Draw Poker Games

This class of games includes all games in which players receive their full complement of cards at the initial deal, then exchange some of them during the course of play.

Here is a PRINTABLE PAGE with all of the games.

5 Card Draw PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: five down cards to each player PLAY: There is a betting round after the deal, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. After the betting round, each player may exchange up to three cards. Another round of betting ensues, followed by the showdown. With fewer than six players, a player may draw four cards if they show that their remaining card is an Ace. WINNER: High hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: Adding wild cards to play (and allowing five-of-a-kinds if chosen).
High/low: the highest hand and lowest hand split the pot. Lowball: Lowest hand wins
Allowing for four card draw with an ace.
Double draw: After the first exchange and subsequent betting, there is another exchange and betting round.

Spit in the Ocean PLAYERS: 3-12
INITIAL DEAL: 4 cards down to each player, one card up in the middle. PLAY: As in 5 card draw, but each player receives only 4 cards. The card in the middle is shared by all players and, along with all other cards of the same rank, is wild. WINNER: High hand

Anaconda (Pass the Trash) PLAYERS: 4-7
INITIAL DEAL: seven down cards to each player PLAY: Rotating bet starting after the deal. Each player passes three cards to the player on their left after the first round. After the next betting round, everyone passes two cards to the player on their left. After another betting round, players pass one card to their left. Each player then chooses five cards to keep and discards the remaining two. Play continues with a rolling showdown. Cards speak for themselves. WINNER: high hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: The cards are passed to other than the person to the left (Ex. 3-left, 2-right, 1-left or 3-left, 2-two-to-the-left, 1-three-to-the-left). The player keeps all seven cards at the end and chooses which to turn up. This allows the player to change from hi to lo depending on what is being played. Pass 2 cards to the left and 1 card to the right at the same time. Love Thy Neighbor: High hand and the person to his left (who is still in) split the pot.

Howdy Doody PLAYERS: 4-7
INITIAL DEAL: seven down cards to each player PLAY: As with Anaconda, but with these exceptions: this game is high/low and has wild cards. Threes are wild if and only if the hand they are in is used to try to win the high pot. Kings are wild if and only if the hand they are in is used to try for the low pot. No betting until the showdown. WINNER: High and low hands split NOTES: The low pot is usually won by a perfect low. High is usually won by at least a full house.

Jacks to Open, Trips to Win PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: five cards down to each player PLAY: Played like 5-card draw, with the following differences: Only a player with a hand as good as or better than a pair of Jacks may open the betting. If someone has such a hand, they must open the betting. If nobody can open, the hand is discarded, everyone antes again, and hands are redealt. Once the betting is opened play continues as in 5 Card Draw until the showdown. At this time, anyone who has at least a 3 of a kind must reveal his hand. The best revealed hand takes the pot. If nobody reveals a hand (that is, nobody has at least 3 of a kind) everyone still in may make another exchange. Repeat this process (exchange, bet, check for winner) until someone wins. WINNER: High and low hands split STANDARD VARIATIONS: Progressive Jackpot: You have to win 3 hands to win the pot. The first hand starts with twos being wild, with the rank of the wild card increasing by one with each hand (so in the fourth hand, fives are wild). If nobody can open, the requirement increases to a pair of Queens, then Kings, then Aces.

Trees PLAYERS: 3-10
INITIAL DEAL: 5 down to each player PLAY: Bet. Now every player can trade cards freely with every other player. Any number of cards can be exchanged, but a player must give the same number of cards he is receiving. When all no more trades are forthcoming, there follows a final round of betting before the showdown. WINNER: High hand.

All For One or One For All PLAYERS: 3-10
INITIAL DEAL: 5 down to each player PLAY: Bet. Each player, starting to the dealer's left and continuing clockwise, may choose to either draw one more card or trade in all his cards for an equal number of replacements. Rounds of betting and drawing/exchanging continue, the leader rotating each time, until there are fewer cards in the deck than players left in the game. WINNER: High hand.

Pick a Partner PLAYERS: 4, 6, 8, or 10
INITIAL DEAL: 5 down to each player PLAY: Everyone rolls a card. Highest card showing picks one of the other hands as a partner. The next highest unpartnered hand chooses a partner, and so forth until everyone is paired up. Each partnership combines their remaining 8 cards and chooses 3 of them. Three rounds of betting follow, with one of the 3 cards rolled after each round. The winning team splits the pot. If one member of a team folds, the other can continue playing and, if he wins, he wins the entire pot. WINNER: High hand.

Psycho PLAYERS: 3-6 (tricky with 6-- may not have enough cards)
INITIAL DEAL: 5 down to each player PLAY: As in 5 card draw. Immediately after draw, players show 3 cards. After a round of betting, players receive one card up. Bet. Receive a last card down. Bet, then showdown. WINNER: High hand.

Knock Poker PLAYERS: 2-7
INITIAL DEAL: five down cards to each player; the remainder of the deck in center of table; flip top card from the deck over, face up beside the deck. PLAY:  There is no betting; each player puts an equal amount into the pot, and winner takes all. Players take turns (clockwise) drawing from either the top of the deck or the top card from the discard pile. After each player draws, he must discard one card to the top of the discard pile, face up. Play continues until one player decides that he has a winning hand. This player draws and then "knocks" on the table. After his discard, each of the other players may draw AND discard once more, and then there is a showdown. IF THE PLAYER WHO KNOCKS IS BEATEN, HE MUST PAY DOUBLE HIS ORIGINAL BET! WINNER: High hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: Adding wild cards to play (and allowing five-of-a-kinds if chosen).
High/low: the highest hand and lowest hand split the pot. Lowball: Lowest hand wins

©1998-2003 Greg K. Cagle -  All Rights Reserved.