I haven't seen this anywhere else but on UB there is a game where they have removed all cards but T-K.
It makes for some interesting play (since a flush is always royal and a straight is meaningless) and I actually think it's a great place for a beginner. Why? Because you can learn poker fundamentals like when to slowplay, bluff, semi-bluff, raise, etc. There are just less cards to deal with so you pretty much know what is going to happen. Plus if you do it right it's easy to profit because there are plenty of fish. Tons of players sit down and have no idea what is going on.
There are regulars to watch out for. If enough are in the game you shouldn't play--especially since there aren't that many games in play.
Here are some useful tips:
Fold all hands with a 10 in them pre-flop. Works great for me. Sometimes I keep AT suited. I always fold TT since it is a very beatable hand. But not everyone plays this way. Plenty of 'good' players don't. They key is to know when to keep them. I'd just rather not.
No single pair exists. Think about it:
Pocket: TT
Flop: JQK
Turn: A (you already have a straight)
River: (there is no card here that could possibly make only a pair possible)
A straight is garbage--you will get one often and it will not be the best hand. The only time it's not garbage is when you know for a fact nobody made their hand. It's a good back up. For example the board has this: TTJQK. You are holding an A. You know for certain that nobody made a full boat so you can stay in to the end. Possibly even go out betting. Most will fold. Someone else with an Ace will call
A straight on the board with no possible royal means you've all won. It pisses players off when you start betting when this happens. You're just paying UB.
Two pair at the end is second best garbage. Play this only if you know nobody has made their hand.
Three of a kind is the third best garbage. However it's the best improving hand--to a full house. (see Four of a kind example)
Full house: This is what you always aim for. The highest full house possible against good players. Any full house is profitable against poor players. If I'm in the hand I know when you've made your full boat. It's usually completely obvious.
Four of a kind: This is a great profitable hand if you are up against a full house. One of the best situations is:
pocket: AA
Flop: AJT
Turn: A
River: J
What makes this particular hand so good is the fact that you have made three of a kind and just have to match up the J or T to get a full house. But then you get your A. If someone gets a full house out of those two Jacks then you will possibly be in a raisng free for all.
Also this hand doesn't scare other players away. For example if the flop was AAK and you came out betting everyone usually folds. Here is a place for a slowplay--a lot of players delay a bet until the turn. Against players who know this I have been known to delay betting/raising until the river. Of course there is nothing wrong with taking a hand right away. And you may not be getting all the money you could if you didn't come out betting agaist someone who will call. It's all extremely situational like any other poker game.
Royal: The odds are still not good enough to draw for this unless of course you are one card away (and the right amount of money is in the pot). So don't think just because there are less cards royal suddenly becomes something to draw for if you are holding AK suited pre-flop. (Although AK suited is a great starting hand anyway)
What are the odds of a royal in this game? Figure it out and post a reply. I think it's interesting.
UB Royal Hold Em 
