Five Card Draw
Have you ever been to a poker game, learnt the basic rules, played the game and then been invited to another game only to find a completely different set of rules? Sounds like a confusing time, right? Well, as easy as it is to dismiss poker as just a card game, it simply isn’t so. Poker is a game that’s been around for a long time. And while it is easy to think of poker as this singular game, poker has, like all other things, evolved with time. Newer versions of the game have popped up along the way. There are numerous versions of poker; so many that your head will spin. But don’t worry; we won’t be doing a census of them all. Today, we’ll be looking at a variant called Five Card Draw. Read on, I’ve got you covered.
What is Five Card Draw?
Five Card Draw, or 5 Card Draw, has been played for a long time. Its origins can be traced back to the Wild West, in the 19th century. It is rumored to have been in play since even longer. However, in its nascent stages, it could’ve done away with being called 5 Card ‘Draw’, since the players didn’t draw much. They were each dealt 5 cards, and that was followed by a betting round. The game was also played with a deck that consisted of only 20 cards, instead of a modern deck of 52 cards.
It was in the year 1820 that the modern deck was introduced to the game. After which, the players had an opportunity to play one after another. It also allowed them to draw cards, which resulted in the game gaining a huge following and becoming one of the most widely played versions of poker. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the success of another offshoot called 7 card stud and now, in recent times, Texas Hold’em poker. It is still a fun and easy game to play, and is one of the most popular games to be played at home.
Now that the history lesson is over, we can get to the good stuff and learn the rules.
5 Card Draw Poker Rules
Before we look at the 5 Card Draw Poker rules, we need to consider our objective in the game. You don’t go to the grocery store without a list of the things to want from there, do you? Similarly, our end goal from this game helps us understand the rules better. As with any other poker game, the object of 5 Card Draw is to win the pot. The pot can consist of chips, which are then converted into real money. If you’re playing in a tournament, then you just have to collect the chips to win the prize money. With the goal of the game sorted, we can move on to the rules. Finally!
The Button is the strongest position and is the last player to act post-flop.
The Blinds always act first post-flop, but they are the last to act pre-flop. The Blinds are players that have to place a certain amount as a minimum bet before the pre-flop stage.
At this point a betting round begins. The first person to play in each round is the Small Blind, with the Button finishing up at last.
Now, how can anyone determine what hand qualifies as a strong hand? It’s quite simple. All you have to do is refer to the hand rankings. The hand rankings used in 5 Card Draw are the same as those used in Texas Hold’em. Here’s a list that can help you out:
5 Card Draw Hand Rankings (from worst to best):
Variants of 5 Card Draw
5 Card Draw is a complete game in itself, but it has also spawned a lot of variants of its own. All of these variants are some version of 5 Card Draw. They are as follows:
Strategic Tips for 5 Card Draw
Now that we’ve gone over the poker rules and looked over some of the variants of the game, we have enough of a stronghold to understand some strategy. These tips will ensure that you play a game of 5 Card Draw well.
These tips can get you through plenty of games of 5 Card Draw. They’re also great fundamentals, and you can build up your knowledge of the game, as you go along, using these strategic tips.
Why Should You Play 5 Card Draw?
5 Card Draw is a really entertaining and fun card game. It’s a delight for beginners because the rules seem pretty straight forward. While other games like Texas Hold’em can intimidate a newbie, 5 Card Draw is extremely approachable.
Apart from being an enjoyable card game, it is also a great way to learn the basics of poker. The games are shorter, but consist of the same procedure and are based on the rules of general poker. It also teaches amateurs how to read hands. They can develop the skill of hand reading and also analyzing their opponents, without the tension of the high stakes, and slightly more intimidating atmosphere, of Texas Hold’em poker.
Another advantage is the scope of making profits. A lot of 5 Card Draw games available online, are played casually. Thus, the players playing these games can be weaker, or not playing at their best. The games tend to be lower limits, and are huge draws for passive players. These kinds of players often limp, and a decent player can definitely exploit that. So, if you’re skilled and alert enough, you can make a lot of money and earn huge profits.
As we come to the conclusion of this article, you’re well equipped with knowledge about 5 Card Draw. You have learned about its rich history, gone over the rules, and even learnt some valuable strategic pointers. You’ve read about the game enough. Now all that is left to do is, play. Sadly, 5 Card Draw is not a popular game in land based casinos or card rooms. However, do not be disappointed. I’ve got a nifty solution for you. You can easily play this game on all the avenues available online. So, come join us at Spartan, download the poker app and let the games begin!