Five-card draw rules

The oldest form still played, and the one with the least information. Nothing is ever face up.

The ante

Before the deal everyone puts an ante into the pot. It is what gives the hand something to win even when nobody holds anything.

The deal

Everyone is dealt five cards face down, and there is a betting round.

The draw

Starting to the dealer's left, each player still in may discard any number of cards and be dealt that many replacements. Keeping all five is called standing pat. A second betting round follows.

The showdown

Remaining players reveal their hands and the best five-card hand takes the pot.

Reading the draw

With no exposed cards, how many cards someone drew is nearly all you have to go on. Drawing three usually means a pair, drawing one means two pair or a four-card straight or flush, and drawing none means either a made hand or a bluff worth paying attention to.

The betting

In each of the two rounds you may check if nobody has bet, or bet, call, raise or fold. The round ends when everyone still in has put in the same amount, and a player who folds is out of the hand and loses what they have already put in.

Limits on the draw

Tables disagree about how many cards you may throw away. Some allow three at most, others let you replace all five. Agree on it before the first deal, because it changes how often a hopeless hand can be rescued.