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PLAYING TIPS for K2 DRAW POKER

HOW TO PLAY K2 DRAW POKER: 
A combination of 5 card draw and 5 card stud played as high-low split.  Kings are wild only in low hands.  Deuces are wild only in high hands. Kings and deuces may also be played at face value, that is, a deuce is a deuce, a king is a king. Start the game by dealing and playing 5 card draw in the normal manner.  After the draw the game turns into a variation of 5 card stud.  Each player arranges their cards in any order they wish and places them in a pile face down on the table in front of them.  Once that is done, the order of the cards may not be changed and players may no longer look at their cards.  Each player initially reveals their first two cards, but thereafter cards 3, 4 and 5 are revealed one card at a time. There is a round of betting after each reveal. 
May be played as cards speak with no declaration.  If declaration is used, it should be made prior to revealing the last card.  ​
SUMMARY of ACTION:
Deal 5 hole cards to each player.
Bet
Draw cards.
Arrange cards in pile.
Once arranged, card order cannot be changed. Cards must be revealed in order.
Each player reveals 2 cards.
Bet (Highest showing hand always starts betting)
Each player reveals 1 card.
Bet
Each player reveals 1 card
Bet
Declaration (optional)
Each player reveals last card - Showdown​
PLAYING TIPS for K2 DRAW POKER
Although described as a combination of 5 card draw and 5 card stud, K2 Draw poker is simply 5 card draw poker with wild cards.  The resemblance to 5 card stud is the novel method of arriving at the showdown and how that can influence your play.  The common strategies of 5 card draw should be observed. The addition of wild cards improves your drawing odds so you can play more liberally.  Keep in mind that the inclusion of wild cards always results in needing higher ranked hands to win.  Also keep in mind that, if your hand does not include wild cards, you are at a disadvantage.
Position is very important in K2 poker.  Because this game includes the opportunity to draw cards the players in late position have an advantage.  They get to learn how many cards the players before them draw before they have to make their own draw.  Never announce your drawing decision until it is your turn. 

STARTING HAND SELECTION
As already mentioned, K2 Draw should be played observing the basic strategies and starting hand selection of 5 card draw with wild cards.  The presence of wild cards allows you to be more liberal in your starting hand selection, but you should be more conservative in the strength of your final hand.  Additionally, the method used to arrive at the showdown increases the number of post-draw betting rounds from 1 in classic 5 card draw to 3 rounds in K2. If you don't hit your draw you fold after just 1 round of betting.  If you do hit, you now have 3 rounds of betting to make up for less favorable drawing odds.  
For high, you could play any trips, two pair or single (preferably high) pair, and possibly even 2 or 3 big cards.
For low you can add most 3 cards of 6 or less, perhaps even a "good" 7-low such as 72A, 73A or 732.  Having an ace as one of these cards is much preferred since you could miss your low draw but pick up a high hand.
HIGH HAND PROBABILITIES or ODDS for K2 DRAW POKER
Approximate chances of being dealt the following HIGH hands as your first 5 cards.  There are a maximum of 4 wild cards (deuces) that can be used in high hands.   
​5 Card Hand
5 of a Kind
Straight Flush
4 of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
3 of a Kind
2 Pair
​1 Pair
​Probability/Odds
0.026%  (3845:1)
0.1%  (1000:1)
1.2%  (82:1)
0.49%  (200:1)
0.56%  (177:1)
2.4%  (40:1)
13.7%  (6:1)
3.7%  26:1)
47.2%  (1.1:1)
​DRAWING CARDS TO IMPROVE YOUR HAND
With the inclusion of wild cards, you have more outs to hit your hand, so your chances of improvement are increased.  For some hands your drawing chances rise substantially, for others only modestly.  When you do not hold any wild cards among your original 5 cards calculating your chances of improving with the draw are straight forward.  For example:  if holding a "natural" 3 of a kind and drawing 2 cards there are 5 cards that can make you 4 of a kind (the last card of your rank plus 4 wild cards) and you have 2 tries to get it - about a 20% chance.  To make a full house once you receive your 4th card there are 3 cards that pair it (the remaining 3 of that rank) for about a 6% chance.
When your hand includes 1 or more wild card there are many more combinations of cards possible, making it is much more difficult to calculate your chances of improvement.  It must also be kept in mind that the more wild cards you start with the more different hands you could be drawing to.  For example, if you held K K 2 X X you would have both a 2 card draw to 3 Kings and a 2 card draw to 3 2 A.
​
You may also face situations in which you must choose between conflicting hands. 
For HIGH HANDS the chance of improvement is the same no matter how many wild cards you have, except when drawing to a straight-flush. Using wild cards there are many combinations of cards that can give a straight-flush draw, so your chances of improvement can be within a fairly wide range.  In all cases, the more wild cards you start with, the more chances you have to improve:
For LOW HANDS the chances of improvement depend on how many wild cards you have.  The more wild cards you start with, the more chances you have to improve.
​DRAWING  TO NATURAL HIGH HANDS (HANDS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE A WILD CARD)
Holding this Hand
4 Straight Flush (open)
4 Straight Flush (inside)
4 of a Kind
3 of a Kind
3 of a Kind
3 of a Kind
2 Pair
4 Flush
​4 Straight (open)
Drawing to This Hand
Straight Flush
Straight Flush
5 of a Kind
5 of a Kind
4 of a kind
Full House
Full House
Flush
Straight
Cards Drawn
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
​1
Probability/Odds
12.7%  (7:1)
10.6%  (9:1)
8.5%  (11:1)
0.9%  (110:1)
20.3%  (9:1)
6.5%  (16:1)
17%  (5:1)
27.6%  (2.6:1)
25.5%  (3:1)
​DRAWING  TO NATURAL LOW HANDS (HANDS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE A WILD CARD) 
For example: 
 Holding 4 low cards like 432AX, 532AX, 542AX, 5432X and making a 1 card draw.  
 Holding 3 low cards like 32AXX, 42AXX, 43AXX, 432XX, 52AXX, 53AXX, 532XX, 54AXX, 542XX, 543XX and making a 2 card draw. 
Drawing to This Hand
5-Low
6-Low
​7-Low
Drawing 1 Card
17%  (5:1)
25.5%  (3:1)
​34%  (2:1) 
Drawing 2 Cards
4.4%  (22.5:1)
8.9%  (10:1)
14.8%  (6:1)
ARRANGING & REVEALING CARDS
Deception is the primary objective in arranging and revealing cards.  You will usually want to reveal them in a way that hides the strength of your hand for as long as possible or in a way that makes your opponents uncertain to the direction (high or low) of your hand.
On the other hand, when you do not have a very good hand, you could reveal your best cards early and hope you can deceive your opponents into thinking you have a better hand than you do.   Unfortunately, in real life there is usually little chance for success.  If an opponent cannot beat your shown cards he will fold immediately.  If he can beat your shown cards, he will probably call you down, especially if you are the only bettor.  As soon as he realizes that he can beat any hand you might have he will raise.  ​
 ​
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