If more than one player remains in the game after the first betting round, active players have one opportunity to improve their hands by discarding some cards and obtaining replacements. In fixed or spread limit games, the number of raises after the initial opening bet is usually limited to four. If everyone passes (checks) in this first betting round, the cards are thrown in, the turn to deal passes to the left, the pot remains and everyone adds another ante to it. Players may look at their cards, and there is a betting round begun by the player to dealer's left. Usually the ante is the same amount as the minimum bet.Īfter the shuffle and cut, the dealer deals the cards face down clockwise one at a time until each player has five cards. Ante, Deal and First Betting Roundīefore the deal each player puts an agreed ante into the pot. It is possible for seven or or even eight people to play, but then there is the disadvantage that the cards may run out during the draw. Players and Cardsįive Card Draw is played with a standard 52-card pack, and there can be from two to six players - six probably make the best game. Because of this freedom it offers considerable scope for bluffing, especially if played for high stakes. This basic game, with no restrictions on the cards needed to open or win, is sometimes known as California Draw or Guts, though Guts is also the name of another poker-like game. See the poker rules page for an introduction to these, and the poker betting and poker hand ranking pages for further details. This page assumes some familiarity with the general rules and terminology of poker. These can be combined in various ways - for example jacks or better and trips to win are often played with a bug or wild card. The basic game will be described first, followed by some variations with extra opening conditions, winning conditions or wild cards. Five Card Draw is one of the oldest forms of poker and was by far the best known internationally until the sudden rise in popularity of Texas Hold'em at the end of the 20th century.

Deuce in card game