How to Play 5 Card Draw

Five card draw has a long history in the United States, dating back to the days of the cowboys and gunslingers.  It’s a game steeped in tradition and most Western movies feature at least one game of five card draw.  Although rarely played in casinos today, five card draw is common in home games due to its simplicity.

The Ante

The ante is used to get some money in the middle of the table and generate action.  At the beginning of every hand, every player at the table must put a small bet in the pot.

The Deal

The dealer deals five cards face down to each player, starting with the player to his left and moving clockwise around the table, one card at a time.

Betting Round 1

After the players receive their cards, they look at what they have and the first round of betting begins.  The player to the left of the dealer starts the betting and he may check, bet or fold.  The play then moves clockwise around the table.

The Draw

The players remaining in the hand may now discard as many cards as they want and replace them with new cards.

Betting Round 2

After every player remaining has finished drawing, a second betting round begins.  This round begins with the player who was the first to place a bet in the last round.

The Showdown

The players still in the hand after the second betting round show their cards.  The player with the best five card poker hand wins the pot.

5 Card Draw House Rules

Blinds

Some five card draw games use blinds instead of antes.  Instead of making every player pay an ante, the blinds make only two players pay an ante.

The small blind is located to the left of the dealer and the big blind is located to the left of the small blind.

The big blind pays some predetermined amount based on the stakes of the game being played and the small blind pays half what the big blind pays.

When using the blind system, the order of play changes slightly.  On the first betting round, the player to the left of the big blind starts the action.  This player must at least call the big blind to stay in the hand.  His options are to call, fold or raise.  The play then moves clockwise around the table.

During the second betting round, the play starts with the player to the left of the dealer and continues as normal.

Four Card Max

This rule is common in home games and states that a player may only discard three cards unless he has an ace.  If he has an ace, he may discard every card except the ace.

Where to Play Five Card Draw

PokerStars is one of the few poker sites you can visit to play five card draw.  The game is offered elsewhere, but only at tiny sites where the five card draw tables are rarely populated.  PokerStars is your best bet in this case because its huge player base makes it easier to find other five card draw fans.