Poker isn’t just Texas hold ‘em, there are other formats to discover. We’re talking about 5-card draw poker, not to be confused with 5-card Omaha or 5-card stud poker.
- In 5-card draw poker, each player gets 5 cards. The aim is to make a strong combination using all of those cards. During the hand, here’s a chance to exchange one or all of them. After the betting rounds are finished, players compare cards to decide a victor.
- 5-card Omaha is a variation of the standard Omaha card game, where players receive four cards. It’s very similar to Texas hold ‘em, with the main difference being the hole cards. Instead of two in hold ‘em, there are four hole cards per player. If you’re interested, our full guide to Omaha poker is right here
- 5-card stud poker is less popular but still quite well known. Players start with one card face-down and one face-up. With each betting round, a new card is dealt face-up to each player. This continues until everyone has a total of 5 cards in front of them, including one face-down. On the fifth betting round, this card is turned up. The player with the strongest combination wins.
There are no community or shared cards in 5-card draw poker. You could play in online for real or play money on different poker sites, but the best choice would be PokerStars.
Hand Combinations For 5-Card Draw Poker
A Texas hold ‘em and Omaha card game uses the same hand combinations as a 5-card poker game. We will review them quickly, but check our full hand combinations list to find out probabilities and more.
High Card. A high card means that you have not formed a hand combination. When you don’t even have a pair, your highest cards will become your hand combination.
One Pair. You hold two matching cards, for example, a hand like 3-3-5-7-9. The best possible pair is two aces.
Two Pair. You have two pairs in your hand, like 6-6-4-4-2 for example. The best possible two-pair combination is A-A-K-K-Q.
Three-of-a-Kind / Trips. “Trips” means you have three matching cards in your hand. For example, 5-5-5-8-10.
Straight. Straights are five consecutive cards, like 2-3-4-5-6 for example. An ace can be a 1 in straights (A-2-3-4-5), but it can also finish the royal straight (10-J-Q-K-A).
Flush. Five cards of the same suit make a flush.
Full House. A full house is made of one pair and trips. For example, 3-3-3-8-8 is a full house. For this example, we say “eights full of threes.”
Quads. Four matching cards are called quads in poker.
Straight Flush. This is a very strong hand combination. A straight flush is 5 cards of the same suit, in a sequence. For example, 4-5-6-7-8 of hearts is a straight flush.
Royal Flush. This is the hardest hand combination to get in poker. A royal flush is a straight from 10 to ace, with all cards being the same suit.
Games of 5-Card Draw Poker Can use Antes or Blinds
An ante is a mandatory bet that every player at the table pays. It’s usually a very small amount, but it creates a reason to compete over the pot. Since players are forced to invest a small amount for each new round, players are encouraged to play more hands.
Blinds are mandatory bets paid by the players in the two spaces left of the dealer. These blinds must be placed in the pot before the cards are dealt to players. The first player left of the dealer is the small blind. The player to the left of the small blind is the big blind.
The big blind is double the size of the small blind. For example, if the small blind is $0.25, the big blind is $0.50. Stakes for games are usually displayed with the small blind first and big blind second, such as $20/$40.
The Distribution Process: Building A Hand Combination
If you are transitioning from Texas hold ‘em or Omaha, there are some differences to be aware of.
- 5-card poker doesn’t have community cards.
- 5-card poker usually only has two betting rounds. (Texas hold ‘em and Omaha have four betting rounds)
Here’s the outline for a hand of 5-card poker.
1. First Betting Round: Receive Cards and Check Hand Strength. With 5 cards in your hand, it’s time to assess their strength. Using the hand combinations, check to see if you have a strong hand. If you must draw for stronger cards, make sure you know which ones you need. When the players have all received 5 cards, it's time to start the first betting round. Play begins from the player immediately left of the dealer and proceeds clockwise.
- First Betting Round Using Blinds
Players can choose to call (match the big blind amount), bet (increase the amount), or fold. If someone makes a bet, every player must match it. Instead of matching, players can raise, forcing their opponents to call the larger amount or fold their cards.
- First Betting Round Using Antes
With ante games, players can check during the first betting round. This is because they already paid an ante. They can also make a bet, to increase the amount opponents need to match.
When every player has put an equal amount of chips into the pot, it’s time for the exchange.
