Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is a classic poker game that’s easy to pick up but takes practice to master. The aim is simple: make the best five-card hand, using a single draw to improve your cards. Know when to hold, when to draw and when to make your move.
What Is Five Card Draw? Rules of the Game
Five Card Draw uses a dealer button and blinds, just like Texas Hold’em. Each player receives five private cards, dealt face down.
The first player to act is the player to the left of the big blind. They can fold, call or raise. Action then moves clockwise around the poker table until the first betting round is complete.
Once the betting is over, it’s time to decide which cards to keep and which to discard.
How to Play Five Card Draw
After the first betting round, each remaining player can exchange cards to improve their hand. You can choose to discard as many cards as you wish, or keep all five.
Select the cards you want to discard by clicking on them. Changed your mind? Click a selected card again to remove it from your discard selection. When it’s your turn, confirm your selection to complete the draw.
Once all active players have completed their draw, a second betting round begins. This time, the first active player to the left of the dealer button acts first.
Here’s how a typical hand of Five Card Draw plays out:
- The deal: Each player receives five face-down cards.
- First betting round: Action begins with the first player to the left of the big blind.
- The draw: Players choose which cards to discard and replace.
- Second betting round: Action begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button.
- Showdown: If more than one player remains, the best hand wins the pot.
Occasionally, a draw game may need more cards than are left in the undealt deck. If this happens, the remaining cards and eligible discards are reshuffled, and play continues with the new deck. For more details, visit our Reshuffling the Deck guide.
Ready to play? Visit PokerStars on Betfair to explore the available games.
How Is the Winner Determined in Five Card Draw?
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, the hand goes to showdown. The player with the strongest five-card poker hand wins the pot.
If two or more players have hands of equal value, the pot is split equally between them. Suits don’t determine the winner.
Once the pot has been awarded, the next hand begins.
Where Can I Learn to Play Five Card Draw Online for Free?
New to Five Card Draw? Practising at free poker tables is a great way to get familiar with the rules, understand the draw and build confidence before playing for real money.
You can also explore our How to Play Poker guide for rules and information on other poker variants.
Explore More Draw Poker Games
Enjoy Five Card Draw? Mix things up with other draw poker variants, including 2-7 Triple Draw and 2-7 Single Draw. Both offer a different challenge from traditional high-hand poker.
Prefer a game with community cards? Check out our Texas Hold’em guide to learn the rules of one of poker’s most popular variants.
Explore our Poker Games guide to discover more games, learn the rules and find your next challenge.