PLAYING TIPS for 5-4-3 DRAW POKER
HOW TO PLAY FIVE-FOUR-THREE DRAW POKER:
5-4-3 Draw Poker is a variation of 5 card draw poker with the addition of 2 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. May be played high-low split. Players have 3 options to make their hand: 1. Use all 5 hole cards (no board cards). 2. Use any 4 hole cards and 1 of the board cards. 3. Use any 3 hole cards and both common board cards. 5-4-3 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. 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 board card. Bet Reveal 2nd board card. Bet Draw cards (maximum 3 cards per player). Bet High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown High-Low Declaration: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for 5-4-3 DRAW POKER
Position is important in 5-4-3 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 both board cards are high cards like K, Q or J or any high pair and everyone before you draws 2 or 3 cards. This means the winning low hand is almost certainly not going to be made using any of the 2 board cards. Therefore, you should consider standing pat with just about any low hand. Standing pat signals 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 to draw 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 drawing one card you may wish to still stand pat to see what happens next. You are hoping they fold to a bet or raise. If they call or raise you are most likely up against a decent low and if you continue depends on the strength of your hand. Never announce your drawing decision until it is your turn.
Position is important in 5-4-3 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 both board cards are high cards like K, Q or J or any high pair and everyone before you draws 2 or 3 cards. This means the winning low hand is almost certainly not going to be made using any of the 2 board cards. Therefore, you should consider standing pat with just about any low hand. Standing pat signals 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 to draw 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 drawing one card you may wish to still stand pat to see what happens next. You are hoping they fold to a bet or raise. If they call or raise you are most likely up against a decent low and if you continue depends on the strength of your hand. Never announce your drawing decision until it is your turn.