A5 triple draw rules

Updated In May, 2012 - Playing A-5 triple draw is going to seem very easy to most poker players. Anyone with experience with 5 card draw or any of the other triple draw games will already know 99% of the rules. A-5 triple draw can be played with 2-6 players using a 52 card deck. Most of you are probably interested in playing A5 triple draw at an online poker room so I will base these rules on online play. To define A5 triple draw in a single sentence I would say that it is five card draw with three drawing periods and the lowest hand wins. I could end this article there but I am obligated to provide a step by step guide on how to play A5 triple draw. Here are some basics facts about the rules of A5 triple draw.

• A5 triple draw uses blinds, just like Texas Hold'em.
• You can draw up to five cards in A5 triple draw.
• Aces are always low.
• The best hand in A-5 triple draw is A-2-3-4-5.
• Straights and flushes do not count in A5 triple draw.
• A5 triple draw is almost exclusively a fixed limit game.

You should have a fairly accurate picture of how A5 triple draw is played. I will break this game down into steps so that when you are finished reading this article you will be ready for the real money tables at one of our featured A5 triple draw poker rooms.

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the blinds and deal in A5 triple draw

When a hand of A5 triple draw is started two players will post the blinds. These exact cost of the blinds will vary from table to table. For the purposes of this article I will use the $1/2 stakes in all of my examples. On the table there will be a dealer button that rotates clockwise. The player next to the button (going clockwise) will be in the small blind position and the player after him will be in the big blind. At a $1/2 table the small blind player will post $.25 and the big blind player will post $.50. These are forced antes that cannot be pulled out. Once the blinds have been posted each player at the A5 triple draw table will receive five cards, face down. At an online poker site you will be able to see your cards but the other players will not. Read our strategy guides for A5 triple draw after you finish learning how to play.

• A5 Triple Draw strategy
• A5 Triple Draw hand selection

Betting and the first draw

Once each of the players have received their five cards there will be a round of betting. At the stakes mentioned above the only bet that can be made is $.50. A5 triple draw uses the same raising rules as any other game so players can raise if they chose to do so, for a total of three raises. Once the betting has finished each player can draw new cards. You can draw 0-5 cards in A-5 triple draw. When a player does not draw any cards in A-5 TD it is commonly referred to as "Standing Pat". After the players have drawn new cards there will be more better. Once again the most that any player can bet is $.50, not counting raises which must be in $.50 intervals.

The second & third draw in A-5 Triple Draw

The second and third draw are each followed by a round of betting. During these two betting periods the minimum/maximum bet will be $1, the tables high stake. Raises are allowed throughout the entire hand of A5 triple draw.

the objective of A5 triple draw - how to win?

The objective in A5 triple draw is to build the lowest possible hand. This game is not like Omaha HL or Stud HL, there is no minimum requirement for a low hand. If Bob has four kings and Joe has four aces Bob will win. Average winning hands in A5 triple draw tend to be 6 or 7 high. Aces are always low so the best hand is an Ace through five straight, also known as the Wheel. Just looking at a player's highest card is often not enough to determine the winner. The second highest and even third highest often determine the winner in A5 triple draw. Here are some examples below.

• A-3-5-6-7 versus 2-3-4-5-7 - Both players have a 7 high but the next lowest card for the first hand is 6 while the other hand's next lowest card is 5. In this scenario 2-3-4-5-7 would be the winner.
• A-2-3-4-8 versus 3-4-5-6-7 - The second hand is the winner.
• A-2-3-4-5 versus 2-3-4-5-6 - The first hand is the winner since straights do not count.
• 2-3-5-6-6 versus 3-4-6-J-K - The second hand is the winner. Pairs are extremely bad in A-5 Triple Draw lowball.

• A5 Triple Draw

• A5 Triple Draw Rules

• A5 Triple Draw Strategy

• A5 Triple Draw Hand Selection

• Play A5 Triple Draw

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