Five Card Draw Variations

Five Card Draw is one of the oldest and most widely recognized card games in the world. As a result, many variations have appeared over the years. Some variations disappeared as soon as they appeared and others have managed to hang in there. Several more notable 5 Card Draw variations have even become major games on their own.

The following poker games are all related to Five Card Draw in one way or another. Certain rules may be different but the overall structure of the game remains the same. In the following games, the main gist is that each player receives five cards and then has an opportunity to draw new cards. Anything other than that is fair game.

Deuce to Seven Triple Draw

2-7 Triple Draw Lowball is one of the most famous of all Five Card Draw variations. Many people don’t even realize it evolved from Five Card Draw. There are several major rules changes in this game that make it significantly different than traditional Five Card Draw.

In Deuce to Seven Triple draw, the object of the game is to get the lowest possible poker hand. Straights, flushes and pairs must all be avoided in Deuce to Seven because those count as high hands. What you’re looking for in this game is a perfectly low hand. The best possible hand in 2-7 Triple Draw is 2-3-4-5-7 because it contains all low cards, no pairs, no straights and no flush.

Additionally, there are three drawing rounds in Deuce to Seven rather than just a single drawing round. This gives the players more of a chance to get better hands and watch each other’s actions for clues on each other’s hand strengths. With the extra drawing and betting rounds, 2-7 Triple Draw is known as a high-paced action game.

Deuce to Seven Single Draw

This is basically the same game as above except there is only one drawing round instead of three. Many people play Deuce to Seven Single Draw but the triple draw version is much more popular.

A-5 Triple Draw

This is another low game but with slightly different rules. In A-5 Triple Draw, the goal is to get the lowest possible hand. The difference between this and 2-7 Triple Draw is that straights and flushes do not count against you. Also, Aces count as low in this variation. The best possible hand in A-5 Triple Draw is A-2-3-4-5.

There are three drawing rounds in this Five Card Draw variation as well. Pots tend to be large in A-5 Triple Draw, which makes it attractive to action junkies. Overall, A-5 Triple Draw is a very popular poker game and can be found at many poker sites.

Double Draw and Triple Draw

Double and triple draw use the same rules as normal Five Card Draw except the players get two or three drawing rounds. The purpose of the additional drawing rounds is to generate more action and give the players a greater chance to catch stronger hands. The additional drawing rounds also come with an extra betting round in between each draw. This helps make the pots larger and more exciting.

Double draw and triple draw are only played in home games. Casinos and internet poker sites don’t spread this Five Card Draw variation. If you ever set up a home game, this is a game worth considering. It’s a lot of fun and adds much excitement to the game.

Jackpots

Jackpots is an interesting variant that uses an ever-increasing jackpot to generate action. The one difference between Jackpots and normal Five Card Draw is that one player must have at least a pair of Jacks or better on the initial deal to open the betting. If nobody has a pair of Jacks or better, the blinds/antes are left in the pot and a new hand is dealt.

A certain element of trust is involved in this game because when a person declares they have a pair of Jacks or better, that person is not required to show his hand. The players can all agree on some sort of penalty if a person claims to have a pair of Jacks or better and then shows down a non-qualifying hand.