Five Card Draw Strategy

Very recently I started exploring poker variations online that took me out of my comfort zone. I've spent years refining my No Limit Hold 'em game without really spending much time on other forms of poker. Now I just wish I could have some of that time back. It didn't take me long to notice a trend in the players on the internet who play other, home style games like five card draw poker. They suck! I mean, in general, NLH players on the net are poor players, but these other guys are just clueless.

Five card draw has been very good to me in these first few sessions and I know it's not due to my "mastery" of the game. It's almost as if the other players aren't even trying to win. After spending some time mulling over the precise meaning of that, I've come to a theoretical conclusion. Most of the serious poker players are playing hold 'em right now. That's the big thing, so who are these other guys? My guess is that they fall into a few categories; recreational gamblers, old school players who have been playing incorrectly for years and years and aren't about to change now, and the players who couldn't make it playing hold 'em. Sound OK to you?

Naturally, after discovering a true lack of competence at the five card draw table, I set out to exploit it. I'll tell you what I've found; there is a substantial lack of information available on five card draw. Due to the popularity of NLH, there is surprisingly little instructional media available for FCD. I did find a great section in Super System written by Mike Caro, but it assumes the use of jokers in the deck. Well, I'm not an expert at the game, but the math that governs all forms of poker is pretty similar. On that subject I do consider myself a bit of a wiz. I can honestly tell you that you'd be hard pressed to find a player who has a better handle on pot odds, race odds, drawing odds, etc. I pretty well get it. That being said, I'd like to supply you with a general list of starting hand requirements for five card draw.

In five card draw there are only two betting rounds and only one draw. That means starting hand requirements are even more important in this game than in hold 'em. This is the list I use, and it seems to be doing pretty well.

Starting Hand Requirements

UTG (you're first to act): You need a pair of kings or better, plain and simple. And don't keep the ace kicker. You want to free yourself up to have a better chance to set the kings.

Seat 2 (cut off seat): You need Jacks or better to open if the UTG player folded. QQ to call if he raised, JJ to limp in behind him, KK to re-raise.

Button: You should open with nines or better here if no one has raised or called. You should raise with JJ or better with one limper and raise with KK or better with two limpers. I will call with in this spot with medium strong hands just because the players are so bad in general and I've got position.

SB (small blind): Open with any sevens or higher if it's folded around to you, try to steal the pot. Call with almost any hand at all, you're getting great odds. 3 to 1, and you can take up to five new cards. Actually this is when I get sneaky. If I have total garbage and it's folded to me in the SB, I'll usually just keep my best three card hand and represent three of a kind. Then I'll bet after the draw 100% of the time. You'd really be surprised how often this works.

BB (big blind): NA, it's just a totally different situation if everyone folds to the SB and he just limps in I'll raise with almost any hand. If he raises I'll continue with just about anything and re-raise with TT or better.

Now, as far as re-rasing an opening bet, because the players you run into at small stakes FCD are your garden variety loose-passive (calling stations), they will usually limp into most pots. That being said, it is wise to give them credit for a hand when they open. I just assume that my opponent is using the same list I use and I'll re-raise with any hand that is likely beating the hands I would raise with from the openers position. These internet players do play a lot more hands than I do, but they only typically raise with strong hands. Isn't that nice of them?

Five Card Draw Tips

Now I'd like to give some pretty general list of strategy tips. I'm going to start with what I'd consider beginner mistakes.

• 1) Don't pay to draw at flushes and straights. The only time you should really be willing to chase these hands is when you are in the small blind and can play for half a bet. The only exception I can think of right off hand is when you are on the button and every player has limped in. That gives you a great price on your money. If there are four players and you in the pot you are getting 4 to 1 on your money, making calling for the draw a break even proposition just based on pot odds. That means any bets you collect when you hit your hand will be icing on the cake. So, when you can call getting 4 to 1 on your money, the implied odds actually put you into overlay.
• 2) Don't keep a kicker when you're drawing to a pair. I see too many players doing it. Some of them probably think it is just the fundamentally correct play, they will keep there pair and say an ace or king kicker. That's not the correct play. Fundamentally, mathematically, you want to just hold the pair to increase your chances of improving to three of a kind. Some players, though, will hold a kicker and raise before the draw to represent trips. That might be something you'd incorporate once in a while against good players, probably at high stakes. It just doesn't work on the small stakes tables. The biggest problem it may even fail against good players is because most players will keep an extra card when they have a set (not a bad idea). The idea, of course, is to represent either a draw or two pair. When you play that way you will get called by just about any player who made a strong two pair, hoping it's bigger than your two pair. You'll also get called by some players who only have one pair, they're hoping you missed your draw.
• 3) Naturally, I think you should often keep an extra card when you start with a set, for the exact reasons I've described above. Don't do it every time, but do it often. I'd say I will typically keep a kicker with my three of a kind about 3 out of 4 times. Maybe more if I don't feel like the other players are paying much attention to my game anyway. It's a good move.
• 4) Standing pat with nothing. This is a surprisingly effective technique. Of course you are representing a made hand, a straight or better. When you use this technique you will want to raise before the draw and after the draw. I usually apply this technique when I'm in the small blind with absolute garbage and no one has raised. I've used this move four times in one two hour session and was only called down one time, and that player made three of a kind. The move almost always works the first time you try it, but they get a bit suspicious after that. I showed this trick to my mother and suggested that she used it in the first few rounds of play at a table, and then move to another table. At the $2-$4 tables I've played at the move in and of itself seems to be a winner. So much so, in fact, I've decided to try an experiment. I'm planning to sit down at a table and use the stand pat, bet, bet tactic immediately. Then I'm just going to bounce directly to the next table and do it again. And again, and again. My guess is that you should actually be able to turn a profit just by exploiting the large number of tables online. I haven't actually launched this little project yet, but I am almost convinced that it will work at some stakes. Maybe $3-$6, but I'm just speculating.
• 5) I'd also like to talk a little bit about "overcalling" (calling a bet after another player has called a bet) after the draw. It seems like most players will overcall with nearly the same standards they would call with. That's not even close to correct. The truth is, you need a MUCH better hand to overcall with than you need to call with.

That, very general strategy for five card draw in and of itself will make you a winning player at the small stakes FCD tables. I mean that's all you need to know to make a consistent profit. If that sounds hard to believe, well, that's fine. I'd just as soon keep all that dead money for myself. But, in fairness, I'd like to urge you to take a shot at this game. You will not likely find an easier game to crack in all of cyber space. Just remember where you got the info. I'm not too proud to accept patronage donations. LOL! (no but really, you can feel free to send my thank you gifts out of your winnings. Until next time, Good "Luck!"

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