Variations of Poker: Draw Poker
Draw poker is a form of poker for two to eight players (depending on the type of game) where all the cards are dealt to the players before the betting starts. You build up your hand by replacing (or drawing) cards. There is usually only two rounds of actual betting – once before cards are replaced, and then the showdown.
Draw poker usually starts with an ante, and everyone moves in a clockwise manner. This means that betting begins with the player to the dealer’s left. Draw games are a great play to use positional plays (plays where the position of you and other players becomes important).
Draw poker is a social game and most players’ choice when inviting the gang over for a game of cards. It’s more of a home game and it doesn’t enjoy much popularity in casinos and in tournaments. Sadly, many skillful players find draw poker to be monotonous, and thus move on to different, faster styles with more rounds of betting. That’s not to say the game is for the unskilled. Some players simply choose to move on to other styles or variations of draw poker after playing the game for awhile. Since it’s usually the first type of poker one learns, it’s also usually the first one to be left behind.
The main game of draw poker is five-card draw (this is the game you see in all the Westerns). Draw poker is sometimes played with “house rules” like limiting the amount of draws and the number of cards available from the deck. For example, many casinos and that big pit boss will not allow you to draw five cards in a row from the deck. Perhaps, the most important rule is that the bottom card is to never ever be given as a replacement card. This is to reduce the possibility of cheating.
“Gardena jackpots” or “Jacks to open” is played like draw poker but with a limited wildcard and rules on the opening bet. In this game, someone must have a pair of jacks or a better hand to open (allow the game to continue). Thus, the alternate name “Jacks to open”.
“Lowball” is a form of draw poker where one tries to get traditionally poor hands. Lowball has it’s variations and house rules including an interesting variation where the best traditional poker hand shares the pot with the best low hand. Other forms of draw poker include Budagi, Q-Ball, Four-Before, and others.
Hopefully, you’ll enjoy these variations with your buddies at the poker table soon.
