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PLAYING TIPS for 52 DRAW POKER

HOW TO PLAY FIFTY-TWO DRAW POKER:
​52 Draw poker is a variation of draw poker which also includes some common board cards. Each player is dealt 5 hole cards. Two cards are placed face down on the table. After a round of betting 1 of the cards is turned face up, another betting round and the second is turned up. Players may now discard and draw up to 3 cards to their hole cards. Players must use 5 hole cards OR  3 hole cards and both common board cards to make their hand. Using 4 hole cards and 1 from the board is not permitted. 
​May be played high-low split.
With 5 hole cards and a draw of up to 3 cards, 52 Draw Poker is not recommended for more than 6 or 7 players. Playing with more than 7 players will typically result in running out of cards which is something best avoided. Should that happen, collect and re-shuffle discards and use them. ​
SUMMARY of ACTION:
Deal 5 hole cards to each player.  Place 2 cards face down on table.
Bet
Reveal 1 card.
Bet
Reveal 2nd card.
Bet
Draw cards (maximum 3 per player).
Bet
High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown
High-Low Declaration: Declare
Bet
Showdown​
PLAYING TIPS FOR 52 DRAW POKER
The first and most important thing to remember in Fifty-Two draw poker is that you must play either the five cards in your hand or 3 from your hand and both of the board cards. You can never play 4 from your hand and just one of the board cards.  This is the most common mistake players make.
Position is important in 52 draw poker.  Because of the opportunity to draw cards, players in late position have an advantage.  They get to learn how many cards the players ahead of them draw before they have to make their own draw.  That is valuable information for reading your opponents' intent to play high or low.  As an example, suppose the board is KJ and everyone before you draws 2 or 3 cards.  You should consider standing pat with just about any low hand.  Standing pat will signal you have a very good hand.  And the odds are against an opponent drawing 2 or 3 cards to make a good low.   Whenever you are in late position you should be keeping this move in mind, as it is important to show strength by betting or raising before the draw in order to make your standing pat believable.  However, if two or more players make a 1 card draw, they probably have a draw to a better hand than a ragged low and you should probably draw to improve. Against a single opponent who draws one card you may wish to still stand pat to see what happens next.  You are hoping they either declare for the high hand or, if not, they fold to your bet or raise.   If they call you are most likely up against a decent low.  Should they raise it is more likely an excellent low.  If you continue or fold now depends on the strength of your hand.   Never announce your drawing decision until it is your turn. 

For low, because there is the opportunity to draw cards, one might be tempted to play just about any starting hand, even something like A2.  Fight that temptation.  You should really have at least 3 cards in your hand, or cards with multiple potentials in order to play.  Consider using the same starting hand selection that you would use in 5 card draw.   

STARTING HAND SELECTION
By keeping the requirement noted above in mind, it is fairly easy to identify the types of starting hands you’d like in 52 draw poker:

A pat high hand:  straight, flush, full house or 4 of a kind.  Bear in mind that these are long shots.  The probabilities/odds chart below outlines your chances of being dealt those hands.
 Trips is also a good starting hand.  If the board pairs, you have a full house.  But be cautious if the board pair is of a higher rank than your trips.  You also have the opportunity to improve by drawing.  Depending upon the board cards, trips may even stand up by themselves.  If the board cards are coordinated (e.g., suited or connected) or both higher than your trips, play them cautiously and be prepared to fold if you do not improve.
​
A pat low hand:  Generally, at least an 8 low, but, obviously, the lower the better.   The 2 board cards have a major bearing on what you will probably need to win.  If both of those 2 cards are 7 or under, your pat 8 low is probably not enough.  But, if one or both of the board cards is higher than your highest card you are usually in decent shape.  When playing for low you always want your 5 card hand to be better than the best hand that can be made using the board cards.  For example, with a board of 87, you'd want to have no worse than 86 as your low.​ 

Drawing hands:  4 card drawing hands can be deceptive.  Because of the rules you can't use 4 hole cards to make a hand.  If you start with 4 card hands such as 4 to a straight or flush or 2 pair in order for the board to complete your hand both of those must be helpful.    So, holding 4 to a flush, both the board cards must be of the same suit and your hand is actually made using the 2 board cards and 3 of your hole cards.  Of course, even if the board cards miss you there is still a back-up plan for these hands as you can make a one card draw.

