations so that they can shed their pieces. Once a player sheds all their pieces, they win the game. There are many different combinations to remember when playing mahjong so almost any hand has the potential to win. So learning when to discard and replace tiles during the game is an important skill to master in mahjong.
Badugi – South Korea
Badugi is a unique and exciting variant of poker that revolves around creating the lowest hand possible with four cards. Unlike traditional poker, Badugi focuses on collecting cards of different suits and ranks. The ultimate hand is called a Badugi, consisting of four cards of distinct suits and ranks. Badugi involves multiple betting rounds, where players can bluff, fold, or draw cards to improve their hand. It’s a game of skill, strategy, and psychology, where players aim to outwit their opponents and form the best Badugi hand while minimizing their own risk. Badugi can be played on most online casinos like betway, but it’s also fun to play with friends at one table!
Seven Card Stud – Various
Next to Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud is most likely the second most popular poker game in the world. It is one of the easier variations of poker to learn, especially for players who are well-versed in patterns and combinations for the game. Instead of two hole cards, or the cards that are dealt to players in Texas Hold’em, the hand consists of seven cards. To win Seven Card Stud, players must find the best combination of five cards in their seven-card hands.
Much like Texas Hold’em, betting in Seven Card Stud is done in rounds. During these rounds, players are dealt three more cards, further expanding the options to win for any participant of the game. As the betting begins to wind down, players must carefully choose which five cards to end up with to play a winning combination. The final card will be dealt face down for all the participants and once it’s revealed, players will need to have their cards synergize with the final card to finally win the game.
Strategies can be applied in a number of ways, one of which includes looking at the cards opponents play on the table. Reading the betting habits of players around the table will also give clues how strong each player’s cards are. It is a thrilling game that requires patience and smart decisions to play the game.
Fast-Fold Poker – Various
Probably one of the fastest variants of poker around the world is fast-fold poker. And it really is an international sensation, since the game can be played all over the world, such as betting sites like betway. For gamblers on the go, this could be the best choice for a poker game to play.
Connection to the internet is essential to play this poker variant, of course. Also known as Zoom Poker or Speed Poker, participants play in pools instead of a designated table. So long as they fold, they can stay at the table, since folding will move the player to a different table. This express variant can give players the opportunity to play at different tables without waiting for so long. Fast-fold poker can essentially maximize the number of hands they can play in a session!
There are still many variations of poker around the world, that’s for sure, and all of them can be very fascinating to learn. It can be hard to learn a new game but that’s part of the fun. Who knows, players might pick up new strategies to use along the way!