2. Decide Which (if any) Cards to Exchange and Swap Them. 5-card draw poker gives players chances to swap their cards. You can exchange any number of your cards, or none at all. For example, you might just exchange one card or several. This depends on what you need to build a strong hand combination. If you choose to hold on to all five cards and exchange nothing, which is called “stand pat.” Some home game rules allow a maximum of three cards to be exchanged.
Starting from the dealer’s left, players choose which cards (if any) to exchange. Once every player has had the chance to exchange, it’s time for another betting round. Some 5-card draw home games have more exchange rounds, usually up to three rounds. If that is the case, betting takes place with each exchange.
3. Final Betting Round: Check Hand Strength With The New Cards
Evaluate your hand and check your combination. In the final betting round, players can check, bet, and raise. Once everyone has matched bets or folded, it’s time for the showdown.
4. Showdown Time
Starting from the left of the dealer and moving clockwise, players reveal their cards. After comparing the hand combinations, decide the winner.
Where Can You Play 5-Card Draw Poker?
5-card draw poker is not as popular as it used to be, but you can still find real money tables at some sites. Some people believe that Texas hold ‘em and Omaha are more exciting poker formats since there is more betting. That’s up to you to decide.
PokerStars is a massive site and one of the best places to find 5-card draw games. Other sites don’t have enough traffic to support 5-card draw tables and some remove them entirely. The lowest stakes for 5-card draw at PokerStars is $0.10/$0.20, and the highest stakes are $30/$60. They offer limit and no-limit 5-card draw games. Signing up is easy, just follow this link to get the PokerStars software for your device. If you want to read our review of this well-known site, check out the GipsyTeam PokerStars guide.
Play Other Fun Five Card Games At Poker Clubs
Poker clubs do not have a centralized lobby like PokerStars or 888poker. This type of app is split up into many different clubs, you won’t be playing with the entire player pool. You’ll need to request access to the group you want to join or create a club for yourself. Each club has an owner/manager who provide chips.
PokerBros is a very popular poker club app with lots of formats to choose from. You can play the standard poker formats like Texas hold ‘em and Omaha, but also customize the games. Instead of 4-card Omaha, change to 5 or 6-card with the press of a few buttons. Create clubs and build your network, or join others and conquer the tables!
Official Disclaimer:
• PokerBROS is not a sponsor of or in any way involved with promotional activities, nor does PokerBROS endorse it.
• PokerBROS is an online social gaming platform and does not provide any real money service
PPPoker connects players in over 100 countries on their poker club app. The mobile software allows for multi-tabling and is just as visually pleasing as other top poker sites. They offer games like Texas hold ‘em, pot-limit Omaha, open-face, and short deck (6+) poker. Play cash games inside your club, or compete in club and global tournaments.
To start, contact with our support team.
- Increased rakeback and personal bonuses
- Help with deposits and cashouts
- Access to mobile applications
- Solving problems with accounts
- Technical support
- Questions about the site and forum
How To Learn More About Poker And Get Better
To set yourself apart from recreational players, there’s work to do. If you want to increase your win rate, it’s vital to use the modern tools around us these days. The internet is a vast resource for poker players to tap into. The reality is that poker has become more technical than ever. The skill of the average player has changed a lot since the old-school days of Poker After Dark. Being aware of positional play, hand ranges, and GTO theory is mandatory for successful poker players.
Let’s look at a few ways to improve your poker knowledge and skill.
1. Self Study: Analyze Your Hands. It’s important to reflect on your past hands. Look at a variety of different situations to improve in many areas.
- If your opponent called and you won the pot at showdown, could you have gotten more value?
- Did you make a bad call and lose a pot? Reflect on the hand and see if you could have played it differently.
Remember not to be results-oriented. It’s possible to play correctly and lose. The important thing is to try to be consistently correct. Don’t overly focus on singular wins and losses, try to look at the bigger picture instead.
2. Apply The Things You’ve Learned. During your studying, apply the things you’re learning at the poker tables. Before you decide how well they work, make sure you have experimented for enough time. Poker is about long-term success, not short-term outcomes.
3. Connect With A Trainer Or Coach
Reading guides is helpful, but a coach can give you personalized training and feedback. Even though it will take a small investment, you could recoup it at the poker tables. For example, Fedor Holz is the face of GGPoker’s Ask Fedor software. It’s an AI coach that answers your poker questions and analyzes your game. There’s a promotion going on for 50% off the first month of Ask Fedor. Check out our GipsyTeam guide to learn more about the unique things games and features at GGPoker.
