Five Card Draw History

The history of Five Card Draw is a long and colorful one that dates back to the days of the Wild West. When you think of a bunch of cowboys sitting around in a saloon and playing cards, 5 Card Draw is probably the first game that comes to mind. Although the exact origins of the game are unknown, we do know that Five Card Draw was a popular pastime for the United States during some of its most formative years.

It is believed that other forms of poker spread up the Mississippi River and out across the rest of the country during the early 1800s. Five Card Draw somehow evolved out of these other poker variants and it quickly became the most popular form of poker. The Gold Rush of the 1800s helped spread Five Card Draw even further.

These early years of American history are also known as the Wild West days, and poker played a big role in those years. Cowboys, gold speculators and all types of people gathered in Wild West saloons to play poker, socialize and visit the “madams” of the time. The term “Dead Man’s Hand” was coined at this time, after Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back while playing Five Card Draw. His infamous hand: Aces and Eights.

Popularity Swing

As Five Card Draw spread across the land and grew in popularity, various home rules were added and other poker variations crept up. At some point, Seven Card Stud was introduced to the poker-playing world and that game quickly grew in popularity. Eventually, Seven Card Stud took over as the most popular game and Five Card Draw took a backseat.

Although diminished in popularity, Five Card Draw still remained a favorite among many card players of the time. It’s simple rules and nostalgic history earned it a special place in the hearts of poker players who had lived through Five Card Draw’s biggest years. Those players taught the younger generation how to play Five Card Draw and the game has been passed down ever since.

Five Card Draw is still played today, although not as seriously as it once was. Interestingly, Five Card Draw is probably still the most recognized poker game of them all. Many people can remember learning Five Card Draw at the kitchen table as kids before they learned any other form of poker. The rules are so simple that it’s a hard game to forget.

Most Five Card Draw games today are played in casual home games rather than for serious money. Wherever a few people are sitting around someone’s table and looking for a poker game to play, Five Card Draw is almost always mentioned. It’s simple rules and straightforward manner make it an easy game to explain to poker newbies.

Some casinos still offer real-money Five Card Draw, though, so it’s not completely dead. There are several internet poker sites that also run Five Card Draw poker games at a wide variety of stakes. Most of the action occurs at the low stakes tables but if you look around, you can often find a few medium to high stakes games running.