Pineapple, Crazy Pineapple, and Tahoe: These are all simple
variations of Texas Hold `Em. In Pineapple, each player is dealt three
cards, and discards one of them before opening play. Crazy Pineapple
is the same; except, the third card is not discarded until after the
second betting round. In Tahoe, three cards are dealt to each player;
none are discarded, but only two may be used to complete a hand, during
the showdown.
Omaha Hold `Em: In Omaha Hold `Em, each player is dealt four cards instead
of two. Play continues exactly like Texas Hold `Em, until the showdown.
At the showdown, in order to complete a hand, players must use two cards
from their private hand, and three from the community cards. No other
combinations are allowed. Omaha Hold `Em is usually played with a pot
limit, while a variation, known as “Omaha 8 or better,” typically
uses a fixed limit. Omaha 8 or better uses a high-low split, with 8 being
the highest useable for a low hand. Regular Omaha Hold `Em is often called, “Omaha
High,” in order to distinguish the two.
Tic Tac Toe: In Tic Tac Toe, each player is dealt two cards, and the
first round begins. After that, three cards are laid on the table, followed
by a second round of betting. Three more cards are laid out, then two
side cards, and finally at the beginning of the fifth round, one card
is placed in the middle to complete the 3X3 square. Just like in Tic Tac
Toe, players must complete their hand, by choosing cards in either a row
or a diagonal. Tic Tac Toe is more popular as a home game, but is still
seen occasionally in casinos.
