Most Popular Poker Games for Newcomers in 2025

Poker has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. With new technologies like online poker and poker apps making the game more accessible, more newcomers than ever are sitting down at the virtual felt to test their skills. But with so many different poker game formats to choose from which games should a novice start with? Here’s an overview of the most popular poker variants for beginners in 2025.

Texas Hold’em

The most ubiquitous poker game at NeoSpin Australia today, Texas hold ’em tops the list when it comes to approachable games for new players. As the Cadillac of poker, hold ’em offers the perfect balance of skill versus luck, allowing you to pick up its fundamentals relatively quickly. It also enjoys a robust following both online and in brick-and-mortar poker rooms across the globe, ensuring beginners have plenty of options for finding a game.

Key attributes like having only two hole cards and five community cards give newbies less to think about upfront. You can grow into crafting more advanced strategies over time as your skills improve. Even with its inherent simplicity, mastering hold ’em can take years given the dynamic nature of no-limit betting formats.

Omaha

Ranking second behind only Texas hold ’em, Omaha similarly exposes players to four rounds of betting with cards dealt from a standard 52-card deck. However instead of two hole cards, you’re dealt four to start. You then combine two of them with three community cards to make your best five-card hand. This subtle change makes starting hand values and pot odds calculations more complex, allowing you to stretch your poker math and risk analysis abilities further once you have a good handle on hold ’em basics.

While several Omaha variants exist, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (frequently shortened to PLO8) stands out as a go-to choice for expanding your poker repertoire. The hi/lo format adds another layer of complexity that keeps the game fun and mentally stimulating for more serious players.

Additional Details

• Texas Hold’em: This variant is widely popular due to its straightforward rules and is often the first game new players learn. Its prominence in major tournaments and media has contributed to its high popularity.​
• Omaha Hi/Lo: Also known as Omaha Eight or Better, this game introduces a split pot mechanism, adding complexity. Players must form both high and low hands, requiring a deeper understanding of hand rankings and strategies.

Seven-Card Stud

Predating Texas hold ’em, Seven-card stud still enjoys a healthy niche in today’s poker ecosystem thanks to its inclusion in mixed game formats. Each player starts with three hole cards and four additional exposed cards that use a high-hand ranking system. Playing fixed limit betting, along with lacking community cards and burn cards, reduces actions per round to streamline gameplay.

Since hand values derive strictly from a player’s individual seven cards, reading opponents through exposed card information becomes vital. This makes the game an excellent teaching tool for improving the observation and people skills side of a poker player’s development versus just analytical math. And with more straightforward rules, Seven-card stud serves as an approachable intro to the classic stud poker family for modern players.

Getting Started as a Beginner

When first learning poker, simplicity and support should dominate your decision-making in selecting a game. Texas hold ’em requires the least upfront knowledge, affording you plenty of leeway to make mistakes and build practical experience through trial and error. It also comes with the most online tools and training resources to learn from. Start there.

After getting 50 hours of gameplay under your belt, adding Omaha hi/lo and Seven-card stud mixes up gameplay to expand your overall capabilities. Use these games to strengthen your technical skills and card sense abilities. Their additional demands improve reading abilities and mental stamina essential to rounding out your poker skill set.

Remember to bankroll yourself appropriately to avoid damaging losses. Treat poker progress like a marathon, not a sprint. Learning proper habits now prevents major leaks from forming later when you play for higher stakes with more serious competition. So choose beginner friendly formats to start, play tight-aggressive, review your hands for continuous improvement and have fun on your poker journey!