5-card poker or closed poker is one of the most played forms of poker. Although it has been surpassed by Texas Hold’em and Omaha, it has been more than 10 years ago, and there are still many around the world. Whether in online or indoor casinos, the rules are the same but only the playing conditions are different. If you want to learn how to play this game, discover in this article some practical tips and tricks.

How to play ?

When playing 5-card poker, you can choose between two ways of playing, either with the Antes or with the Blinds. For the first option, all players must pay a certain amount of money, the value of which is predetermined before dealing the cards. In the second part, the concept is the same as for Hold’em. The two players to the left of the dealer must pay without seeing the cards. The rest of the players wait for the cards to be dealt before betting. The first player to the left of the dealer pays the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind pays the big blind.

How do I deal the cards ?

Once the blinds have been paid, the dealer deals 5 cards to all players. He must first deal to the player to his left and so on. Once everyone has their cards, the betting can begin and the player to the left of the big blind pays first. If you opt for the antes mode of play, the bet starts with the player to the left of the dealer. This player can start by making a check, in which case he is not obliged to bet.

How do I make the draw ?

Once all the betting rounds have been completed, you can start the draw, which is also known as the card exchange. It is always up to the player to the left of the dealer to start the round. All players have the privilege of swapping cards as many times as they wish, but they may not make any exchanges if they wish. The player can then discard cards and the dealer will replace them each time. However, it may happen that you are not allowed to exchange more than 3 cards. This is applied in private games.

What happens next in the game ?

Once all players have their new cards, they move on to the second betting round, which is also the last one. As soon as the round is over, it is time for the verdict. You have to show all the cards and see who has the best hand. All 5 cards will then be considered and the player with the best combination wins. In case two players have the same combination, then they have to split the pot. Once all the players have collected their chips, the dealer collects all the cards and gives them to the player to his left who will make the deal for the next game. Then the game starts all over again in the same direction.

The game of poker with 5 cards seems complicated, but when you are new to the game, it is easier to play. If you know anything about Hold’em, it would be easier for you to play this other way of playing, with more cards in your hand. There are online casinos that still offer this poker game, but they are not numerous.