The Golden Rules of Poker Play

There are some rules to be followed by anyone looking to win big playing Draw Poker.  These are the golden rules and can be applied to almost any version of poker but will be essential to know when gambling in the game of Draw Poker.  First don’t sell yourself short.  Make sure you are ready to play the game and have enough money to be able to win some.  When you got nothing in your, you have to know when to just fold and get out.  Should you have the game cinched with those 5 card in your hand, hold on and wait until the pot is richer.  If you feel like you are beat, once again, get out and fold.  Remember the goal here is not to win the highest hand, its to beat the other players.  The winner takes the pot.  Finally know your own limits.  If someone is an obvious better player than you, know to cut your losses before you lose big time.

How Draw Poker Changes the Playing Field

You must remember in Draw Poker it is all about you against the other players.  It’s the most simple rule, and by remembering it you will play more effectively and win bigger.  Watch how other people play and learn their techniques and how to tell who is holding and who will be folding.

More means less

There are finite odds when playing Draw Poker.  For example being dealt a straight on your first five cards runs the odds of 1 in 250.  However in Draw Poker you must remember that that straight has value now only relative to what the other players have.  A straight might pay out $200 on a video poker game, however in Draw Poker if another player has a higher hand that same straight means you get nothing.  The more players involved at the table means there is less relative value especially of the lower ranked hands.  If you are holding nothing better or have four cards to a straight or flush, get out of the game and fold.

Do the Math

Evaluate your odds of beating the other players and then take into account the pot and how much you stand to win and more importantly lose.  If you are holding 3 cards and trying to make a straight out of it, keep in mind that is a 1 in 150 shot.  The odds are not in your favor and you will most likely lose whatever you have in the pot.  Take another scenario, say you are building on 4 cards and looking for straight and are open on both ends.  Guess what?  Your chances of being dealt the winning card increase to 1 in 5!  In this case you can do the math and see it’s worth the risk to stay in and win.