In my mind, there is no poker game more pure than No Limit Texas Hold 'Em. If I'm going to put big money on the line, that's definitely the game I'm going to play.
However, when it's six buddies around a poker table in someone's living room, that's a different story. Here are some of the more interesting games I like to play:
Anaconda High-Low
This has to be my personal favorite. You deal seven cards to each player and have a betting round. Each player then passes three cards to the left, and then discards two of the seven in their hand. The remaining five cards hand are laid out face down in front of each player and cards are revealed one at a time with a betting round after each card. The best high and low hands split the pot.
Ten Card Poker
This is a game we invented one night, although I'm sure there are variations out there that existed long before we started playing it. This is a game that can only be played with 5 or fewer players. Each player is dealt 10 cards. The 10-card hand is then split into two five card hands and laid out face down. Each player flips a card from each had before each betting round. The best high and low hands split the pot.
Low Hole, Roll Your Own
This is a variation of seven card stud. Each player is dealt three cards face down, one of which must be flipped face up. The rest of the hand is dealt like normal seven card stud. For each player, the lowest card in the hole and each one like it is wild.
That's it for me. What are your favorites?