Tips & Strategy

Traditionalists believe that to open the betting in five-card draw a player should have at least a four-card flush, four-card straight, or a high pair. However, if betting is light and you are holding a small pair, a medium pair, or even two high cards, you might want to stay in for the next round. (A high pair is generally a pair of Jacks or higher a pair of 7s, 8s, 9s, or 10s would be considered a medium pair and a pair of 6s or less is a small pair).
If the betting is high in the opening round and you are not holding at least a pair, there is a good chance that at least one player has at least a high pair. This is particularly true with more players at the table. However, if players are betting high in the opening round, it indicates strength, regardless of the number of players. Your chances of drawing a hand to beat them are slim, so consider folding (or bluffing) rather than chasing cards in the hopes of improving your hand. You might get lucky on the draw, but, in the long run, you’ll save a lot of money by getting out when you should.
If you are dealt a strong hand a high three of a kind or better hold off on raising or opening with a large bet: You do not want to scare off any potential bettors. With a strong hand, play it cool in the opening round and just call bets. In some cases, a raise might work if another player has already raised the opening bet.
However, if you have a high pair, consider making a fairly high bet. This is a strong hand but certainly not unbeatable. By betting high you might drive out some players and improve your chances of winning the pot.

It might seem obvious, but to improve your hand on the draw, you need something to draw to. So if you are holding a pair of Kings, keep them and draw three new cards. Poker players who keep their pair and draw three new cards have a 1 in 3.48 chance of improving their hand. (For more on the probabilities of improving your hand, see page 89-91.)
In general, it is smarter to build on what you have rather than chase a possible hand. For instance, if you are dealt 8-9-10-J-J, don’t break up the pair of Jacks in the hopes of drawing to a straight.
Drawing to a four-flush or a four-straight can pay off. However, going after an inside straight, or three-straight (three cards in sequence) or three-flush (three suited cards) is risky at best. Smart players don’t even try. Drawing to an inside straight (see Glossary, page 106) has very little chance of success and is a common novice mistake. Most professional poker players will tell you never draw to an inside straight.
During the draw, keep a close eye on how many cards other players draw. By noting their draw, you will gain some insight into the strength of their hands. In general, if they draw three cards, they are probably holding a pair. If they draw two, they have three of a kind or are foolishly going after a straight or a flush. If they draw one card, they might have two pairs or they may be trying to draw a straight or flush. Players can also stand pat (not draw any cards). This means they are holding a good hand, perhaps a full house, straight, or flush or they may be bluffing.
For bluffers, five-card draw allows two chances to play their deceit: the betting and the draw. Players try to fool their opponents into thinking they have a better hand by standing pat or drawing just one or two cards or no cards at all and then raising in the second round of betting.
Try and detect any tells in other players once they pick up their new cards. Did you pick up any reaction when they received their new cards? Do they seem a little too eager to start the second round of betting?
Another strategic play in five-card draw is holding on to a “kicker.” A kicker is an extra high card you keep when drawing to a pair. Thus, if you have a low pair, say a pair of 6s, you hold on to a high card in the hopes of getting a high pair to go along with your low pair.
Holding on to kickers also throws off your opponents. If you draw two cards to a low pair and a high card, your opponents are left to wonder if you are holding three if a kind.
After the draw, pay attention to how players bet. If they bet aggressively or make a big raise, there is a good chance that they improved their hand (or they’re bluffing). If they check the betting or bet modestly, they are probably unsure whether their hand is good enough to win and are playing it safe.
By the second round, if you feel that your hand has a strong chance of winning poker, don’t be afraid to bet aggressively. At this point, you want to maximize the pot and make your opponents “pay” to see your hand.