Played similar to five-card draw, seven-card draw uses, as the name suggests, seven cards, some of which can be exchanged with the dealer to create the highest-ranking five-card hand. The game is fairly simple to learn and can be varied in numerous ways. This guide will help you get started and teach you how to play seven card draw.

Just like five-card draw, players receive a stack of hole cards, or cards dealt face down that only they can use. After an initial round of betting, players are permitted to exchange some of their cards with the dealer. After another round of betting, an optionally another round of draws, players show their hands, with the highest-ranking five-card hand winning the pot.http://www.poker.com/game/draw-poker-games/index.htm

While the gameplay is very straightforward, varying the action is equally as simple. By increasing the number of draws each player is allowed or the number of cards they may exchange per draw, players have the opportunity to create better hands. Similarly, adding wild cards, such as a specific rank being wild or by adding jokers, higher hands, like a five of a kind, can be made as well.http://www.poker.com/game/draw-poker-games/index.htm

Before playing either the standard version or a variation of seven-card draw, each player will need to learn the rules, ranking of hands and gameplay.

While many of these rules are similar to other poker variations, it's important that each player know and understand the rules, as well as how hands are ranked, before play begins.

1. The dealer or all players at the table need to decide upon how many draws each player will receive as well as how many cards each player can exchange during each draw. Commonly, one draw, using three cards or four should a player be holding and choose to show an ace, is the policy.
2. Blinds and antes can vary based on house rules or table preferences. The ante should always however be much less than the minimum bet amount. Generally about 10% of the small blind is an average ante amount.
3. Similarly, limits, including fixed limit, no limit and pot limit, can be used based on house rules or table preference.
4. Play follows a clockwise manner, starting with the player left of the dealer. After each hand, the dealer will move one seat clockwise.
5. Hands are ranked on a standard table of poker hands using five of each player's seven cards. Poker hands are ranked as follows:http://www.pokerrules.net/draw/seven-card-draw/

After all the blinds, limits and draw policies are determined, it's time to select a dealer and play. Don't forget to gather a standard deck of 52 cards, chips to use as betting and two to five players.

1. Each player bets the ante to begin the pot.
2. The person sitting directly to the left of the dealer bets the small blind. The person sitting one seat clockwise bets the large blind.
3. The dealer gives each player seven cards, all face down.
4. Players look at their hand and, starting the the third person left of the dealer, can call the large blind, raise the amount or fold their cards.
5. Starting with the player who originally posted the small blind, each player selects which cards they wish to exchange, placing them face down on the table.
6. After each player has discarded their selected cards, the dealer will replenish their hands to return each to seven cards each.
7. A second round of betting follows, starting with the player to the immediate left of the dealer. Players can check, bet, call, raise or fold.
8. Should more than one player remain in the hand at this point, each player flips their cards face up to show their best five-card hand, starting with the first player to the left of the dealer.
9. The player holding the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.
10. The dealer moves one seat clockwise, cards are shuffled and the process is repeated for each hand.http://www.poker.com/game/draw-poker-games/index.htm

The game is fairly simple in its standard version so many choose to make the action more exciting by adding one or more variations to the game.

1. Wild cards, including jokers or one rank declared wild, can be used to create higher-ranking hands. In these cases, the hand rankings will need to be altered to allow for hands like a five of a kind.
2. To lengthen the lengths of each hand, the two cards that a player will not use to make their five-card hand can be discarded, face up, prior to the showdown. After each player shows one of their discarded cards, a round of betting follows.
3. Similarly, the game can be played with a "roll 'em" portion, where each player will reveal one of their five best cards, followed by another round of betting. This continues until four cards are face up, then the showdown, should more than one player remain, follows.http://www.poker.com/game/draw-poker-games/index.htm
4. In games where players are permitted more than one exchange set of cards, often times players will have to buy additional draws. For instance, should a player choose to use a second or third draw, they will have to bet a small amount.http://www.poker.com/game/draw-poker-games/index.htm