5 Card Draw Strategy

See 5 Card Draw Rules

Five Card Draw Strategies

Holding the dealer button position allows you to gather the most important bits of information about what your opponents might be holding, their pre-draw bet size, the number of cards drawn and the post-draw bet size, before you make a decision on your own action.

This helps change your actions during the hand if an opponent makes a small bet and then draws 3 cards, indicating a pair. You may choose to draw just 1, representing 2 pairs in order to take the pot away with a post-draw bet.

Some opponents will raise the bet with strong two pair or better hands while others will open a pot with any pair or draw. The number of cards drawn along with the pre-draw bet is the biggest clue you will get as to opponent holdings.

The important factor to understand is that these are most probable hands, and that tricky or overly loose opponents may play differently. For example, many players will draw less cards than opponents when last to act, deliberately trying to look stronger.

It is also very important to check the 'hand history' where available to see which cards were played and to take notes on individual opponents. The most common way to misrepresent a hand is to draw only 1 card while holding trips. This indicates 2 small pairs or a draw to opponents and may lead to winning a big pot should an opponent make a good but 2nd best hand.

Some players will also stand pat as a bluff, the frequency of pat hands is very low in five-card draw and taking note of opponents who stand pat often can reveal a habitual bluffer. Good starting hands and good positions are the core components of the five-card draw strategy. Assessing opponent's holdings based on their bets, cards drawn, and past history will help you find and maintain a profitable edge at the tables.

Good Luck