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5 Card Draw Rules

April 4, 2010

Back in the early days five card poker was the most popular poker game played in America and it has remained popular until today. The game is not played at the live casinos or tournaments but it remains a popular choice for recreational home games and it is very suitable for the beginners. If you need to know how to play poker, then 5 card draw would be the game to get you started. This poker variant is very easy to understand as compared to other poker variants. Players will also be able to make use of the skills and strategies of this game in other poker variants. Here are the 5 Card Draw rules:

How To Play 5 Card Draw

Each player makes a small fee called the ante and this is placed in the pot. After the ante, each player is given 5 cards faced down and the betting interval commences. The betting interval kicks off with the player left to the dealer button and the game play proceeds in a clockwise direction. The player is able to bet, pass or fold his or her hand. If any player makes a bet the other players will now have to call, raise or fold their hand. The betting interval ends when all players have made their bets, if all players fold or pass their hands they will be dealt with a new hand and the ante remain in the pot for the next hand.  Please read our 5 Card Draw strategy article for tips on how to play draw poker better.

After the first betting interval, players are given the option to draw all their cards so as to improve their hand. Players are dealt with replacement cards, faced down, and the dealer deals the cards in a clockwise direction from the player left to the dealer button. All players should have five cards and the second betting interval commences as soon as all players make a draw and the player left to the dealer button starts game play.

During the second betting interval, if there is one player remaining in the game s/he wins the pot but if 2 or more people remain in the game players would have to show their cards and this is know as the show down.

During the show down, if players have got the same cards, the pot will be awarded to the player with the highest hand. For example, a pair or jacks is beaten by a pair of kings and so on. If people have the same pair such as a pair of 2s then the pot is awarded to the player with the highest kicker at which a kicker is the other card which is not part of the pair.