3 card drawing hands may be played if they include multiple draws such as both 3 card straight and flush with low potential as well.  
HIGH HAND PROBABILITIES or ODDS
Approximate chances of being dealt the following HIGH hands as your original 5 hole cards.
LOW HAND PROBABILITIES or ODDS
Approximate chances of being dealt the following LOW hands as your original 5 hole cards.

​5 Card HIGH Hand
Straight Flush
4 of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
3 of a Kind
2 Pair
​1 Pair

​ Probability/Odds
0.0015%  (72,000:1)
0.024%  (4164:1)
0.14%   (693:1)
0.18%  (508:1)
0.39%   (254:1)
2.1%   (46:1)
4.8%   (20:1)
​42.3%  (1.4:1)
​
​
5 Card LOW Hand
A23XX
Any 4-low (3 cards)
Any 5-low (3 cards)
Any 6-low (3 cards)
---
A234X
Any 5-low (4 cards)
Any 6-low (4 cards)
Any 7-low (4 cards)
---
A2345
Any 6-low (5 cards)
Any 7-low (5 cards)
 
​Any 8-low (5 cards)
Probability/Odds
2.4%  (40:1)
7.2%  (13:1)
14.4%  (6:1)
24%  (3:1)
---
0.45%  (221:1)
1.8%  (54:1)
4.5%  (21:1)
9%  (10:1)
---
0.04%  (2500:1)
0.2%  (500:1)
​0.6%  (165:1)
1.4%  (71:1)
THE BOARD CARDS
The 2 common board cards are your first opportunity to improve your hand.  You must balance the hand you have or are drawing to with how coordinated the board cards are and what hands other players may have or be drawing to.  If the board cards are both the same suit, other players may have already made a flush.  If not, it is highly probable that more than 1 player has a flush draw.  Similarly, if the board is a pair there may already be a full house.  If not, it is an almost certainty that other players have made 3 of a kind and/or 2 pair and are drawing to a full house.   The board will be suited approximately 24% of the time.  The board will be paired approximately 6% of the time.

