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- Five card draw is a poker game played with 2 to 6 players.
-
- The dealer first deals each player 5 cards - all face down. The
- player to the dealer's left is under the gun. That player either bets
- or checks. If that player checks, the next player in turn may either
- check or bet, and so on. When a player opens the betting, the next
- player in turn must either call, raise, or fold.
-
- In some games, a player must have a pair of Jacks or better to make
- the opening bet. At the Friday Night Poker Club, a player may open on
- his "guts". In other words, there are no minimum hand requirements to
- open the betting.
-
- After the first round of bets, the player to the dealer's immediate
- left is given the opportunity to draw. That player may select up to 3
- cards from his hand to discard. The discards are placed on the table
- and the dealer deals a like number of new cards to the player.
- In some games, a player may draw 4 cards to an ace. This rule is not
- in effect at the Friday Night Poker Club - only 3 cards to a customer.
-
- A player does not have to draw cards. A player holding all the
- originally dealt cards is known to "stand pat". The hand he holds is
- called a pat hand.
-
- A player standing pat may or may not have a great hand. Sometimes
- standing pat on a trash hand will have a devastating effect on the
- opponents. Real pat hands are usually flushes, straights, or full
- houses. A player holding 4 of a kind should always draw a card to
- throw off the opponents.
-
- A player drawing only 2 cards may not always have trips. Some players
- will hold an ace kicker with a pair. I do it sometimes but not
- always.
-
- After each player has drawn their cards, the player who opened the
- betting is under the gun. That player either bets or checks, and the
- betting proceeds as with the opening round. At the end of the round
- of betting, all players remaining in the hand expose their cards and
- the high hand wins the pot.
-
- That's it for the rules of the game. Again the betting strategy is
- what makes it interesting. There are some things to keep in mind when
- drawing cards.
-
- Tips on the draw:
-
- Never draw to an inside straight unless it is free or cost very little
- to do so.
-
- In high stakes poker, you should often split a small pair it you have
- the opportunity of drawing to a 4 flush or to an open ended straight.
- The possible gain of hitting the flush or straight is much greater
- than that of tripping the little pair or drawing another pair. If you
- miss the flush or straight, so what. The little pair will not win a
- hand of 5 card draw.
-
- Sometimes hold an Ace kicker to a pair and sometimes don't. Don't be
- too consistent or the opponent's will peg you for trips every time you
- draw two cards.
-
- On extremely rare occasions, you should stand pat with 2 pair.
- Standing pat with 2 pair may scare off someone with small trips.
- Usually this technique will work only if the opening round of betting
- has been heavy and one player only draws two cards. It's a long shot
- but sometimes a long shot is better than no shot.
-
- Pay close attention to the number of cards the other players draw.
- You will have plenty of time to admire your own cards when it is your
- turn to bet. This brings up another point - play heads up poker.
- Watch what the other players are doing at all times. Don't bury your
- head in your own hand. It usually does not take long to figure out
- what you have. You need to take advantage of any and all clues as to
- what the other players may have.
-
-
- Some tips on betting and play:
-
- In five card draw, it usually takes 2 good pair to win. Trips will
- win often and better than trips will almost always win.
-
- In 5 card draw, a small pair will almost never win. A high card will
- win only if you bluff the pants off the other players.
-
- Many times 2 small pair is a loser. If you feel another player has
- you beat, fold the small 2 pair. You can't eat them and who would
- want to frame them. A hand is pretty only if it wins. I have held
- some mighty ugly full houses in my time.
-
- If the betting gets heavy and more than 2 other players remain in the
- game, I will often fold 2 good pair or even small trips.
-
- Small straights will often get you in a lot of trouble and I have on
- occasion thrown them away.
-
- The lowest hand I will NEVER fold is a full house. They don't always
- win, but I bet 'em to the hilt.
-
- If a hand comes down to you and one other player, that player may well
- be bluffing. However, if a lot of players stay in for a heavy round
- of betting, they ain't all bluffing, so beware.
-
- If you fold a hand early, pay close attention to the rest of the play.
- You may get a very helpful clue about another player's habits that
- will helpful in a later hand. This applies to stud as well as draw.
-
- Again, these are not hard and fast rules. As someone once said: "It
- comes down to doing the wrong thing at the right time."
-
- Next, you will be given the opportunity to watch me play a hand of 5
- card draw. You may observe as many such hands as you wish before
- moving on.
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