How to Play Pick Em Draw Poker

Pick Em Poker combines some aspects of Texas Holdem along with 5 Card Draw. Each player will be able to choose 1 face up card during the game to help their hand. The only trick is, with that face up card, they will also receive 2 unknown face down cards. The face down cards could contribute or detract to their hand. Don’t worry though, after you get those cards you will have a chance to throw them away as well. This is because once every player has a 5 card hand, they play a round of 5 Card Draw poker as part of Pick Em Poker.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Playing cards

1. Gather between 4 and 6 players for a night of Pick Em Poker. This is a game that, unlike standard draw poker or Texas Holdem, can be as enjoyable with 4 players as it is with 6.
2. Deal 2 face down cards to each player. Once each player has received their 2 face down cards, they may look at their cards.
3. Conduct a betting round. The player sitting to the left of the dealer begins this betting round.
4. Deal out a row of face up cards in the middle of the table. The number of face up cards should be equal to the number of the players at the table, plus an additional card. Below each of the face up cards, deal 2 face down cards.
5. Choose your face up card. Each player starting with the player to the left of the dealer gets to choose the face up card they would like from the table. When a player takes the face up card, they must also take the 2 face down cards below it. This now gives each player a 5 card poker hand.
6. Conduct a second betting round. The player 2 seats to the left of the dealer begins this betting round.
7. Select 2 cards to discard from your hand. Each player can discard up to 2 cards from their hand to have them replaced by new cards from the deck.
8. Deal the same number of cards to each player as the number of cards they discarded. When each player receives their cards they will have a 5 card poker hand again, and may look at their cards.
9. Conduct a third betting round. The player 3 seats to the left of the dealer begins this rounds.
10. Reveal your cards. Every player reveals their 5 card poker hand and declares their hand. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.

Tips & Warnings

• Considering this is just a 5 card poker game, straights and flushes are hard to acquire. Only try for a straight or flush if the face up card you choose gives you a 3 card straight or flush. You will then hope that at least 1 of the 2 face down cards add to the straight or flush.
• Try for 3 of a kind for a more reliable winning hand.