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Drawmaha Strategy: Tips, Insights, and First Impressions
As you guys know, I am a massive fan of mixed games. If it weren’t for the variety of poker variants, I doubt I’d still be playing the game today after all these years. Recently, I’ve been getting into Drawmaha, also known as Sviten, and boy, what a game it is! While some claim that poker is solved, with No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) having its charts and programs like GTO Wizard, the funky mixed games like Drawmaha are all about your skill, intuition, and quick thinking.
What is Drawmaha Poker?
Drawmaha Poker is a dynamic and engaging poker variant that blends the strategies of 5-Card Draw and Pot-Limit Omaha into one thrilling game. It’s a split pot game where half the pot is awarded to the best 5-Card Draw hand, and the other half to the best Omaha hand. This dual objective keeps players on their toes, as they must navigate two distinct poker formats simultaneously.
How to Play Drawmaha Poker
Dealing the Cards
- Each player is dealt five cards face down.
- The first betting round ensues, with players making their initial bets based on their starting hands.
The Flop
- A standard 3-card flop is dealt, and another betting round begins. Players will now have an idea of how strong their Omaha hand is.
The Draw
- After the flop betting round, each player must “lock in” the number of cards they wish to exchange. Players can choose to keep all their cards (stand pat) or exchange up to all five cards.
- If playing with six or seven players, the draw round is limited to three cards per player.
- Players announce the number of cards they wish to exchange in the standard betting order. If playing online clicking on the card will select it to be discarded. The button always announces last.
- If a player chooses to exchange only one card, the dealer reveals the top card of the deck. The player can either take that card or receive the next card in the deck face down. If the player accepts the first card, it is face up and revealed to the table.
The Turn and River
- Once the new cards are dealt, the game proceeds with the turn and river betting rounds, just like in Pot-Limit Omaha. There are no discard rounds on these streets.
Showdown
- At showdown, the player with the best Omaha hand (using two cards from their hand and three from the board) wins half the pot.
- The player with the best 5-Card Draw hand (using all five cards in their hand) wins the other half.
Drawmaha Poker is a dynamic and engaging poker variant that blends the strategies of 5-Card Draw and Pot-Limit Omaha into one thrilling game. It’s a split pot game where half the pot is awarded to the best 5-Card Draw hand, and the other half to the best Omaha hand. This dual objective keeps players on their toes, as they must navigate two distinct poker formats simultaneously.
Where to Begin with Drawmaha Strategy
I’m still learning the game, having not played it too much, but here are a few tips I’ve picked up quickly:
Starting Hand Selection
Just like any poker variant, starting hand choice is key. In Drawmaha, as with any split pot game, your aim should always be to try and scoop the pot. However, if the pot goes multi-way, you can still win a decent half of the pot if you win either the 5-Card Draw hand or the Omaha hand.
Avoiding Bad Hands
Unless required, do not join the pot if you have an incredibly bad 5-Card Draw hand. You’ll find it hard to scoop, and the fewer players in the hand, the wider your hand strength can be. Always ask yourself, “How can I scoop this pot?” This might involve your hand being strong enough to play super aggressively to try and get a fold, especially if you know your hand is only good for half of the pot.
Aggressive Play
Sometimes, aggressive play can force your opponents to fold, allowing you to win at least half the pot. This strategy works particularly well when your hand is strong enough to justify the aggression.
These are just a few tips to get you started. The more I play Drawmaha, the more I’ll learn, and perhaps one day, I’ll publish a comprehensive guide. I hope these insights help improve your game. Happy playing!
Where to Play Drawmaha Online?
you can play Drawmaha at SwC Poker, as well as poker apps like Pokio.
Check out my Where to play Drawmaha guide.