5-card poker is one of the lesser known types of poker playing. It has been a fixture in casinos such as Pussy888 than in home games. Five-card draw has also been overtake by Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker.
Online fans however, still liked playing the game. Let’s take a deeper dive into the beer to understand it more.
Playing 5-Card Draw Poker
Should you have played any other poker, the draw rules are the same, with the aim to make the best five-card poker hand.
The poker hands have a weakest to strongest ranking as seen below: High card, One pair, Two pair, Three-of-a-kind, Straight, Flush, Full house, Four-of-a-kind, Straight Flush, Royal Flush.
Here, either the players put up an ante before getting the cards, or there is a small blind and big blind which is the same as Hold’Em.
A 5 card draw can also employ 3 different betting structures such as fixed-limit, pot-limit, no-limit. Each format has different rules. There are some hands that couldn’t be played in fixed-limit 5-card draw that could become playable in no-limit 5-card, as you could force the opponent to fold.
Without further ado, 5-card draw is played like this:
- Once players have paid the anter or blinds, the players are dealt the cards.
- Everyone then bets.
- If more there is one player stays after the initial betting, another round of drawing takes place.
- The players will then state the card that they wish to take out and replace with new cards on the deck. If one is happy with the cards that they wish to no longer take, they say “stand pat.”
- After the drawing round, there is another course of betting.
- After this, if there is more than one player left standing, there is a betting on which the player who has the best five-card poker hand triumphs.
Strategy for Playing 5 Card Draw Poker
Once you have a grasp of the basics, and are more sure about playing the 5-card draw, you could now apply more advanced strategies for the game.
To accustom yourself, you need to play online, and practice with free games. Should you have a few minutes to try a game, go to a site. Something that lesser 5-card draw players encounter is playing too much hands, especially those going toward a straight or flush pattern.
Try to play tight from early positions and put up hands including aces or kings. As the position goes up, you may add other high pairs including royal cards, as long as there is a good kicker at the back.
What to Discard in a 5-Card Draw?
Here are some tips that for discarding cars from among that you hold:
- If you hold one pair, you draw three cards
- If you have a two pair, you draw one card
- If you have a three of a kind, you draw two cards
More Advanced 5-Card Strategy
If you know now the basics, you could use advanced moves. For instance you have to know what is the best play for getting three cards when you have a pair, making this play would have your opponents see your move easily, allowing them to beat you. At times, you just have to draw one or two cards with a pair, or stand pat, to stand for a holding bigger than what you have.
Not like games like hold’em, bluffing doesn’t take place as much in 5-card draw. The players would have a playable hand when betting. That’s why notes have to be taken while playing.
Where to Play 5-Card Draw Poker
While 5-Card Draw Poker doesn’t elicit much popularity as the popular Hold’em, there are still sites that you could play on. You just have to look hard, as these poker sites can be tried and you can play the game there. There are also free offerings, so these don’t need to affect your payroll.
