Common Variations in Draw Poker
Draw poker is a game where you get your cards face-down before the betting starts. In these games, you build up your hand by replacing several of your cards before the first round of betting. But that’s just the basics, as draw poker has a few popular variations.
Standard five-card draw has an interesting place in poker history. It’s the game you see depicted in Western movies, and it’s usually the first poker game learned. However, many skilled players find the game “too easy” and unchallenging after a while, as there just aren’t enough betting rounds for bluffs, check raises, and the like. That’s not to say the game is for the unskilled. Since five-card draw is the choice of many weekend players and more of a social game, it’s easy for a professional to dominate the game since players may be novices or “weekend poker warriors”. Think of a professional football player at a game of touch football in the park. The players at the park are good and skillful, but a professional lives and breathes the game. While standard five-card draw will always be enjoyed by friends around a table, it’s not surprising that many people move on to other poker variants.
Coming from the good folks of Gardena, California we have “Gardena Jackpots” (or “Jacks to open”) poker. It’s true - Gardena Jackpots gets its name from the city where the game was extremely popular. The game’s fame has died down a bit, but it’s still one of the top draw poker variations. For this game, a pair of jacks is needed to start the betting / replacing phase of the game, thus the phrase, “Jacks to open”.
California Lowball is a draw poker variant where you try to get traditionally bad or low hands (as opposed to the ones you sometimes get without trying). For example, instead of wanting to get an Ace and the face cards, you would want to get an ace-to-five hand (well, not in a row, as that would be a straight). You still want certain combinations since random hands with no connection won’t win you the game. It’s the value that’s reversed. Low is generally good and high is generally bad. Before playing lowball, make sure to see what rule variations are in play. Some lowball players still consider the ace to be a high card so in that case, you’d want a 2,3,4,5,7 (see, we told you a straight was bad!) Some games will even split the pot between two players.
If you’re looking for something new, we’re sure one of these poker variations will liven up your next get together or trip to the casino.
