You wont find 5 card draw poker in the casino or online much as newer hybrid varieties are more popular.

However 5 card draw is the basis of all the new games (including the poker found on video slots) So lets learn it here and you the basics covered, before you look at all the variations.

Poker is actually a very simple game to play but can take years to master and is essentially a game of psychology and is one casino game where the best hand does not guarantee you will win.

Lets look at the basics of 5 card draw poker.

Playing the Game of 5 Card Draw Poker

5 Card Draw Poker begins only when all players place an 'ante' or opening bet into the 'pot' (on the table).

There are certain variations concerning the betting, and the game is often nicknamed after these. After the antes are all in, the dealer will deal five cards to each player, all face down.

In 5 Card Draw Poker, all cards are hidden until the hand is over.

Because of this there is no real information on who is holding what.

The only clues you can get, are bet amounts, the 'tells' or nervousness or confidence of the players, and also how many cards each player drew, and of course, there is the prospect any or all of them could be bluffing.

This is really what makes poker so exciting the expectation and anticipation. This especially 5 card draw poker, as you really wont know who is bluffing, who has a good hand, who not, till the very end.

The Games Routine

Now the player to the dealer's left can either bet, with an option to bet ($5 at this point) or to check, meaning to pass, or fold (drop out of the hand).

In case the first player bets, the second player can no longer check. He can his only call, raise or fold. Usually you can only raise 3 times per hand.

After this round of betting in 5 card craw poker, the players remaining in the hand have the option to replace cards in their hand with new cards.

Again, the player to the dealer's left is the first to 'draw' (take new cards for those he has discarded. He can discard from 1 to 4 cards, and in some games all 5). Next, the other players draw in their turn.

The way to draw is for you and select the cards you don't want, remove them and remove them from your hand.

Next you give them to the dealer, at the same time saying how many cards you want ( note you can only take as many cards as you give to the dealer).

The Technique of Replacing Your Cards

As we said above, you can replace 1 to 4 of your cards. Some games even allow 5 but it doesn't really bring an advantage for you to do that in 5 Card Draw Poker.

Even where you draw four new cards all will assume you are holding an ace, so you give away some clue to your hand. In poker, the less information you give the better. Its bad play to ask 4 cards. Therefore, the players will draw from none to 3 cards.

The player who draws no cards is known to be "pat." This means to the other players he has a strong hand like a straight, a flush, or a full house, or of course he could be bluffing.

However there is a kind of bluff that's used to create the impression of strength.

In this situation a player normally could be holding two pair or three of a kind, and will draw no cards.

This is a ploy in which you give up a potentially important chance to improve your hand, in return for creating the appearance of even stronger hand than you have.

In the same thinking you might be holding a completely worthless hand will draw no cards.

You hope to send out a message of strength, and if you combine this with strong betting and raising, you might actually win with all folding before you.

The Conclusion

Now after everyone has drawn their cards we have the second and final round of betting. Here in our example you must bet at $10.

It is the player who opened the betting on the first round who starts the betting on the second round.

After all the betting, calling and raising is done, the hand is over, and if more than one player is left, all the players lay their cards on the table so everyone can see who wins.