One of the easiest poker games to learn, 5 Card Draw Poker is a great first card game for beginners to play in order to absorb the common hand rankings. Game play is quick and simple, with one drawing round between two betting rounds.

The term “Draw Poker” refers to poker games with one or more drawing rounds in which players may keep only the cards they think stand a chance at forming a winning hand, mucking junk cards for new cards from the deck. Unlike flop games such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, there are no community cards. Each player has five private cards to working with at any given time, in which to form the best possible five-card hand.

The only major difference between casino or online 5 Card Draw Poker rules and common house rules is that home games usually implement antes, whereas the poker room games generally utilize blinds.

5 Card Draw Poker – Rules
In 5 Card Draw Poker each player is dealt five cards, face-down after the blinds or antes are posted. Each player reviews their cards, and the first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind – or the player to the left of the dealer if antes are being used. Betting continues to the left  (clockwise) around the table until everyone has acted.

Next, each player determines which cards they wish to keep and which cards to exchange for new cards. In online 5 Card Draw Poker games, this is usually done by clicking the cards you have elected to discard, then clicking a confirmation button. After each player, in turn, exchanges their mucked cards for new ones, the second betting round begins, this time beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button, generally the small blind. Again, if antes are being used instead of blinds, the player to the left of the dealer acts first.

Following the final betting round, if a showdown is necessary (two or more players haven't folded), the remaining players reveal their cards. The player who can form the highest ranking five-card hand wins the pot.

5 Card Draw Poker – Strategy
Unlike Stud, Hold'em and Omaha, the only information available on the strength of an opponent's hand comes directly from the opponent. There are, however, clues to be gleaned from the actions of opponents, and from past behavior of those you have played before.

In a live game, physical tells can be learned by watching your opponents, and following through to the end if you suspect a bluff. Uncovering a bluff gives you powerful information to watch for in the future. If you are playing 5 Card Draw Poker online, physical clues won't help. However, betting patterns can provide important clues about individual opponents, such as their degree of aggression/passivity.

Another clue is in the number of cards each player swaps out during the drawing round, which can also be utilized for bluffing. Players who discard three cards may be holding a pair and drawing toward a three-of-a-kind. When players keep three cards, they might be holding a set, or they may simply have a pair and a high card, shooting for two pair or possibly a full house.

Exchanging one card may indicate two pair if the player raised in the first round, or a straight or flush draw if they called. A great bluff is to raise in the first betting round, keep all five cards, and raise again. However, this ploy should be implemented sparingly, and is best set up by playing a tight, passive game throughout most hands.