Before the draw
There are many different rules and varieties of draw poker, in home games draw poker is normally played with an ante, sometimes jacks or better are required to open. The following text describes how online draw is played on most sites.
Instead of antes two blinds are used, the player next to the dealer places a blind equivalent to half an opening bet from now on called the small blind. The player behind the small blind places a bet equal to one opening bet, from now on called the big blind.
The first betting round starts with the player behind the big blind and action then moves clockwise and ends with the big blind. The first player has three options, he can either fold, call or bet. When blinds are used it is not possible to check except in the big blind, a player must either call/raise or fold. Action continues until everyone has been given the opportunity to call the last raiser. Normally there is a cap of three raises. If there are still players left to contest the pot the draw takes place.
The draw and the last round of betting
The first remaining player left to the dealer now discard the number of cards that he wants to exchange, and the dealer give him new cards instead, action continues up to the dealer. The last round of betting starts again with the player on the dealers left. He can either check or bet, action continues until everyone has been given the opportunity to call the last raiser or if everyone has checked. If there are more than one player left there is a showdown were the cards are compaired according to the list bellow.
Hand rating
Straight flush (highest card counts, suit is irrelevant)
Four of a kind Full house (highest trips counts)
Flush (highest card counts)
Straight
Trips
Two pair (highest pair counts)
One pair Highest card
This may sound more complicated than it really is, after a hand or two you will get it, but maybe it is smart to start with play money, and move on to the real thing once you feel more comfortable.
The first reason is simply because draw poker is a lot of fun, you get to play your own hands, you can chose what you are drawing for, and you can use your own hand and the number of cards you are drawing to manipulate your opponents.
The second reason is because it is fast 100-150 hands per hour is possible in a five handed game. My impression is that you generally get to see between 10-15 more hands per hour in draw than in hold em. Draw poker is a game that plays well short handed, there is no need to expose your self to the boring waiting and folding of longhanded hold em. The third reason is that it is profitable. Draw poker offer higher edges than any other poker game. The last reason is also connected to the first two, a game that is fun and fast is likely to be more profitable in the long run than one that is slow and boring because it will allow you to spend more hours playing and to stay focused.
