Online Poker Variants in Singapore

#1. Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is by far the most well-known poker variant. Since the early 2000s, it has dominated online tables and major tournaments worldwide. Singaporean players favour it because it’s simple to learn but deep enough to stay interesting round after round.

Each player gets two private “hole” cards. Then, five community cards are revealed in stages — the Flop (3), the Turn (1), and the River (1). The goal? Build the best five-card hand using any combination of your hole and shared cards. Four rounds of betting (Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, River) keep things dynamic.

What makes Hold’em addictive is the betting structure. It can be no-limit, pot-limit, or fixed-limit — all of which change the flow and pressure of play. The tension of a big raise, the slow build of a value bet — it’s all part of the draw.

If you’re new to the game or want a refresher on the betting flow, card rankings, and hand showdowns, check out our complete guide to poker rules.

#2. Omaha Hi

Omaha Hi is the second-most popular poker variant after Texas Hold’em. It uses the same five shared community cards, but instead of two hole cards, players get four. This extra pair means more potential hands — and more explosive action.

To build a final hand, players must use exactly two of their hole cards and three of the community cards. That rule trips up many new players but also creates bigger pots and higher winning hands. The most common form is Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), which keeps betting capped at the size of the pot.

Omaha Hi is great for players who want more complexity and don’t mind calculating multiple possibilities at once. It’s also where aggressive play meets creative hand-building.

#3. Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha Hi-Lo — also called Omaha 8 or Better — splits the pot between the best high and low hands. That twist changes everything.

The game deals four hole cards per player, just like Omaha Hi. The betting rounds are the same: Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, River. But to win the low half of the pot, your five-card hand must be made up of cards ranked 8 or lower, with no pairs. Aces are low. Straights and flushes do not disqualify low hands.

That means a single player can scoop the entire pot with both the best high and best low hand. Or the pot might be split. It adds a layer of strategy — now you’re watching two hand possibilities per round.

You’ll also see multiple betting formats in Omaha Hi-Lo: fixed-limit, pot-limit, no-limit, and mixed. Each affects how you plan your raises and calls. For Singaporean players who enjoy numbers and probability, this is one to try.

With more cards and split pots, Omaha Hi-Lo needs sharper decision-making. Knowing when to push or fold can make all the difference — our expert poker strategy tips break down how to think ahead in games like this.

#4. Chinese Poker

Chinese Poker plays very differently. Instead of traditional rounds, players are dealt 13 cards and arrange them into three hands:

• Front: 3 cards (weakest)

• Middle: 5 cards (medium strength)

• Back: 5 cards (strongest)

The goal is to beat your opponents in as many of the three hand matchups as possible. There’s no bluffing or raising — just smart arrangement and scoring.

You earn points based on hand strength, and there are bonus “royalties” for high-ranking setups. Chinese Poker is a favourite for casual home games and suits Singaporeans who enjoy card arrangement logic — a bit like scoring hands in Mahjong

#5. Badugi

Badugi isn’t your average poker game. It’s a draw variant where the goal is to make the lowest four-card hand, using different suits and no pairs.

Each player starts with four cards. Then there are multiple draw and betting rounds, giving players the chance to improve their hand by swapping out cards. Aces are low. The best hand is A-2-3-4, each in a different suit.

What makes Badugi tough is how rare a perfect hand is — and how hard it is to spot what others might be holding. It’s a great variant for players who enjoy deduction, patience, and quiet pressure.

#6. 3 Card Poker

3 Card Poker is a fast-paced table game where you go head-to-head with the dealer, not other players. Each round begins with an Ante bet, then three cards are dealt face down. Based on your hand, you choose to fold or raise.

Unlike other poker formats, there are fewer hands to remember. From weakest to strongest:

• High Card

• Pair

• Flush

• Straight

• Three of a Kind

• Straight Flush

A straight beats a flush here, which is different from classic poker rules. You can also make side bets like Pair Plus to boost payouts if your hand includes a pair or better, even if you lose to the dealer.

It’s fast, simple, and perfect for those who want low-stakes rounds with high reward potential.

#7. Short Deck Poker

Also known as 6+ Hold’em, Short Deck Poker removes all 2s through 5s from the deck — only 36 cards remain. This makes high-ranking hands more common, and the game plays faster.

• Key rule changes include:

• Flushes beat full houses (they’re harder to hit)

• Aces can be low for a straight (A-6-7-8-9)

• Hand equities run closer, so the action tends to be wilder

The game still uses the two-hole-card, five-community-card structure like Texas Hold’em, but odds shift in subtle ways. For Singaporean players who enjoy fast, high-volatility play, this variant offers non-stop action.