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