How to Play 5-Card Draw Poker

Five-Card Draw poker is the traditional style of the popular card game in which each player has a hidden hand of five cards. A game consists of several hands in which players are dealt cards, they bet on the strength of their hands, and the winner takes the pot. Often times this game is played until one player has all the money that was brought into the game.

Instructions

Ante and Deal

1. Ask each player to ante. An ante is a small bet that everyone places to get the pot started. The ante is a set amount, so no one pays more than another player.

2. Deal five cards face down to each player. Begin with the player to the dealer's left and move clockwise, handing one card at time until everyone has five.

3. View your hand and begin to determine if you'd like to play or fold.

Betting

1. Begin the betting round. Betting begins with the player on the dealer's left. He may do one of three things: check, bet, or fold. If he checks, that means he does not put any money into the pot. If he bets, he puts a determined amount of money into the pot. If he folds, he passes his cards face down to the dealer and the player, along with his cards, is out of the hand.

2. Continue play clockwise around the table. Each player must either match what the player or players before him have done, raise the amount of money put into the pot, or fold his hand. If a player chooses to match the amount, she should say, "Call." If she is raising the amount, she should say, "I see your bet, and I raise you" and the dollar amount she is adding to the current amount. You can limit the number of times the group can raise to keep this betting round under control.

3. Complete the initial betting round by making sure everyone who is still in the hand has put the same amount of money into the pot.

Playing

1. Trade in some of your cards, if any. Each player has the option of trading in up to three cards for new cards. Or, if a player has an ace, he may trade in four cards, but must reveal his ace to the group. If a player doesn't trade in any of his cards, he chooses to "stand pat."

2. Continue with another round of betting, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer. As with the first round of betting, each player has the option to check, bet, or fold. Betting continues until everyone who is still in the hand as put the same amount of money into the pot. As with the first round, you can also limit the number of times the group can raise.

3. Ask players to reveal their hands. The player with the highest hand takes all the money in the pot. If two players have the same hand, they split the pot.