Draw poker is the style of poker with which most home players will have been introduced to the game. Although you are unlikely to come across it in the casinos too often there are still a number of online poker rooms who offer the basic draw poker and its variations for online play and for anyone new to poker, this is a great place to start.

The basic gameplay and rules are as follows:

Ante

Before the cards are dealt all players must contribute to the ante. An ante is the minimum bet that each player must place into the pot before betting begins and is typically a fraction of the minimum bet.

The Deal

Following the ante the dealer shuffles the cards, discards the top card and deals five face down to each player. The deal proceeds clockwise from the dealer with each player receiving one card at a time until all have five cards, face down, each. If the deal has been done correctly then the dealer will be the last player to receive the full five cards. In a home poker game the dealer rotates clockwise around the table with each new hand whilst in a casino a button is used to indicate where the dealer would be.

Betting Round 1

Following the deal all players should pick up their cards and assess their hand. Players may now bet on their hands starting with the player directly to the dealer's left who may either bet, check (pass without betting) or fold (no bet, no play). Betting continues in a clockwise direction with following players being able to call (match the current bet), raise (raise the bet amount), fold or check (only if the player before them checked too).

Once betting reaches the dealer it is usual for no more raises to be permitted so players must call or fold to complete any outstanding bets.

Drawing

After the end of the first betting round, players are given the option to discard any or all of their cards for replacement by the dealer in the hope of improving their poker hand. New cards are dealt to those who have chosen to replace some of their own, one at a time, in a clockwise direction.

Betting Round 2

A second and final round of betting follows with players once again following the same betting rules as before.

Showdown

At the end of the last betting round those players still left in the game show their hands to determine the winner. If there is only one player left in the game at this point then they do not have to show their hand at all.

Variations

The above is a very simple outline of how to play the basic draw poker whilst in reality there are many different variations on this and numerous forms of draw poker out there including Brag, English Draw Poker, Canadian Draw Poker, Low Draw and many more.