Forget Texas holdem: 2025 is all about other forms of poker

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When one thinks of poker, one of the main games that springs to mind is Texas holdem. This enduringly popular game is one of the most played variants of poker out there, and certainly the most prolific. Most of the television shows, tournaments and celebrity matches that are played will follow holdem rules and the game has had more strategy books written about it than any other type of poker.

However, 2025 is upon us, and in the spirit of ‘New Year, new start’ we think it’s high time that some other poker games got the spotlight. Read on for a guide to the hottest new forms of poker on the market and get playing them before your friends and competitors do ­– you could be a master before you know it.

For those familiar with Texas holdem poker, Omaha could be right up your street. This tricky game is very similar to holdem in that it comes complete with turn cards, a river, flop and holes, and these are played in the same order for both games.

However, with Omaha two hole cards must be used in the final hand and instead of seven cards to choose from, you have nine. It’s also important to remember that in Omaha poker the initial deal will provide you with four hole cards, which you can decide to either play or fold.

This can make the game much trickier than traditional holdem, especially if you usually have to work hard to keep track of your cards. However, wins do tend to be bigger and the higher standard of player that the game usually attracts will certainly give your brain a workout.

For something completely different, however, why not consider stud poker? These games have no community cards, making them slightly trickier but also less predictable and they will generally come with a fixed limit bet (or something similarly structured).

There are a number of variants of stud poker, but one of the most unusual is the razz seven card. With this, the person with the lowest hand wins the jackpot and suits are used to determine the winner: spades are considered to be the lowest suit, with diamonds, hearts and then clubs following.

Betting for razz seven poker is done in antes, which will be decided by the poker room. Players are dealt three cards, the last one of which is left face-up: the first person to bet is determined by who has the highest value face-up card and then the betting goes around the table in a clockwise direction. For the remaining rounds, betting is started by the player with the lowest face-up card.

While razz seven is a seven-card game, stud poker can also work as a five-card variant. This version is one of the oldest around and attracts those keen for a bit of glamour in their match. The rules are just the same as razz seven except only two cards are dealt in the first round, one of which is face-up. Another crucial difference is the winning hand: in the five-card stud, the highest hand takes the jackpot, unlike the seven-card version where it’s the lowest.

Whatever type of poker you end up playing, finding the right game for you is essential to hitting your winning streak. Sometimes, a certain game will never work for you, no matter how hard you practise, but you may find yourself being a natural whizz at another. Consider practising at home before playing in a proper match, perhaps by playing online poker at Ladbrokes or by pitting your wits against a friend. It takes time and effort to become a good poker player, so keep working at it and see how you improve. You could be the next big thing.