Betting continues clockwise around the table, and each player has the opportunity to call, raise, or fold. Betting begins with the player to the left of the dealer.
After everyone has put in his or her ante, the dealer deals five cards facedown to each player. In some games, a player may draw four cards if he is holding an Ace, which must be shown to the table. (But smart players will pay close attention to how many cards other players draw after the first round of betting, as well as their opponents’ betting patterns.) Before opening the game, the dealer must decide how many cards each player can draw from the deck after the first round of betting. Unlike stud games, players only see the cards in their own hands.
So, if you don’t like what you see, you can always try your luck with some new cards. Five-card draw, or draw poker, is one of the oldest poker games, and it is unique in that players have the opportunity to exchange their cards or “draw' from the deck to try and improve their hands. WHAT WINS: Usually a high pair or better. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Keep a close eye on how many cards each player draws from the deck. BETTING: Two rounds plus ante betting tends to be relatively low.
