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In draw poker, you swap cards with the deck in order to build your hand. Now obviously, if you've got a pair or the beginnings of a flush, you'll keep those cards. Speaking as a complete poker novice, I tend to throw away all my cards unless I have a promising beginning of a hand.

I can see at least one objection to that sort of tactic, and that's that maybe it's worthwhile to keep high cards.

My question is: what do you do when you get junk in draw poker?

Cory Kendall
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Jack M
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4 Answers4

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I generally will fold unless there is no bet to call. Investing in a bad hand generally gets you a negative return. If there is no bet to call in the big blind or it's an ante game, I would hold the highest ranks in the following:

  • suited with a high card A♣5♣ before K♥ 6♥
  • suited connectors 7⋄ 6⋄ before 4♣3♣
  • suited gapped connectors 9♠7♠ before 5♥ 3♥
  • unsuited connectors J⋄T♠ before 4♣3⋄
  • unsuited gapped connectors T⋄8♠ before 7⋄5♠
  • high cards A♠J♣

As you can see you are drawing three cards to fill a flush or straight and more likely end up with high card or a mediocre pair. Not really worth investing in in the first place.

I fold often conserving my bets while I watch my opponents throw money in the pot playing random best hand. When I do come in I have a real shot at collecting.

The reason I would hold gapped connectors is that the chance of making a pair is the same for high or low cards, so if you can also make a straight it gives you more possible hands to make.

Rich Shealer
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I have been playing FL! 5 card draw for about 2-3 months.

For FL, I would generally keep Ace or King. I was profitable at 0.2-0.5 level at that time, which was the highest level with more then 2 tables open at that time. (And propably also now...)

In NL, I think just throwing away these cards can't be a big mistake, but I have no experience from that.

Tomáš Šíma
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I haven't played this in years really apart from on the video poker machines in Vegas. I think its the same game.

Generally speaking I keep any pairs, or any picture cards, other than that i just get rid and hope to get a few good cards out of 5.

There probably isnt really a right or wrong answer to this, its personal preference.

Gaz Winter
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If you have a Jack of higher you should keep the high card.

You have just as much chance of pairing your high card with 4 as the increased chance of a pair with 5.

Think about it. If you take 5 first 1 comes off the deck and then 4 more. That is no different than keep 1 and take 4 off the deck.

In fact you are a little worse off as now the jack is not in the deck so your chance of getting a pair of jacks goes down.

If you had AKT86 I am not sure if you should keep AK or just the A.

paparazzo
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