What is Double Draw Poker
Overview: Double Draw Poker
Double Draw Poker is a variant of traditional poker that adds an extra round of drawing cards to the game. It is also known as Double Draw Poker 2.0 or Deuce on the Draw. The game follows similar rules to Five-Card Draw poker, but with an additional draw round.
Here’s how Double Draw Poker is typically played:
- Initial Deal: Each player is dealt five cards face-down.
- First Betting Round: The first round of betting takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.
- First Draw: After the first betting round, players have the option to discard any number of their original cards and draw new ones from the deck. The goal is to improve their hand.
- Second Betting Round: Another round of betting occurs, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer.
- Second Draw: Following the second betting round, players have a second opportunity to discard and draw new cards from the deck.
- Final Betting Round: A final round of betting takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.
- Showdown: If there are two or more players remaining after the final betting round, a showdown occurs, and the player with the best hand wins the pot.
In Double Draw Poker, the hand rankings are the same as in traditional poker. The most common hand rankings from highest to lowest are: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.
Double Draw Poker adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as players have two opportunities to improve their hand through the drawing rounds. It requires a combination of skill, knowledge of poker hand rankings, and strategic decision-making to succeed in Double Draw Poker.
The game is a relatively new poker variant that can be played at US brick-and-mortar and online casinos. If you have ever wondered what Double Power Poker is, how to play it and where you can enjoy it online, you need to look no further. Stay with Allstargambling, and you will learn the history of Double Draw Poker, the rules of the game, and tips to beat it.
History of Double Draw Poker
On the Google Patents website, you can learn that the inventor of Double Draw Poker is Ronaldo LaDuca, who applied for the patent in the US in 2013. He sold the patent to Shuffle Entertainment, the company that sold the patent to Bally Gaming. Today, the assignee of the patent is AGS, the full-service manufacturer of land-based gaming products. According to the news from 2015, AGS installed Double Draw Poker in 90 casinos over 14 US states.
Double Draw Poker Basics
The game is played with a 54-card deck that includes two jokers. The objective of the poker variant is to create the best 5-card poker hand. The player can make use of two drawing rounds to create the highest possible hand, hence the name Double Draw Poker.
Jokers can be used as an Ace, or you can use them to complete a straight or flush hand. In two drawing rounds, players can get up to 9 cards. They have to create a two-pair hand or better to qualify. What makes Double Draw Poker unique is the mandatory Bonus bet that pays on a hand of three-of-a-kind or better. The game has a house edge of 6.72%.
How to Play Double Draw Poker?
The game of Double Draw Poker starts with the player placing an initial Ante bet and mandatory Bonus bet of the same size. After the cards are shuffled, each player gets five face-down cards. At this point of the game, the player can see the cards they have been dealt and decide to fold or place an additional bet. It is the Draw up to 3 Cards bet, which is equal to their initial Ante bet.
If the player decides to fold, they will end the game and lose their Ante and Bonus bet. Should they go for an additional wager, the player can discard up to three cards from the initial hand and draw the same number of cards they have discarded. A new set of cards is dealt face-down.
When the players view the cards they have received in the first drawing round, they have another chance to improve their hands by drawing another card. They will be offered to fold and end the game or make an additional Draw 1 Card bet. Again, they have to wager an amount that is equal to the Ante bet they have placed. So, in this last drawing round, players can discard one card and replace it with an additional card, dealt face-down.
Double Draw Poker Payouts
If you create a hand consisting of two pairs or better, you will earn a 1 to 1 payout on Ante and Draw bets. When it comes to the Bonus bet, it pays according to the following paytable:
| Hand | Bonus Bet Payout |
|---|---|
| Five Aces | 500 to 1 |
| Natural Royal Flush | 100 to 1 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 to 1 |
| Full House | 5 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 1 |
| Straight | 2 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 to 1 |
If you create a two-pair hand, it is a push, and you will get the Bonus bet back.
The Hands Explained
You should be aware that Double Draw Poker introduces adjusted poker hands due to two joker cards in play. The game allows you to create a five-of-a-kind hand that consists of four matching cards plus a joker. It differentiates royal flush hands based on the cards included in them. So, you can create a wild royal flush and natural royal flush hand. The latter includes no joker cards. However, a wild royal flush hand pays 50 to 1, while a natural royal flush hand pays 100 to 1.
Where to Play?
A winning Strategy
With 9 cards in total the player can receive during a single game, it is not an easy task to come up with a strategy to beat Double Draw Poker. Yet, we will give you a few tips that can come in handy when playing this unique Poker variant.
You can always follow the basic poker strategy and keep the strongest cards to create the best possible poker hand. What you must understand about Double Draw Poker is that both Draw up to 3 Cards and Draw 1 Card bets are mandatory if you want to continue playing the game. Another option is to fold and end it.
If you have a pair of cards, keep them because you need at least a three-of-a-kind hand to win on the Bonus bet. If you manage to get another pair, you will win a payout on your Ante and Draw bets as well. If you receive cards that can complete a flush or four-of-a-kind hand, you should always keep them.
When it comes to jokers, you should think twice about whether you will keep or discard them. Bear in mind that they can only replace Aces and complete two hands, a straight or flush.
Double Draw Poker differs from other online casino poker variants, like pai gow poker, not only in terms of the gameplay but also when it comes to the house edge. Its house edge is considerably higher than the house margin in other popular poker variations (check out pai gow poker here). Frankly speaking, it can be a risky bet. However, if you want to give it a shot, take your time and master the basic poker strategy first. It will enable you to make the most out of playing Double Draw Poker as well.
