How to Play Five Card Draw Poker
Explore a detailed breakdown of each phase in a five card draw match:
Ante & Blind Bets
Typical five card poker matches involve ante or blind bets—sometimes both! An ante is a universal initial bet necessary for all players to receive cards. Blind bets differ; they require the two players next to the dealer to contribute. The first generally pays a small amount, while the second contributes a larger sum.
When playing online, the dealer role rotates among players. However, as the dealing is automatic, it mainly affects who makes the blind bets.
The Deal
After all bets are placed, players receive five concealed cards. These initial cards give you an insight into potential strong hands and, if you're lucky, recognizable poker hands are revealed early. A preliminary betting round known as the ‘pre-draw’ follows.
During this betting round, players can choose to:
Fold: Exit the game, forfeiting any earlier wagers.
Check: Stay in the game without betting further.
Bet: Allocate a wager—all players must meet this amount to keep playing.
Call: Match another player’s wager to continue in the game.
Raise: Match and then increase a previous bet. Everyone else must match this new wager to stick around.
The Draw
Once every player has made their moves, they enter the draw phase. Players, following turn order, can decide how many cards to trade from their current hand, exchanging them for new ones. The choice to trade any number of cards, or none, lies with each player.
This phase provides a chance to enhance one's hand through risk. Once cards are swapped, fresh ones are dealt until each player has a complete hand of five cards.
Post-Draw Betting
With their new hand, players assess their hand strength before another betting round featuring the options: fold, bet, check, call, or raise.
Showdown
If at least two players remain after this final betting round, they proceed to the showdown where players reveal their hands. The best of these hands takes the pot home.