November 21, 2008

Due to the fact that all cards are face down, the obligation to open the betting is rotated clockwise after each hand. This is accomplished with the use of a dealer button and blinds. A dealer button is a round disk with the word dealer written on it. Blinds are mandatory bets made by the first two players clockwise from the dealer button.  

The player with the button is theoretically dealing the hand. A casino employee will deal the first card to the player on the immediate left of the dealer button. The obligation to open the pot is rotated around the table. As the button moves, all players receive the same benefits of position. This position element, the order in which players are required to act, has a strong influence on proper play in all games where buttons are used. Obviously, the player with the privilege of betting last has a significant advantage.

The blinds posted in all limit games are in the amounts of 1/2 of the lower limit for the first player (small blind) and the lower limit for the second player (big blind). The blinds in a $10-$20 game would, therefore, be $5 and $10.

Each player receives five cards face-down. The player to the left of the big blind must now call the size of the big blind, raise an amount equal to the size of the bet (the big blind at this time) or fold their hand. Betting progresses clockwise until a round is made where all active players call the last bet.

In blind games, the money posted for the blinds counts toward the player's bet, and the players posting these blinds have the option to raise even if the big blind has not been raised. For example: The big blind, $10 in a $10-$20 limit game, is called by several players but no one raises. After the player with the button acts, the small blind calls for $5 more; that player already had $5 in for the small blind. The house dealer would now offer an option to the big blind who could then raise their own bet even though he had started the action and not been raised. Alternatively, the big blind can check Go Ahead, and the hand will proceed.

Each remaining player will then be allowed to discard up to three cards, which are replaced by the dealer. After every player has had an opportunity to discard, the second, final round of betting begins with the player to the left of the dealer button. For this round, the higher limit applies and players who wish to bet must now bet this amount. For example, in a $10-$20 limit game the player must now bet $20.

Until a bet is made in the final round, players have the option to check (bet nothing), but they may raise the bet later if given the opportunity. This bit of strategy can increase the pot at the risk of a lower pot if everyone checks. When betting is complete, the hands are shown and the player with the highest ranking five cards wins the pot.

Five Card Draw Tips

The average winning hand in five-card draw is much higher than the average winning hand in five-card stud. Keep this in mind when you're deciding whether you think your hand will win.
The only real information you get about other players' hands is how they bet and how many cards they take. A player discarding three must be working with no better than a pair. A player discarding two may have three of a kind (or a pair and a high card). A player discarding one may have two pair, or may be trying to finish a flush or straight. A player who stands pat (taking no cards) usually has a strong hand or is bluffing.

Draw to pairs and 4 card straight flushes. Only draw to 4 card flushes and 4 card outside straights when pot odds justify it. There are only 9 ways to make a flush and 8 ways to make a straight, so in order for pot odds to justify the wager, you must be able to win about 6 times what you will have to wager.
Remember J, Q, K, A and A, 2, 3, 4 are inside straights, these hands can only be filled on one end.