Draw Poker is one of the classic and traditional poker games, it is also known as 5 Card Draw. It was the most famous kind of poker until recently when players started to pay more attention to other types of poker such as Omaha & Texas Hold’em.
Resulting from the simple rules, many online operators have moved Draw Poker form their Poker halls and into video poker games. The rules are the exact same, the only difference is that there is no competition. The payout depends on the strength of your own hand.
How to play Draw Poker
If you play Draw Poker as a table game, you will place an opening bet before you are dealt the cards. Then each player gets dealt 5 cards faced down. Then the players choose to either fold, to call someone’s bet or to raise the wager. After this initial wagering round, each player selects which cards he wants to discard. Each player can return up to 3 cards.
If the player has an Ace, he can return four cards after showing his ace. After the players get the replacement cards, there is another wagering round. Then comes the showdown, it is where players show their hands and the owner of the best hand wins all the wagers excluding the rake.
The rake is a percent of the bet that the casinos takes as a fee for the usage of its facilities. As for the hands, they are the same hands in any poker game.
Draw Poker
There are numerous poker versions that are played by millions of poker fans around the world. Some versions are more popular than others are. There are Texas Hold’em Poker, Straight Poker, Draw Poker and 7-card stud poker among others. The concept of these games is the same as the winner is the player who has the best poker hand that consists of 5 cards. The difference between the versions is the procedure of the game, the rules and the order of the dealt cards. Draw Poker, also known as 5-card draw poker is one of the classic poker versions.
The first ever poker series took place in 1970, it was named the World Series of Poker, also referred to as WSOP. The game entered mainstream media for the first time in 1980 as it was portrayed as a card game that is recreationally played.
Poker Hands Ranking
Before going through the details of 5-card draw poker and its procedure, you will have to know the ranking of the different poker hand; it is the most essential part of any poker game because it is what enables you to become the winner. This ranking is the same regardless of what poker version you are playing, including five card draw poker. The poker hand consists of 5 cards. Here are the different poker hands in a descending order.
– 5 of a Kind:
This hand can only be achieved in poker versions that include a joker or a wild card. Players who get four identical cards plus the wild card will form this hand. For example, if the wild card is a joker, players who form a poker hand of “4x Tens + the Joker” will form a Five of a Kind.
– A Royal Flush:
The royal flush hand consists of 5 cards that start with a Ten and ends with an Ace and they have to be of the same suit. For example a hand of “10 + J + Q + K +Ace” of Spades.
– Four of a Kind:
A Four of a Kind hand that has four identical cards such as 4x Tens, 4 X jacks or 4X sevens.
– Full House:
The Full House hand consists of 3 identical cards and other two identical cards. For example, a hand that consists of “3x Jacks + 2x Queens” or “3x Sevens + 2x Aces is a Full House.
– Straight Flush:
Straight Flush is a hand that consists of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. For example, a hand that consists of “5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9” of diamonds.
– Flush:
A Flush is a hand that consists of 5 cards of the same suit. The ranking of the flush against other flushes is determined by the highest card of the five cards. Therefore, a hand of Ace+ Queen + Jack + 10 + 7 of spades will beat a hand of King + Queen + Jack + 10 + 7 of spades.
– Straight:
A Straight is a hand that consists of 5 consecutive cards that have a different suit.
– 3 of a Kind:
3 of a Kind is a hand that contains three identical cards. For example, a hand of “3x Tens + Jack + Seven” is a 3 of a kind.
– Two Pair:
Two pair is when players get a hand that has two different sets of pairs. For example, a hand that consists of “2x Jacks + 2x Fours”.
– Pair:
Players who have a poker hand that has two identical cards is called a Pair.
– The High Card:
If all of the players who are sitting at the table do not have any of the above mentioned hands, the player who has the highest card will win.
There are other factors that affect the strength of the poker hand. One of these factors is the Kicker. A Kicker is used as a referee to separate between two hands that have the same Pair, Two Pair or 3 of a kind. The kicker is the high card that accompanies these hands. For example, a hand that has “2 Jacks + 2 Queens + Ace” will win over a hand that has “2 Jacks + 2 Queens + Ten”. This is because it has an Ace Kicker which is higher than a Ten Kicker.
Draw Poker Game Procedure
Like any poker version, the game starts with an obligatory wager called the “Ante Bet” that each player has to place in order to participate in the game before getting any cards. After the players place this initial bet, the dealer will give each player five cards facing down. Each player will only be able to see his own cards.
After the players see their cards, a round of wagering will begin. Players will raise and re-raise each other or they can fold. After this wagering round is over, each player will choose some of the cards that he wants to discard. These cards will be replaced with new cards. After each player gives the dealer his burnt cards, the dealer will replace them with new cards. After each player does that, another wagering round will begin, which is more aggressive and competitive than the previous one because it is the final one. After it is done, the showdown will take place. In this showdown, each player will show his hand and they will start comparing between the poker hands and the winner will be the player who has the highest-ranking poker hand.
This poker version was the most popular poker version but it was overthrown by Texas Hold’em Poker which was a direct result of the appearance of online poker and hole cameras. These two factors turned Poker, especially Texas Hold’em Poker into a spectator sport rather than just a card game.