5 Cards Draw

PLAYERS: 3 to 6 is ideal.
CARDS: Five cards, all down.
BETTING: Two rounds plus ante; betting tends to be relatively low.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: Keep a close eye on how many cards each poker player draws from the deck.
WHAT WINS: Usually a high pair or better.

Five-card draw, or draw poker, is one of the oldest poker games, and it is unique in that players have the opportunity to exchange their cards or “draw” from the deck to try and improve their hands. So, if you don’t like what you see, you can always try your luck with some new cards. Unlike stud games, players only see the cards in their own hands. (But smart poker players will pay close attention to how many cards other players draw after the first round of betting, as well as their opponents’ betting patterns.)

Before opening the poker game, the dealer must decide how many cards each player can draw from the deck after the first round of betting. The standard limit is three. In some poker games, a player may draw four cards if he is holding an Ace, which must be shown to the table.

After everyone has put in his or her ante, the dealer deals five cards facedown to each player. Betting begins with the player to the left of the dealer. He may bet, check, or fold. Betting continues clockwise around the table, and each player has the opportunity to call, raise, or fold. Some people play poker that it is necessary to have at least a pair of Jacks to open the betting in five-card draw or omaha. If the player closest to the dealer’s left does not have a pair of Jacks or better, the betting moves clockwise around the table until a player with a pair of Jacks or better can open the betting.

After the first round of betting, all remaining poker players (those who did not fold) can draw up to three new cards from the deck (sometimes four cards are allowed; see front of card). The player discards the cards he does not want and is then dealt new cards from the top of the deck. Of course, if a player does not want any new poker cards, he can “stand pat” and keep the hand he is holding.

Once all the players have received their new cards, the second round of poker betting begins. As in the first round, the player closest to the dealers left opens, and the betting moves clockwise around the table. After all the bets have been placed, the players show their hands—the poker player with the best hand takes the pot.

TIPS & STRATEGY

• Traditionalists believe that to open the betting in five-card draw a poker player should have at least a four-card flush, four-card straight, or a high pair. However, if betting is light and you are holding a small pair, a medium pair, or even two high cards, you might want to stay in for the next round. (A high pair is generally a pair of Jacks or higher; a pair of 7s, 8s, 9s or lOs would be considered a medium pair; and a pair of 6's or less is a small pair).

• If the betting is high in the opening round and you are not holding at least a pair, there is a good chance that at least one poker player has at least a high pair. This is particularly true with more players at the table. However, if players are betting high in the opening round, it indicates strength, regardless of the number of players. Your chances of drawing a hand to beat them are slim, so consider folding (or bluffing) rather than chasing cards in the hopes of improving your hand. You might get lucky on the draw, but, in the long run, you’ll save a lot of money by getting out when you should.

• If you are dealt a strong poker hand—a high three of a kind or better—hold off on raising or opening with a large bet: You do not want to scare off any potential bettors. With a strong hand, play poker cool in the opening round and just call bets. In some cases, a raise might work if another player has already raised the opening bet.

• However, if you have a high pair, consider making a fairly high bet. This is a strong hand but certainly not unbeatable. By betting high you might drive out some players and improve your chances of winning the pot.

It might seem obvious, but to improve your hand on the draw, you need something to draw to. So if you are holding a pair of Kings, keep them and draw three new cards. Poker Players who keep their pair and draw three new cards have a 1 in 3.48 chance of improving their hand.

In general, it is smarter to build on what you have, rather than chase a possible hand. For instance, if you are dealt 8-9-1O-J-J, don’t break up the pair of Jacks in the hopes of drawing to a straight.

Drawing to a four-flush or a four-straight can pay off. However, going after an inside straight, or a three- straight (three cards in sequence) or three-flush (three suited cards) is risky at best. Smart poker players don’t even try. Drawing to an inside straight has very little chance of success and is a common novice mistake. Most professional poker players will tell you never draw to an inside straight.