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by:
Shawn Somerville
It's
obvious to everyone that Texas Holdem
is the most popular form of poker in
the world today. It's unthinkable to
have a brick and mortar or online
poker room that doesn't spread Holdem
in one form or another. It's also the
chosen game for the biggest poker cash
tournaments in history, including the
main event of the World Series Of
Poker which decides the world champion
each year.
 
The
reasons for Holdem's success as a game
are numerous, including it's easy to
learn rules, complex advanced
strategies, quickness of play and well
proportioned balance between luck and
skill. It's inherent properties seem
to offer something for all types of
poker players. Action junkies will
love the quickness play and
sophisticated bettors can enjoy
learning the endlessly debated
advanced strategies possible. Another
big part of the games growth comes
from the actuality that the cards and
odds often allow for rookie players to
win a session or tournament against
practiced players. Achieving results,
even just occasionally, always
encourages new hobbyists to continue
playing without intimidation.
Will
Holdem always be the poker game of
choice, or is it possible another game
will become the new favorite? Older
poker games like Stud and Draw could
possibly regain some momentum however
this is an unlikely scenario as these
games are currently being shunned by
many new action players for their
naturally slow pace of play. Other
known games like Guts (2 or 3 card
poker) seem a little too wild and
precarious for most players and Pan (chinese
poker) is immediately seen as being
just too complicated.
It is
more likely that a newer game like
Crazy Pineapple or Badugi would take
over as the number one. Pineapple is
essentially a spin-off from Holdem and
Badugi is a fun new form of 4-card
poker that is played triple-draw for
low. These new games can be exciting
poker alternatives when a bit of
variety is needed in our playing
sessions.
Keeping Holdem as a foundation to
their poker activities, most players
seem to learn the rules and dabble in
the other poker games after a year or
two of play. Regardless of these
tendencies, it's certain that the
Holdem craze is not going to end
anytime soon since it has been the
introductory game for the biggest wave
of new players in history.
About The Author
Shawn Somerville has been playing
online poker since it's inception in
1999. All of his articles can be found
posted on his poker tournament website
at http://WinnersTable.com.
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