Don't you like the "lucky" games?

Suppose a made up game of holdem.

The rules are the same as traditional holdem, with a few exceptions. It has three blinds, a 2/3 button blind, a 2/3 small blind, and a full big blind. It is also a kill game. Added to these differences is the fact that it has two wild cards (not completely wild, mind you, but in the same vain as 5 card draw).

Would a game like this be considered a skillful one? It would certainly have a very large variance due to the increased blinds, and it being a kill game. The wild cards, I'm not so sure, since they can be used skillfully (and for the fact that they are not completely wild).

Whose with me on this? I happen to like games that appear to be a luck driven game, however, if you delve deeper you can find a skillful route? Don't you guys have more fun in these games? I would certainly have more fun in the above imaginary game, than I do when I've just posted a 9% voluntary preflop play percentage in my holdem game. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

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I would certainly have more fun in the above imaginary game, than I do when I've just posted a 9% voluntary preflop play percentage in my holdem game. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

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learn PLO

Eh, online pot limit omaha seems like a nut peddler's dream, and not the most fun I've every had.

[RiverDood]

I've got some thoughts for you on this one.

Serious holdem is a great game for the strategy-and-tactics crowd, because there is a right and wrong way to play almost every hand. Play right and over time you can make a lot of money. Find people who play wrong, and over time, you can crush them.

It's not a great game for social poker, because sane play requires folding too many hands. And bad play is embarrassingly obvious. So I'm assuming that what you want is a low-limit holdem variant where far more starting hands are playable -- but where pre-flop and post-flop skill hasn't totally vanished from the game. (Otherwise, get drunk and go play "Night Baseball.")

Out here on the edges of Silicon Valley, people have been rejiggering holdem to see what they can come up with. I've played two-board holdem, where an upper and lower flop/turn/river are dealt out, and the pot is split between whoever wins each one. (Yes, you can scoop.) It makes suited cards, connectors and small pairs more playable.

I've also played "Penguin Holdem" where the flop consists of two real cards and a third automatic wild card (the penguin.) Turn and river are normal. It makes straights vastly more likely and means there will always be at least one flush draw. Lots of random stuff in the middle like 7T is no longer an awful hand and is well worth limping with.

I'd still rather play real holdem for stakes that matter. And the version you've got involves too many blinds for me. I hate putting money in the pot with a bad hand. But if you're looking for a social poker game, try these other variants and see what you think.

Play some low limit- limit HORSE