5 Card Draw Poker Online: How & Where to Play
While it may not be as popular as it used to be, 5 card draw poker is often considered the simplest poker game variation and great option for beginners and those who enjoy quick games. This guide will introduce you to 5 card poker rules and how to play 5 card draw poker.
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How to Play 5 Card Draw Poker Online
Chances are if you’ve played poker in the past, you’ll be able to pick up 5 card draw in no time.
Simply put, each player’s goal is to make the best possible poker hand by exchanging cards in their hands for ones from the deck. 5 card draw hand rankings are very similar to other popular poker variations.
Read on for each step of a hand of 5 card poker.
Deal, Ante & Blinds
In 5 card poker, one of the players will be given the responsibility of acting as the dealer. This player will be referred to as the dealer or “on the button”.
In online games, this player will typically have a chip marked “dealer” placed near their cards. The cards will be dealt automatically, and the dealer button is only relevant for placement on the table.
5 card can be played with blinds or antes.
When playing with antes, each player is required to bet the same amount before any cards are dealt. This amount is known as the ante.
When playing with blinds, the two players to the left of the dealer are required to place bets before any cards are dealt. The player closest to the dealer will place the small blind (e.g. $5) and the next player to the left will place the big blind (e.g. $10).
Once the blinds or antes are settled, each player will be dealt 5 cards, one at a time, face down.
Pre-Draw Betting Round
After cards have been dealt, there is an initial round of betting.
Like in other poker variations, players can choose to either bet, raise, check, call, or fold, depending on the circumstance.
Once each player has had a chance to bet, and all players have either folded or committed the same amount to the pot, the game enters the draw phase.
Draw Phase
In the draw phase, players have a chance to improve their hand by trading cards from their hand for the equivalent amount from the deck.
Moving clockwise around the table, each player will have a chance to draw. When it is their turn, the player must choose how many cards they wish to discard. Note, should a player wish to keep all of their cards, they can ‘stand pat’ and choose not to draw.
Once the player has discarded, the dealer will deal that same amount of cards back to the player, ensuring they still have 5 cards in their hand.
Post-Draw Betting Round
Once all players have exchanged cards, there is an additional round of betting. During this round, players have all the same bet types available as they did in the pre-draw betting round – fold, check, bet, call, or raise.
Like in the pre-draw betting round, once all players have either folded or placed equal wagers, the betting round ends. Assuming there is more than one active player remaining, the game moves into the showdown phase.
Showdown
Like in other poker variations, once betting is complete, remaining players must “show down” – reveal their cards for the table to see.
5 card poker is no exception – once active players have finished betting and drawing, their cards will be turned face-up, and the best poker hand takes the pot.
Read on for a list of 5 card draw poker hand rankings.
The History of 5 Card Draw
5 Card Draw is one of the oldest poker games in the world, dating back to the middle ages and the Wild West, where cowboys played 5 card draw a matter of course in saloons at the turn of the 19th century.
While 5 Card Draw has been eclipsed in popularity by Texas Hold ‘em, it remains a much-played poker game and it’s only in the 20th century that it was overtaken in popularity so can claim to have been the most popular poker variant in the world for the longest time.
Played often by miners who had spent the day panning for gold 5 Card Draw began with just one betting round at the beginning of the game and no draw. At this time, 5 Card Draw was played with just 20 cards, with the cards ranking from ten up to ace in the four suits. The only hands you could go for were one pair, two pair, three of a kind, a full house and four of a kind. The best hand in this format was four aces or four kings with an ace kicker, since that would eliminate the possibility of a better hand.
With the full deck of cards introduced in the 1820’s, more cards meant more players and drawing cards was introduced, along with additional betting rounds, with a flush and a straight two rankings hands that were added thereafter.
As the Mississippi riverboats become floating casinos, New Orleans became the home of 5 Card Draw and everyone would head to The Big Easy for a game. Popular with soldiers during many world wars, 5 Card Draw remains a hugely social game, and while seven card stud took some of the 5 Card Draw players from the population, online poker brought many more back.
5 Card Draw Poker Hand Rankings
The best poker hands in 5 card are very similar to most popular poker games. They are ranked best to worst in the chart below.
| Poker Hand Name | Cards | Example Hand |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 – same suit | 
|
| Straight Flush | Five sequential cards – same suit | 
|
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same value, one of each suit | 
|
| Full House | Three cards of the same value, and a pair of an additional value | 
|
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit – any order | 
|
| Straight | Five sequential cards – any suit | 
|
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same value – other two cards don’t matter | 
|
| Two Pair | Two cards of the same value and two cards of a different value – fifth card doesn’t matter | 
|
| One Pair | Two cards of the same value – other three cards don’t matter | 
|
| High Card | None of the above, defer to the highest-value card in the hand | 
|
5 Card Poker Strategies
Even the most basic online poker variants like 5 card draw come with sound strategies that can help even novice players stay in the game longer, learn basic game flow and, in a best-case scenario, grow their bankroll by winning pots.
