What Poker Variant Needs the Most Skill?

[x patrice x]

I've settled on No-Limit Texas Hold'em and can't get excited about other variations, no matter how hard I try. Even if I can bring myself to play one day, I find myself drawn back to No-Limit Texas Hold'em the next day.

 

[Evan Jarvis]

I know that I personally tend to focus on No Limit Texas Hold'em, but I don't want to forget about all the other variants of poker that are out there. Some are standard online/in casinos (like 7-card stud and Omaha, which has its many variants, and even Badugi and Razz). Other variants are more often found in home games (like Crazy Pineapple, Squid Game, and Dramaha). Some of these we love, and some we hate.

Today I want to know, out of all the variants in poker, which one do you think requires the most skill, and why? If you want to get creative and tell me about the variants you love and don't love, that's OK too.

If I'm being honest, my first variant learned, and my favorite to this day is NLHE. I love the dynamics in the game and that whole, "it takes a day to learn and a lifetime to master" aspect of this game. I think it still requires a LOT of skill to be a solid player (various solvers be dammed!).

What about you?

I think the ones that have more concealed information are the ones requiring the most skill

So something like 2-7 lowball would probably be the one I imagine the toughest!

My personally favorite though is Omaha High-Low, just really love that game

 

[stank12345]

I think PLO is the hardest to play well there is so many variables to figure out and knowing when to go all in is not easy

 

[Skot_Gy]

I dont know since i play only NL Holdem

 

[Nemamiah]

The variant I like to play the most to (try) to make money is NLHE, but when we play here at home, recreationally with the family, we like to vary between 7-Card Stud and Omaha. I think the “easiest” is the NLHE because the number of variables is smaller, so it's faster for you to adapt and create strategies to play.

 

[Flyer35]

7 card stud would be my choice for the game requiring the most skill. Even though it's a limit game, it's way too easy to burn through your stack chasing an illusive hand which may or mat not show up, and if it does may still not be good enough. I hate this game with a passion.

 

[zorro222_zorro222]

My favorite poker variant is 2-7 NL single draw so my opinion might be biased but I think it's the purist form of poker and one of the most misplayed by players, that being said though I think the most difficult variant would be PL omaha hi-lo especially if you mix in the ICM implications late in tournaments.

 

[s0ftdumps]

Plo is a lot more math that’s for sure

 

[Rumengh]

For me, the best poker skills are the mixed games or the so-called 8 games where several hands of all games are alternated. That's where a player has to demonstrate skills. It's not bad to play these games in big tournaments with big prizes because this hold'em is starting to drive us crazy.

 

[john_entony]

We had an event at Replay Poker a while ago that had an interesting variant called Badugi. The hardest poker variant for me. During the game I thought I had a combination, but it turned out that I was just a fish and misunderstood the rules.

 

[Acechador]

For me, mixed games like 8-Game or HORSE demand the most skill because you need to excel across very different variants. It really tests your versatility, patience, and reading abilities.
That said, I hate PLO lol, it’s so swingy and deep strategically. NLHE is forever the classic, though; like you said, easy to learn, impossible to truly master.

 

[hobojim1247]

I can play most variants but the one I find the most difficult is PLO/HL. So many different details to consider. The most difficult physically and mentally is the 8 game.

 

[yuya]

I believe No-Limit Hold'em is the most strategic and interesting game.

However, considering how easily information can be accessed, No-Limit Hold'em is a red ocean, and the amount of knowledge required to win tends to be quite high.
On the other hand, games like Omaha or Seven Card Stud have less available information compared to No-Limit Hold'em, which makes them more valuable to research on your own.
As a result, I think the less popular games are actually more likely to create noticeable skill gaps.

 

[martDdart]

how to play no limit holdem and win in the long run recuires skill.

 

[dreamer13]

The most skill-intensive games are Texas Hold'em and Omaha. These poker variants, while the most popular, are also the most difficult to master and require a high level of strategic thinking, opponent analysis, and the ability to adapt to different situations at the table.

 

[belizebum]

I can only go with the variants I know, and some of them not very well. But for me, I think 7 card stud is probably the hardest. So with Stud you have to pay attention tracking every card dealt, including those folded by opponents. Without community cards, there’s less shared data to narrow down opponents’ hands. There are more betting rounds, which can get you in a boat load of trouble by the 7th card. Each hand is independent, so success hinges more on a player’s ability to navigate their unique cards rather than shared luck with community cards, amplifying the importance of skill. If you have the Hi/Lo variant, I find it becomes a little easier.

 

[finaltable1]

Well, I've been playing HoldEm for past ~17 years... cash/sng/mtt. Just recently I've started playing other types like Omaha variants, Stud, Razz, Badugi, 2-7 i think that's all that i've tried so far. And all of these games are completely new universe to me.By my opinion the hardest one is Badugi, I might be wrong cause I haven't figured out all of the rules in most of these games

 

[AKQ]

Stud Tournaments
Above post explains it well by belizelbum

HU NL (heads up)
NL is easy 9 handed
Ranges and positions of various opponents
Heads up your actions are 1000 times more than the mtt.
You play more hands and more garbage
Everything you do is actively trying to beaten or exploited .
Your opponent didn't miss any information from previous hands, because he was the opponent in every hand.

 

[AKQ]

To begin with, NLH is definitely the simplest of all variants, I'm not saying the easiest though. But the other variants offer more challenge and make NLH kind of boring.

As to the question, IMO, the variants that require more skill are the ones played with the High/Low format, whether Omaha or Stud. On top of the difficulty of these 2 variants, H/L makes them even more challenging and brainteasing by adding more situations to watch out for.

Stud 8 or better
Heads up is annoying xD

 

[Balou1982]

According to my opinion i would say 8-game or horse are very difficult and hard to play because you have to switch fast to the new game type
and the clock is running against you. There is always a kind of poker game you dont like or you are not good at, so it is also necessary that you know your weak sides and get the best out of our strongest one.

 

[Dmitriy_rus7]

I think all types of poker are difficult in their own way. I just recently started playing Omaha, before it seemed crazy to me, but after 4-5-6 attempts I got used to it and I even started to like it.

 

[Toruk Makto]

I believe it's 5-card Omaha, although I don't play, I realize that it requires a lot from the player... and this modality that has been gaining ground seems to be very interesting...

 

[Mart1194]

I don't usually play variants, but I find PLO and 7 car stud very difficult.
That's why I prefer to focus on NLH

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

Generally a NL game will be harder then a pl or limit game.

But each variant requires a considerable amount of time ie years to actually have a clue how to play and become a winning player at.

And even if you have all of the info on how to play a game it still takes time to understand why you do something in an instance THEN develop either the discipline or what ppl call "courage" to make the right play.

And its even harder for most ppl to learn those games since trackers dont make software for them or stopped supporting them which is awesome.

 

[10gerka]

I think the most skillful variant is in no-limit holdem online cash games. I think you have to develop a solid strategy and also have very good skills to be able to gain an advantage over your rivals.