Five Card Draw Strategies

Five Card Draw is a game where each player gets five cards, there is a round of betting, the player can then draw up to five cards, another round of betting, and then the showdown. Sounds easy right? Well if you don’t have some solid strategy then it’s easy to lose.

First off, if there have been two raises before you, then you should only re-raise with the best of hands. Be aware that with this type of action, you will probably be called by one, if not both, so you better have a great hand. You also open up the option for another re-raise.

Secondly, when playing No Limit or Pot Limit do not raise if you still need to draw cards. If your hand is made then raising is recommended. In Limit, this rule is not as important as the bets are fixed.

Next, try to determine what type of player you are up against. Against tight players you will have to be more aggressive with more raises with a confident demeanour and if possible, no draws. This will get most tight players to fold. Against a loose player you will want to only play top starting hands and bluffing is no longer an option.

Lastly, if your hand is unsure in Limit you can call but in Pot Limit or No Limit it’s better to fold. In Limit, it only costs you one more bet where in Pot Limit or No Limit you can lose your whole stack by playing in a hand. Make sure you know the Five Card Draw Poker odds and hand rankings for your starting hand. Knowing how to play your starting hand is the first step to becoming an advanced player.

Follow these simple strategies and you will be well on your way to mastering Five Card Draw.