Don’t be Afraid to Raise
Calculated aggressiveness is important in poker. If you have a strong hand, raising can cause other players to fold and increase the 5 card draw pot size.
3-or-More Card Rule
The amount of cards you’ll need to draw is a good metric for when you should fold or bet. Especially if you didn’t have to post a blind, if you have to draw 3 or more cards, you should consider folding.
Use Checking to Play for Free
If you’re on the fence about your hand, and might fold if there’s action, if there are no bets before you, just ‘check’. This will keep you in the game longer and give you a chance of making it to the draw/showdown phase for free.
Common Strategies
In 5 Card Draw, just like in Texas Hold ‘em, you want to be raising more than calling if you’re playing the hand. Plenty of 5 Card Draw players will limp into pots, so by taking early control you can lead the action.
Limping may often be the wrong action, but in 5 Card Draw, there are exceptions to prove that rule. If you complete in the small blind with two or more players in the pot, this is perfectly fine and checking in the big blind is not a bad idea if you feel that raising out of position is going to damage your chances.
In 5 Card Draw, making three of a kind is a kind of baseline aim that you should shoot for, with trips the best chance you have of making a regularly winning hand. By that token, if you’re dealt two queens, two unmatching low cards and a king, you’d be best advised to keep the queens and draw three cards, sacrificing the higher card king for the chance of making a higher value hand.
What to Do With Dealt Hands
Given the number of players who limp, if you raise to isolate a weaker player pre-flop, that’s a great strategy too. Here are a few dealt hands and what you should be thinking as you consider how many cards to switch for new ones when its your turn to draw.
- If you’re dealt a pair, draw three cards in an attempt to make trips.
- If you’re dealt trips, draw two and aim for four-of-a-kind or a full house.
- If you have a flush or straight draw, switch one card only to attempt to complete it.
- If you have a terrible hand, keep cards higher in value than a jack and draw the rest.
5 Card Poker Glossary
All In
When you wager all of your remaining chips into the pot in hopes of either winning the pot or busting out.
Ante
Equal bets made by every player at the table before the cards are dealt.
Bankroll
Your stack of chips on the poker table.
Blinds
The small blind is a bet made by the player directly to the left of dealer, and the big blind is a 2x bet of small blind to the left of the small blind. Blinds must be placed before the cards are dealt to ensure action.
Bluff
When you pretend to have good cards, but don’t.
Call
When you match the highest active bet.
Chips
The tokens on the table that represent a certain value or dollar amount.
Check
When no wager is made and the action is on the next player to the left.
Down to the Felt
Out of chips.
Draw
When you discard up to five of your cards in exchange for new ones.
Fold
You surrender your hand and any pending bets on the table.
Muck
As a verb, another word for fold. As a noun, the discarded cards on the table.
On the Button
The player on the button is the dealer.
On the Tilt
Emotionally fueled betting, void of reason or strategy; usually trying to make up losses. Avoid this at all cost!
Raise
When you match and increase another player’s active bet.
Slow Play
Betting regularly in small increments, typically done when you believe you have a strong hand and you’re try to lure the other poker players in to fattening up the pot.
5 Card Poker FAQs
How do you play five card draw poker?
First, you need to read our online casino reviews and sign up for an account. We review a hypothetical five card poker hand in detail above. Basically, after receiving their cards, a round of betting occurs, after which each player can draw up to five NEW cards to make the strongest five-card poker hand possible. After receiving the new cards, another round of betting occurs. Some players may decide to fold their hand between each round of betting. Remaining players flip over their cards and the one with the best five cards wins the pot.
What is the best hand for five card poker?
The best hand for five card poker is a Royal Flush. That is defined as five cards of the same suit, ranked Ace through 10 (ex: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 of Hearts).
Why is it called five card draw poker?
It’s called draw poker because after the initial rounds of betting, each player at the table can draw up to five NEW cards to make the strongest five-card poker hand possible.
Are the hand rankings the same as regular poker?
Depends on your definition of ‘regular poker’ — draw poker hand rankings, best to worst, are royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card.
Are the rules the same as regular poker online?
In some cases yes, but it depends which version of poker online you’re referring to. In our guide above, we review the rules, play a hypothetical hand and explain the best five-card hands possible.
