Five-Card Draw
The poker of the American frontier — five cards each, discard and draw once, best hand wins.
🌤indoor
What is Five-Card Draw?
Five-Card Draw is the earliest widely-played form of poker, dominant on the American frontier and river-boats of the mid-19th century. Each player is dealt five cards, bets, then may discard any number and draw replacements before a final round of betting. Best five-card hand at showdown wins. It is the poker game most 20th-century movies and TV depict, and remains popular in home games.
Quick facts
Category
Card Games
Type
Individual
Players
2–6
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Mid-19th-century American frontier — the original 'poker' most Westerns depict
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified