5 Card Poker Hands Chart
Poker Starting Hands - Comprehensive guide to which poker hands you should play, including a 2021 Texas Hold'em poker starting hands chart. How to Play 5-Card Draw Poker. If you have played any other form of poker, 5-card draw rules are similar in that the aim of the game is to make the best five-card poker hand. Print out this free poker hand rankings chart – and always know the best winning poker hands. Poker hands are ranked in order from best to worst. Royal Flush An ace high straight flush. High Card Five cards of different rank and suit (that do not form any of the above hands). Hands are ranked by comparing the highest value card. Straight - A standard open-ended straight draw with more outs. 6-8 on a 5-7-Q board (4 and 9 complete). Flush - A hand where another card of the same suit is needed to complete the draw. S + f - Both an open ended straight draw and flush combined. 6 8 on a 5 7 Q board. How to use the percentage odds chart.
In five card draw it is crucial that you play only high quality starting hands. Consistent play of low pairs and hands on the draw will produce equally consistent losses to your bankroll. Read below for a solid guide on what starting hands you should play in online five card draw. Most of this article covers pairs and two pairs, but assume that anything higher than two pair is almost always a playable hand. Also, keep in mind that we are referring to a nine or ten people table. If you are in a game with less players, you can loosen up a little bit more (but not too much).
Premium Pairs
Premium pairs in five card draw are aces, kings and queens. These are all strong hands that will win you a lot of money in the long run. There is however a time and a place for each of these three hands. A pair of aces can be played from any position at the table. This is your bread and butter hand and you need to play it aggressively. Open bet or raise with aces unless you know for sure an opponent has a better hand. Kings and queens are strong hands, but should be played with caution in early positions. You should open bet or raise with these hands in middle to late position. Be aggressive with all the premium pairs, but play them wisely and in proper position. In most five card draw games, you should not open bet in 1st position with a pair of queens!
Jacks and tens
These are playable pairs but generally should only be played from late position or in the blinds. Playing pairs lower than tens is a great way to lose lots of money playing five card draw online. Only play shorts (pairs below ten) when you can for cheap or have an obvious read on a weak opponent.
Two pair
Two pair is one of the hardest hands to play well in five card draw. You can make it easier to play by playing only high quality two pair hands. High quality hands are those usually consisting of jacks up or better. In early position you should only play two pair of at least kings up. In middle position you can add two pairs with queens up to your arsenal. Jacks up and tens up are okay too, but they should be played with as much caution as a single pair of these two ranks. Play them in late position.
Starting hands chart
Use this chart as a guide for what hands you should play from what positions when playing five card draw online. As you can see, one of the most important skills to learn in this game is to make the right choices according to your position on the table.
Position | Hands to play |
Small Blind | Most pairs, come (drawing) hands and Ace high/face can be played here if the pot hasn’t been raised. Raise with a pair of eights or better. |
Large Blind | Any hand if you can check. Pair of aces or kings, or pretty much any two pair or come hand if the pot has three or four players in it and you can call cheap (proper odds). |
Under the gun | A pair of aces, two pair only if kings or higher are included |
4th position | A pair of aces, two pair only if queens or higher are included |
5th position | A pair of aces, two pair only if jacks or higher are included |
6th position | A pair of kings, two pair only if tens or higher are included |
7th position | A pair of queens or better |
Dealer button | A pair of Tens or better. Open with a pair of nines if you hold face cards or tens. |
Use the table above as a reference, but don’t forget to adapt your play according to the number of players on the table and their behavior.
Calculator Use
Without betting, the basic rules of 5 card draw poker are as follows:
- One person is the dealer. The deal can rotate clockwise among the players so that each person has a turn at dealing.
- Starting with the player to the dealer's left, the dealer deals each player five cards, clockwise, one card at a time (face down with real cards): First card to each player, second card to each player, etc.
- Each player then discards and draws up to 3 new cards to try and make a better hand than what they were dealt. If a player holds an ace, he can discard the other four cards but must retain the ace. A player does not need to draw any cards if he wants to keep his original hand.
- Starting with the player to the dealer's left, the dealer deals each player new cards to replace any that they have discarded. The dealer deals all new cards to one player before moving on to the next player.
- After everyone receives their new cards, players show their hands and the best hand wins.
Poker Hands Ranking
The following is a list of 5 card poker hands, from the best to worst, without jokers or wild cards in play
1. Royal Straight Flush
10-J-Q-K-A, all of the same suit.
2. Straight Flush
Five cards, of the same suit, in order, such as 5-6-7-8-9 all of clubs.
3. Four of a Kind
5 Card Draw Hands
Four of the same card, such as 3-3-3-3-8.
4. Full House
Three of a kind and a pair together, such as 8-8-8-5-5 or K-K-K-A-A
5. Flush
Five cards all of the same suit, but not in order, such as 4-6-7-Q-K of spades.
6. Straight
Poker Ranking Chart
Five cards in a row, such as 2-3-4-5-6, but not all of the same suit.
5 Card Poker Hands Chart
7. Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same number or rank, such as 7-7-7 in a hand such as 7-7-7-5-Q.
8. Two Pair
Two pairs of cards of the same number or rank, such as Q-Q-5-5 in a hand such as Q-Q-5-5-4.
9. One Pair
Two cards that match, like K-K.
10. High Card
If no one has any of the above hands, the player with the highest card in his hand wins.
High card will also be important if you tie another player. For example, say you both have 2 pair of the same cards: you have Q-Q-5-5-9 and your opponent has Q-Q-5-5-2. You would win because a 9 beats a 2. If you had K-K-5-5-9 you would win based on having the higher pair as kings beat queens.