What is Community Card Poker?

There are a number of variations of community card poker as community card poker refers to any variation of the game that involves community cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table. These cards are shared by all of the players and they are dealt in addition to the hole cards or individual cards that are dealt to each player. The community cards are known as the board and they may be dealt in a special pattern or in a simple straight line. Each variation of community card poker will specify how the community cards are hole cards must be combined to make up the player's final hand.

Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em is the most popular community card poker game around today. Players are dealt two hole cards and there are five community cards that are dealt into the center of the table, in a simple straight line. Players can use their two hole cards and the five community cards in order to make up the best five card poker hand possible. Players can use both, none or one of their hole cards in their final hand.

Omaha
Omaha is another popular community card poker variation. Players are dealt four hole cards and five community cards are dealt onto the table. In order to make up a final  poker hand of five cards, players must use three of the five community cards plus two of their four hole cards.

Pineapple
Pineapple is a variation of community card poker similar to Texas hold'em. The players are dealt three hole cards, from which they need to choose two and discard one. Once they are all left with two hole cards in their hand, the game proceeds as in Texas hold'em. Five community cards are dealt and players must make their five card poker hand using any of their two hole cards and five community cards. There are some variations of Pineapple.

• Crazy Pineapple – Players hold onto all three hole cards until after the flop betting round, but before the fourth community card is dealt.
• Lazy Pineapple – Also known as Tahoe, in this version, players hold onto all three hole cards until the end of the game, however they may not use all three within their final poker hand. Players can still only use a maximum of two of their hole cards.
• Super Hold'em – Players hold onto all three hole cards until the end of the game and are able to use any or all of the hole cards when making up their final five card poker hand.

Manila
Manila is a popular Australian version of Texas Hold'em. It is played with a deck of cards which has all cards lower than seven removed. Each player receives two hole cards, plus a single community card is dealt. Betting then begins. After each round of betting, another community card is dealt face up until five community cards have been dealt. Players must then make the best five card poker hand that they can using their two hole cards plus three of the five community cards.

Because it uses a stripped deck, the rules vary slightly. A flush wins over a full house and an Ace cannot be used as a low card in a straight, - A, 7, 8, 9, 10 - is not thought to be a straight in Manila. A three-card variation is sometimes played in which players are dealt three hole cards, one of which they must discard. Play then continues as usual. In the three-card variation, the sixes are sometimes returned to the deck.

Other Variations of Community Card Poker

There are many other variations of community card although these are more commonly played in home games, as opposed to at casinos.

Cincinnati
Players must make their five card poker hand using any combination of four hole cards and four community cards.

Iron Cross
Each player receives five hole cards, plus five community cards which are dealt in a cross pattern. Players must make their five card poker hand using their five hole cards and three cards from either the vertical or the horizontal arm of the cross.

Tic Tac Toe
Players are dealt two hole cards, plus there are nine community cards that are arranged in a 3x3 board. Players must make their poker hand using their two hole cards plus a consecutive row of three community cards (horizontal, vertical or diagonal).