How to Play:
Draw poker is played between 2 to 8 players and can not be played against the house, viz. it can not be played in a casino. Casinos offer other poker games specially adapted for that purpose.
A standard 52 cards deck (with an option to add 1 joker) is used. One of the players acts as a dealer. The dealer is replaced by the next player in the clockwise direction as a new round begins. However, players may reject acting as a dealer and pass the deck to the next player.
Before any dealing starts, all players agree on the betting limits and place an initial bet called ante. Ante is usually lower or equal to the minimum bet allowed during the game.
As all players place their ante, the cards are dealt one-by-one, face down and in the clockwise direction starting from the player to the dealers left, until each player has 5 cards. Traditionally, the cards can not be seen until the dealing is over. Unlike some other poker variants, in draw poker, the cards of each player are private and must not be seen by anyone, but the player itself.
When each player receives his 5 initial cards, the first betting round takes place. Depending on the hand the player has, he may continue playing or fold, which means forfeit everything he have placed in the pot and live the game. If the player decides to continue playing he may bet, call, check or raise, depending on the situation. If the betting round has not been opened yet, (viz. none of the players have placed a bet in this particular round), a player may decide to open the round, placing a bet into the pot or to check, which means continue playing without betting. If any of the players bets, the round is considered open and players can not check anymore. All players must equalize the bet or fold if they do not want to risk such money. So if a player receives his turn after a previous player has placed a bet he must place an equal bet, which is called calling. Such player may also place a large bet. Such action is called a raise and once again requires equalizing the amount of the bet. In the end of a betting round, all players who stay at the game must have placed an equal amount of money into the pot, otherwise the betting round is not complete. If a player defines a new bet by betting or raising, and all other players either call or fold, which does not change the size of the bet in play, this player can not re-raise his own bet, and the betting round ends.
After the first betting round, players may change some of their cards, placing them face down on the table and receiving the same number of new cards from the deck. When it is done, the second betting round takes place. The second betting round technically is absolutely equal to the first one, but tactically it is different, because players can not change any more cards, and the hands they hold are the final hands that will be played on the showdown, so betting is now based on pure facts. The second betting round is followed by showdown, where all players who did not fold, reveal their hands and the player with the best hand (according to the hands ranking posted below) wins the game. It is also possible that all, but one player fold. In this case the remaining player wins the pot without showdown.
How are the Hands Ranked?
- Straight Flush: 5 cards of the same suit that follow each other. For example, 5-6-7-8-9 (all of hearts)
- Four of a Kind: 4 cards of the same rank.
- Flush: 5 cards of a suit.
- Straight: 5 cards that follow each other. For example 8-9-10-J-K
- Three of a Kind: 3 cards of the same rank.
- Two Pairs: 2 pairs of equal rank cards.
- One Pair: 2 cards of the same rank.
- High Card: A hand where none of the above combination is included is ranked by the highest card present.
Note: If two players have the same combination, their hands are compared by the highest card among the wining part of the hand. For example, a pair of Jacks beats a pair of 9s. If the highest card is also equal the second highest card is compared and so on. J-J-10-10-8 beats J-J-6-6-2.
Example:
John, Kate, Charlie and Susan play draw poker. They all place 1 dollar ante and receive 5 cards, after which John starts the betting round. He checks. Kate, who plays after John checks too, and Charlie opens the betting round by placing 2 dollars bet. Susan calls Charlies bet and places another 2 dollars into the pot. Now it is Johns turn once again. He also calls, placing 2 dollars. Kate raises the Charlies bet to 4 dollars. Now the bet in play belongs to Kate. Charlie calls the bet, placing 2 additional dollars (to equalize the 2 dollars bet he has placed in the previous turn). Susan does the same as Charlie. John decides that his hand is not worth risking such money and folds. Now, Kate has made the bet and both remaining players (Charlie and Susan) have called it. Kate can not re-raise her own bet and the betting round is over. All players change the cards they want and the second round begins. Kate checks. Charlie bets 5 dollars. Susan folds. Now only Charlie and Kate remain in the game. Kate raises Charlies bet to 10 dollars. Charlie re-raises to 15 (placing only 10, because he already placed 5 before). Kate re-raises to 30 dollars (placing 20) and Charlie calls (placing 15 dollars). The showdown takes place. Charlie has three Queens, and Kate has three Aces. Kate wins the pot (78 dollars in total).