Poker guides
Poker guides: formats, comparisons and how to run a game
Ten guides on how poker formats work and which games to pick, written to go with the rules and comparison of all twenty poker variants on SophiesPick. Every guide ends at a table you can create for free.
All guides
Dealer's Choice poker: how it works and 20 games you can call
How Dealer's Choice poker works, how to run a rotation without arguments, and twenty games you can call tonight, from Hold'em to Dramaha, each with full rules and a free table.
Read the guideBomb pots and double-board poker explained
What a bomb pot is, how double-board hands are dealt and paid, why two boards change your hand reading, and the two- and three-board games you can play free online.
Read the guideThe best poker games to play with friends, by how easy they are to teach
Twelve poker games for a friends' game night, sorted by how long they take to teach, with the one rule each adds to Hold'em, who they suit, and where to play them free online.
Read the guideMixed poker games explained: HORSE, 8-Game and Dealer's Choice rotations
What a mixed game is, how HORSE and 8-Game rotations work, how Dealer's Choice differs, and how to run a mixed table on SophiesPick with the games it supports.
Read the guideTexas Hold'em vs Omaha: the differences that matter
Hold'em and Omaha compared: hole cards, the exactly-two rule, betting structure, hand strength and the mistakes Hold'em players make in Omaha, with free tables for both.
Read the guideHow to host a free private poker game online with friends
Set up a private online poker table for friends: pick the game or a Dealer's Choice pool, choose cash or tournament, share the room code, and play in the browser with no download and no account.
Read the guideSplit-pot poker games: how hi-lo and other split pots work
How split-pot poker works: qualifying lows, scooping, odd chips and the six SophiesPick games that divide every pot two ways, from Omaha Hi-Lo to Studaha and 31 and Under.
Read the guidePineapple vs Crazy Pineapple (and where Super Hold'em fits)
Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple compared: when the third card is discarded, how it changes starting hands and flop play, and how Super Hold'em's sixth board card differs. Free tables for all three.
Read the guideDraw poker games with a twist: Dramaha, Bodigiha, Badacey and 2-7 Triple Draw
Four draw poker games compared: how many draws, how many cards, what wins, and which to call in a Dealer's Choice game, with full rules and free tables for each.
Read the guideMulti-board poker: Squid, Octopus and board elimination
How three-board poker works on SophiesPick: three flops, turns and rivers, the board with the lowest river card eliminated, and the pot shared by the survivors. Squid and Octopus explained.
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