Elevator

The Play: Four pocket cards are dealt; two face up and two face down, to each player. The community cards are dealt in the shape of a capital “H,” three forming each arm of the letter and one in the middle. Players attempt to make the best hand of five using up to three of the table cards. The name “Elevator” comes from the ability of a player to move the middle card up or down.

The catch: A player can only use cards from the table that form a row of three across; thus the ability to move the center card up or down comes into play.

Double Flop Hold’em

The Play:Taking Hold’em to the next level, this variant uses two boards, or groups of community cards. Each player has their two pocket cards and tries to make the best hand of five for each board.

The catch: Players don’t tell which board they are trying to win until the last bet is placed. In this way it is possible to have two winners (one for each board,) in which case the pot is split. In some variants of this variant, the winner of one board (determined before play) takes the entire pot.

Spanish Poker

The Play: Popular in Spain, this variant has a stripped down deck of 28 cards. All cards are removed except eight through ace. The ace can act as high card or low card (substituting for a seven) for straights. In this game an ante is used (a small, mandatory bet from all players before cards are dealt.) There is no flop; instead the five community cards are dealt face up one at a time, each followed by a round of betting. Like in Texas Hold’em the winner is the player with the best hand of five.

The catch: A player must use both pocket cards, and in this variant a flush can beat a full house.

Pineapple

The Play: Pineapple plays a lot like Texas Hold’em. The main difference in this variant: each player is dealt three pocket cards instead of two.

The catch: After the flop, each player must discard one pocket card, going down to two. Winner has the best hand of five made up from their remaining two pocket cards and the five table cards.