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DRAW POKER

Standard Game
   
 
Introduction
The basic pattern of the game is as follows:
  1. The ante: a small compulsory bet is made by all the players.
  2. Deal: five face down cards are deal to each player in the normal way. Players count their cards, then look at them.
  3. First betting interval: the player to the dealer's left has the right to bet first; if he does not bet the other players may bet in turn.
  4. Draw: each active player in turn may discard one ore more cards and receive from the dealer the same number, face down, from the undealt part of the deck. A player need not draw - he may "stand pat"
  5. Second betting interval: the player who made the first bet in the first interval has the right to bet first. If he has dropped out, the first active player to his left may bet.
  6. Showdown takes place if more than one active player is left at the end of the second betting interval.
  
Players
Up to 10 may play. No more than six should play in high-betting games, since with more players it may be necessary to use discards to complete the draw.  
 
Ante
Either
  1. each player puts an equal agreed amount into the pool; or
  2. only the dealer antes ("dealers edge")
  
First betting interval
There are two forms
  1. "Jacks or better" A player may not open the betting unless he holds a pair of jacks or any better hand. (Before betting is opened, players may check) After betting has opened, a player may bet on any hand, and must bet or drop out. At the end of the play, the opener must show the cards he opened on.

  2. "Pass and out" (or "pass out" or "bet and drop"). A player may open the betting on any hand. Each player must bet or drop out ; no-one may check. In either case, the player to the sealer's left is the first to "speak".
Once the betting has opened, it proceeds in the usual way. Id no one opens, all players ant again, and the next dealer deals for the next play.		  
 
Draw
The draw occurs if more than one player is still active after the first betting interval.
The dealer offers the draw to each player in turn in normal rotation, beginning with the player to his left, and ending with himself. Each player in his turn either:
  1. states the number of cards he requires and places that number from his hand face down on the table in full view - the dealer then gives him the same number from the undealt part of the deck; or
  2. says "I stand pat", or knocks on the table, to indicate that he wishes to keep the hand that he has.
In his turn, the dealer also either states the number of cards he has drawn (exchanged), or indicates that he is "standing pat". Normally it is ruled that a payer may draw one, two, or three cards at his discretion. With four or fewe rplayers, four and five card draws are sometimes allowed.

A player may use the draw to bluff in any way he wishes about the value of his hand.The dealer must answer truthfully how many cards he himself drew. No other question need be answered truthfully by anyone.

The bottom card of the deck is not used. If further cards are required, the bottom card and the cards discarded so far are shuffled together and cut to allow the draw to continue. The usual rules apply, but the player due to draw next cuts last.No other shuffling or cutting on the draw is allowed.

Sometimes in "jacks or better", the opening bettor discards one of his openers (i.e. one of the cards that gave him the right to open).

If he does so, he must state this and the discarded opener is kept to one side to be inspected at the end of the play. It is not used if the discards are reshuffled. 		 
 
Second betting interval
This follows the usual rules. All players may check, even if "pass and out" was enforced for the first interval. Id all the players check m the interval ends. If all players except one drop out, that player wins without showing his hand (except for showing his openers in "jacks or better", if he opened the betting.  
 
Showdown
Each active player in turn must place all his five cards face up on the table, to be seen by all players (active or other wise). At the same time he announces the value of of his hand - he must do this even if he sees he is beaten.

If all players checked in the second betting interval, the opener shows his hand first; but if bets were placed in the second interval, the player was called first, shows first. In either case, other active players then follow in normal rotation. 		 
 
Dropping out
In draw poker a player indicates that he is dropping out by placing his cards face down on the table when his turn in the betting interval arrives.

As long as a player wished to remain in the game he must keep his cards in his hands, above table height, unless he in forced to put down the cards temporarily for some reason, in which case he must state this.