Five Card Draw Poker and how to play it

Heard of 5 card Poker? It was the game for the Pro’s before Texas Holdem was first introduced. In this game, the deck of 52 cards is shuffled after each round and the players get a choice to exchange their 5 cards if they wish to. As a player, the target here is to have the best hand to win the game overall. 

The Deal and the Betting:

When the game starts, each player on the table is handed 5 face-down cards and then the betting begins. The player sitting on the left-hand side of the dealer is the one to go first. In the first round, if no player raises their cards, the one with the big blind gets to open their card, whereas retaining takes place without any bet.

The level of betting depends on the type of game played:

1. If the game is a Pot Limit game, you can raise up to the limit of the pot throughout the game.
2. If the game is a No Limit game, there’s no limit on betting and you can raise all the chips in hand at once.
3. If the game is a Fixed Limit game, there is a predetermined limit set and the player can place their bets in increments as per the size of the blinds.

The Draws:

When one round of the game is completed, all the players get the choice to discard their old cards and draw new cards in each round. If a player wishes to not change their cards, they can continue their game with the existing cards too.

 The Blinds:

Blinds are usually assigned to the player sitting on the left-hand side of the dealer. During the game, every player is given an option to wait for the blind to reach your position before you start or start betting equivalent to the amount that the other players are investing. 

The Showdown:

Post draws, the final showdown of the game begins. If there are no players who’ve placed a bet, one gets the option to check their hand and opt for a bet. During the showdown, the player with the best hand gets to win the pot. There are times when there can be a tie between 2 players. In such a scenario, the chips from the pot are divided equally and the remaining chips are distributed amongst the other players in the next round.

So if you’re someone who enjoys playing the game, try your hands at 5-card draw Poker. Trust us, it’s worth investing your time and energy on!