5 Card Draw Poker Rules

There was a time when 5 Card Draw used to be one of the more popular poker variants there is.  This, however, changed with the popularity of other poker variants such as Hold’em and Omaha.  The rules of 5 Card Draw are simple enough, perhaps a reason for its early success.  The simplicity of rules in this poker game also makes it appealing to most poker beginners.

The Fundamentals of 5 Card Draw

5 Card Draw differs from other poker varieties because there are neither face-up nor face-down cards.  Players will be dealt 5 cards, and from these 5 cards, they can choose to discard certain cards and substitute them in order to make the best possible 5-card combination.  This variety is useful for beginners in that it helps them remember more easily what the winning card combinations in poker are.

How to Play 5 Card Draw

To start the poker game, the player left to the dealer will post the small blind.  The player left to that player will post the big blind.  After this phase, the players will be dealt 5 hole cards.  After all the players have been dealt 5 cards, the betting round begins.  The player left to the one who posted the big blind will start this action.  In this phase, players can choose among calling, raising or folding.

After this, a Draw phase will occur.  In this phase, players can choose cards among their hands that they wish to discard.  They can choose to discard none if they wish to do so.  After all the players have discarded their cards, they will be dealt the same number of cards they discarded.

A betting round follows this.  Again, players will be given the option to call, raise or fold.  The player who will start this action is the first player who posted the small blind.  If that player has already folded, it will be followed by the player immediately to his left.

After the second betting round, the winner is going to be determined.  If there is only one poker player left, then that player is the winner.  If there are two or more players, then these players will enter the Showdown phase.  In this phase, the winner is the one with the strongest 5-card combination.  If two players end up having the same value of hands, then the pot will be divided between these two players.  The suit of each hand will have no bearing in the event that this happens.

We hope that you have enjoyed this brief introduction to the rules of 5 Card Draw and if you are interested in playing 5 Card Draw we have for your convenience posted a banner below where we believe you can safely play the game of 5 Card Draw online.

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