IMPROVING YOUR LOW HAND with the BOARD CARDS
When you hold only 3 low cards both board cards must help.  Below are the approximate chances of the 2 board cards improving your starting low hand. 
When the board cards improve your low hand it is probable they also improved your opponents' or gave them a draw to a better hand.
Notice that the chance of success when needing 2 cards to improve you hand is quite low.
​Holding These 3 Cards
Any 5-low or better
""
""
---
Any 6-Low
""
---
​Any 7 Low
​Needing BOTH Board Cards to Make
5-Low
6-Low
7-Low
---
6-Low
7-Low
---
​7-Low
Probability/Odds
1.4%  (70:1)
4.3%  (22:1)
8.3%  (11:1)
---
4.3%  (22:1)
8.3%  (11:1)
---
​8.3%  (11:1)
This Hand or Better
-
5.7%  (16.5:1)
13%  (6.5:1)
---
-
13%  (6.5:1)
---
-
DRAWING CARDS to IMPROVE YOUR HAND
After the board cards have been revealed you now should have either a strong made hand or a draw to one. If you have neither it is time to get out.  You should also have a decent idea of what hands your opponents might have or may be drawing to.  If you don't have at least a draw to beat those hands it is also time to fold.  The opportunity to draw cards gives you additional chances to improve a marginal hand into a winner or a good hand into a stronger one. 
There are many combinations of cards that you and other players may be drawing to, depending on whether you plan to use both board cards or neither and draw only to your hole cards.  You have 2 choices when drawing cards.  You may draw only to your hole cards.  When doing this you have drawing odds very similar to the odds of 5 Card Draw.  These chances are outlined below in the chart Improving Your High Hand by Drawing to Your Hole Cards.  Your other choice is to use both board cards in your hand and draw to the combination of those board cards and your hole cards.  With this option you may have substantially better drawing odds and they are outlined in the chart below Improving Your High Hand by Drawing Cards - Using Both Board Cards.  Suffice it to say that if you are only 1 card away from a made hand you have more chances to get it if you are able to use both board cards compared to drawing just to your hole cards.  The take home here is that, in contrast to 5 card draw, when you are able to use the board cards, you are in much better shape drawing to many hands.  For example:
With 2 suited cards in your hand and both of the board cards that same suit you draw 3 cards to hit just the one card you need to make a flush - over a 50% chance.   But, when the 4 suited cards are among your 5 hole cards you only have a one card draw to make a flush - approximately 20% 
A similar situation occurs when holding 2 pair. When using both board cards and 2 hole cards you have a 3 card draw with about a 25% chance of making a full house.   Holding 2 pair among your hole cards gives you merely a 1 card draw at about an 8% chance.  ​
IMPROVING YOUR HIGH HAND by DRAWING CARDS - USING BOTH BOARD CARDS
When the board cards coordinate well with 2 of your hole cards your best course of action is usually to utilize the option of playing both board cards along with 3 hole cards.  This gives you the opportunity to discard and draw up to 3 cards which vastly increases your chances of improving your hand. These are approximate chances of improving a high hand by drawing when using the board cards and drawing 3 cards.  To help with clarity, examples are provided.  X = any card that does not help your hand.  X cards in your hand are discarded.
​Having these hands
4 Straight (open)
4 Straight (inside)
4 Flush
2 Pair
2 Pair
3 of a Kind
3 of a Kind​
4 Straight-Flush (open)
4 Straight Flush (inside)
​
​Example: Your Cards
K Q X X X
K Q X X X
 A♥ 3♥ X X X 
A K X X X
A A X X X
A A X X X
A A X X X
​
9♥ 8♥ X X X
9♥ 8♥ X X X
​Example: Board Cards
J T
T 9
K♥ 2♥
A K
K K
A X
A X
​
7♥ 6♥
6♥ 5
♥
​Drawing to
Straight
Straight
Flush
Full House
Full House
Full House
4 of a Kind
Straight-Flush
Straight-Flush
​
​# of Cards Drawn
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
​
Probability/Odds
45%  (1.2:1)
23%  (3:1)
50%  (1:1)
25%  (3:1)
25%  (3:1)
20%  (4:1)
7%  (13:1)
14%  (6:1)
7%  (13:1)
​
IMPROVING YOUR HIGH HAND by DRAWING CARDS to YOUR HOLE CARDS 
When the board cards do not coordinate well with your hole cards your only remaining course of action is to utilize the option of playing all your hole cards and none of the board cards.   These are approximate chances of improving a high hand by drawing and using only your 5 hole cards.  Notice that, compared to the 2 board cards/3 hole cards option above, your chances of improvement are considerably diminished.  
​Holding this Hand
1 Pair
​1 Pair
3 Straight
4 Straight (open)
4 Straight (inside)
​3 Flush
4 Flush
2 Pair
3 of a Kind
3 of a Kind
4 Straight Flush (open)
4 Straight Flush (open)
​4 Straight Flush (inside)
​4 Straight Flush (inside)
​Drawing to this Hand
3 of a Kind
Full House
​Straight
Straight
Straight
Flush
​Flush
Full House
Full House
4 of a Kind
Straight Flush
Straight
or Flush
​Straight Flush
​Straight
or Flush
​# of Cards Drawn
3
3
​2
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
​1
1
1
​Probability/Odds
11.5%  (8:1)
1%  (97:1)
​4%  (23:1)
18%  (5:1)
9%  (10:1)
4%  (23:1)
20%  (4:1)
8%  (12:1)
6%  (15:1)
4%  (23:1)
4%  (23:1)
30%  (2.3:1)
​2%  (46:1)
​23%  (3.3:1)
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