Five Card Draw Poker

📌 Quick Info

  • Name of the Game: Five Card Draw Poker
  • Number of Players: 2 to 6
  • Decks Required: 1 Standard 52-card deck (no Jokers)

🎯 Objective

To make the best five-card poker hand after one round of drawing and betting.


🛠️ What You Need

  • 1 Deck of 52 cards
  • Poker chips or coins
  • Dealer button (optional)

🔄 How to Play – Step by Step

▶️ Setup

  1. All players post an ante (e.g., ₹5) to create the pot.
  2. Dealer gives 5 cards face-down to each player.

▶️ Betting Round 1

Players look at their cards and choose to Fold, Call, or Raise.

▶️ Drawing Round

Each player may discard 0 to 5 cards and receive new ones from the deck.

▶️ Betting Round 2

After drawing, a second round of betting occurs.

▶️ Showdown

All remaining players show their cards. Best 5-card hand wins the pot.


🧠 Game Scenarios

  • Example: You have: 9♠ 9♦ 3♣ 7♠ Q♦ → Discard 3♣, 7♠, Q♦ → Draw: 9♥ 9♣ 4♠ → Final hand: Four of a Kind!
  • Tip: If you have three of a kind, discard the two unrelated cards for a shot at full house or four of a kind.

📜 Rules

  • Players may draw up to 5 cards in the draw round.
  • Bluffing is allowed and common.
  • There are usually two betting rounds (before and after the draw).

⚙️ Optional / House Rules

  • Limit or No-Limit: Set bet sizes or allow free betting.
  • Single Draw: Most common. You can also play Double Draw (two draw rounds).

🧮 Card Rankings

Same as Texas Hold’em:

  • Royal Flush: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
  • Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, etc. (down to High Card)

🎮 Example Game

  • Initial Hand: K♠ K♥ 4♣ 6♦ 9♥
  • Draw: Discard 4♣, 6♦, 9♥ → Draw J♠, 3♠, K♦
  • Final Hand: K♠ K♥ K♦ J♠ 3♠ = Three of a Kind

📚 History & Origin

  • Five Card Draw is one of the oldest poker variants.
  • Popular in the Old West and early home games.
  • Less common in casinos today but still loved for its simplicity.