5 Card Draw

IS 5 CARD DRAW EASY? YOU BET!

Of all the variations of poker, 5 card draw is one of the simplest and easiest to learn. For informal play, it's the variation learned by most novices, and it's best played with anywhere from two to six players. One player is designated dealer, and each player is dealt five cards before the first round of betting. Subsequent rounds allow the players to draw (replace) cards and build a winning hand.

5 Card Draw Basics

For illustrative purposes let's say you're playing "penny ante" 5 card draw with friends on poker night. Before the players receive their five cards, each tosses an ante (an agreed-upon preliminary bet) of one penny into the pot (the center of the table). The cards are dealt face down. The players view their cards, taking care that no one else sees them. Perhaps you're sitting to the dealer's left; this means you'll be betting first. If you have the potential for a strong hand, you might bet a nickel. Betting proceeds around the table, and players must either "see" (match) your nickel or "fold" (throw their cards in and quit).

However, if you have a weak hand, you might elect to "check," allowing you to pass the responsibility of placing the first bet to the next player. If you do this, though, the bet will come back around to you, and you will be obligated to see the bet or fold.

After the first round of bets, the draw phase begins, and each player discards from his hand as many cards as he wishes to replace. It's back to you on the dealer's left, and if you've rejected three cards, the dealer provides you three replacements. You combine the new cards with the two you had left to make a new hand.

After all players have done this, another round of bets takes place, and the coins are added to the pot. You feel good about your hand and bet a dime. The next player, though, thinks you're bluffing: He sees your dime and raises you a quarter. The next player would have to bet 35 cents to stay in the game, and the remaining players must do the same until the last cardholder says "I call," and each party must show his cards.

While playing 5 Card draw online at sites like PokerStars, the limits range from $0.10/$0.20 all the way up to $30/$60! You can also play for free, if you don't want to play for real money.

Winning 5 Card Draw

Best hand wins, and the highest poker hand is a royal flush.

Here are the others:
2. Straight flush
3. Four of a kind
4. Full house
5. Flush
6. Straight
7. Three of a kind
8. Two pairs
9. One pair

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