Poker glossary

Draw

A draw is a hand that is not yet complete and needs more cards to become strong; draw is also a family of games where players swap cards.

The simple explanation

A draw is a hand that needs help. If you hold four cards to a flush, you are drawing to the flush and need one more card of the suit. The word is also used for games such as five-card draw, where players exchange cards after the first round of betting.

A closer look

Common draws are flush draws, open-ended straight draws and gutshots. A draw is judged by its outs and the price you pay to see the next card. Strong draws can be played aggressively as semi-bluffs, because they can win by making opponents fold or by hitting. In draw games, 'the draw' is the exchange of cards itself.

A practical example

Player B holds two hearts and the flop gives him two more hearts. He is drawing to a flush and needs one more heart. If the turn or river is a heart, his draw is made.

Full explanation

A draw is a hand that is not yet complete and needs more cards to become strong; draw is also a family of games where players swap cards.

A draw in poker is any hand that is incomplete and needs further cards to become valuable. The most common are flush draws and straight draws. A player who holds four hearts and needs a fifth is drawing to a flush.

The word also names a family of games in which players can replace some of their cards. The best known are five-card draw, 2-7 lowball and A-5 lowball.

How good a draw is depends on the number of outs and on the price. A flush draw has nine outs, an open-ended straight draw has eight, and a gutshot has four. Combined draws are stronger.

Draws are usually played in one of two ways: calling when the odds are right, or raising as a semi-bluff to win the pot at once.

A flush draw

No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake

Read the example transcript

Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).

Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
Flop · Pot: 12 chips
The flop gives Player B four hearts: two in his hand and two on the board.
Board: 10 of hearts (Th)7 of hearts (7h)2 of clubs (2c)
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B checks.
Board: 10 of hearts (Th)7 of hearts (7h)2 of clubs (2c)
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Flop · Pot: 18 chips
Player A bets 6.
Board: 10 of hearts (Th)7 of hearts (7h)2 of clubs (2c)
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Flop · Pot: 24 chips
Player B calls. He has no pair, but any heart will complete a flush, so he is drawing.
Board: 10 of hearts (Th)7 of hearts (7h)2 of clubs (2c)
- Player A BTN / SB King of clubs (Kc)King of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
- Player B BB Ace of hearts (Ah)5 of hearts (5h) · Stack 188 · In this round 6

Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.

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