The history of poker dates back to the early 19th century in the United States, evolving from various European card games such as French primero and German pochen. It gained popularity during the American Civil War, where different variants like straight poker and stud poker emerged. In the late 1800s, poker was formalized with the creation of rules for betting and hand rankings, leading to the development of games like five-card draw and seven-card stud. The 20th century saw the rise of poker rooms in casinos, especially in Las Vegas, and the advent of televised tournaments in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, notably the World Series of Poker, which propelled poker into mainstream popularity globally. The game continues to evolve with online poker platforms and new variants, maintaining its status as a popular game of skill, strategy, and chance.

There are many types of poker, each with unique rules and gameplay, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Five-Card Draw, Razz, Pineapple, and Badugi. Texas Hold’em is the most popular worldwide, featuring two hole cards and five community cards. Omaha is similar but players receive four hole cards, and must use exactly two. Seven-Card Stud involves no community cards, with players receiving a mix of face-up and face-down cards. Five-Card Draw is a straightforward game where players can exchange cards to improve their hands. Razz is a lowball version of Seven-Card Stud, aiming for the lowest hand. Pineapple variants involve discarding a card after the deal, and Badugi is a draw game focused on forming a hand with four different suits and ranks.

Poker hands are ranked based on the strength of the combination of five cards, from highest to lowest: Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit), Straight Flush (five consecutive cards of the same suit), Four of a Kind (four cards of the same rank), Full House (three of a kind plus a pair), Flush (five cards of the same suit, not in sequence), Straight (five consecutive cards of different suits), Three of a Kind (three cards of the same rank), Two Pair (two pairs of different ranks), One Pair (two cards of the same rank), and High Card (the highest card when no other hand is made). These rankings determine the winner in most poker variants.

Here is a list of popular poker types: 1. Texas Hold’em 2. Omaha 3. Seven-Card Stud 4. Five-Card Draw 5. Razz 6. Pineapple (including Crazy Pineapple and Hawaiian Pineapple) 7. Badugi 8. Seven-Card Stud Eight or Better (Hi-Lo) 9. HORSE (a mixed-game format) 10. Triple Draw Lowball 11. Chinese Poker 12. Open-Face Chinese Poker 13. Short Deck Poker (Six-plus Hold’em).

Poker championships are prestigious tournaments that attract top players from around the world, with the most renowned being the World Series of Poker (WSOP) held annually in Las Vegas, featuring multiple events and a multi-million dollar prize pool, and the World Poker Tour (WPT), which hosts high-stakes tournaments globally. Other notable championships include the European Poker Tour (EPT), part of the WPT, and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA). These events typically offer large buy-ins, significant prize money, and the opportunity for players to earn valuable titles and bracelets, with the ultimate goal of securing recognition as one of the best in the game. The tournaments are often broadcasted worldwide, showcasing strategic gameplay and fostering the global poker community.