Please remember, this is different from other forms of low or high/low poker, where an ace can be played either high or low. In 2-7 Triple Draw, an ace is always the highest card. Learn How to Play 2-7 Triple Draw for Free. If you are unfamiliar with 2-7 Triple Draw poker, we recommend you try the game out first to get a feel for how it’s played. 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball. 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball is an exciting poker variation. It is a draw game, which means that players receive 5 cards and can choose to discard and draw new cards and it is also a lowball game, which means that the lowest poker hand wins the pot at the end of the game.
Today I want to cover a poker variant that you rarely ever see on TV. Brick and mortar poker rooms rarely spread this variant except as part of a mixed game or special tournament series. Nonetheless, you can still find 2-7 Triple Draw poker games going online across all stakes, and there are even some nice tournaments that occasionally run. So the variant IS played; might as well learn about it and become good at it.
With plenty of fun to offer and even with some players not knowing all of the game’s rules at the lowest stakes, 2-7 Triple Draw may prove profitable to learn and broaden your poker experience. This article will provide you with a few solid tips to push you in the right direction and ensure that however rarely or often you play, you’re more likely to be profitable in the game.
2-7 Triple Draw has a unique hand ranking system
Hand values in 2-7 Triple Draw are unlike those found in almost any other game. Although this is lowball poker, Aces play high, and making straights and flushes is bad, regardless of card rankings. So, the first thing you need to do to get started is to learn how hand rankings work in 2-7 poker.
Poker 27 Triple Drawing
Your goal is to make the best possible low hand without it being a straight. Since aces are high, the best possible combination is 2, 3, 4, 5, 7. This can definitely be a bit confusing at the start, and it will take some time to get used to. So, you shouldn’t be playing for any serious stakes until you fully understand this “bottom-up” hand ranking system.
As mentioned, straights and flushes count against you. A hand such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is horrible in 2-7 Triple Draw. Although it looks like a 7-6 low, it’s not. As a straight, you can only beat worse straights, flushes, and full houses with it. All other hands, even Ace-high and King-high ones, are better, so don’t get excited if you hit a full-house in this game.
Learn why position is everything in this game
You really want to play as many hands as possible in position in 2-7 Triple Draw and stay tight when out of position. This may be true for most poker variants, as you can see in Vision GTO Trainer, but the power of position cannot be overstated in this variant.
As the in-position player, you’ll have the benefit of seeing how many cards your opponents draw. This information will tell you a lot about the strength of their hands and how likely it is for your hand to be winning at the moment. Thanks to this, you can tailor almost a perfect strategy, betting when you are almost certain you’re ahead or when you know their hands are so weak they can’t call.
Since 2-7 Triple Draw is played with a fixed betting structure, you probably won’t get many opportunities to “buy” position by raising. Players acting after you will still continue with decent hands, so you need to make most out of those times when you’re on the button or in the cutoff.
While mostly you want to be only playing good starting hands that have a couple of low cards, you can lower your requirement when you have position. Note that many professional players also practically mandate that you at least have one of the four deuces in your hand when starting out; otherwise it’s often an “insta-fold”.
Bluffing too much won’t get you far
While playing aggressively in position when you have plenty of information to fall back on is correct, trying random bluffs won’t get you far in this game. With a fixed betting structure, don’t expect players to give up easily, especially at lower stakes where everyone loves to take random hands to a showdown.
Of course, sometimes, you will find a decent bluffing spot, and you should take advantage of these situations when they arise but don’t go about trying to actively create them, especially if you’re still learning the game yourself.
The simple truth is that playing a solid fundamental strategy and building big pots when you have big hands will usually be more than enough to make you a winner in small-stakes cash games and tournaments. Trying fancy moves may be entertaining, but it won’t be too healthy for your bankroll in the long run.
In general, your best bluffing spots will come around on the final betting round. When you miss your draw, but there is a possibility the opponent bricked out as well, throwing out a bluff can be worth a try. By this point in a hand, the pot will usually be of a decent size, which means that even if your bluffs don’t work that often, they’ll still be profitable overall.
Other Posts You'll Enjoy
- Top 10 Tips to Surviving Downswings at the Poker Table: Part 1Here are some tips I think would help anyone experiencing a lengthy downswing at the poker tables: Take a Break, Have A(nother) Hobby, Study, Study,…
- Top 10 Tips to Surviving Downswings at the Poker Table: Part 2When things aren't going well for you at the poker table, there are things you can try to do to get yourself out of the…
- 17 Ways to Spot Online Poker Players at Live Poker TablesIn this special Cardplayer Lifestyle article we list 17 ways online poker players stick out among a crowd of live poker players. While not exactly…
- Top 10 Reasons for Tipping Poker DealersCardplayer Lifestyle brings you another great Top 10 list. Today, we examine the 10 best reasons you should be tipping dealers at the poker table.
- Poker Tips By George: Bad beats DO happenBad beats are a part of poker. No matter how much skill we accrue while studying the game, there's always an element of luck in…
- 5 Tips for Getting the Most Value from Your Poker BankrollYour poker bankroll is the tool you use to both have a great time while playing poker as well as to invest in winning more…
2-7 Triple Draw is a lowball draw game. Players are dealt 5 cards, then may draw replacement cards 3 times, with the goal of making the best 2-7 low hand.
2-7 Triple Draw Poker Gameplay
A hand begins with the first players clockwise from the dealer placing forced bets, known as blinds. Each player is dealt 5 hole cards.
A round of betting occurs. Starting with the first player clockwise from the blinds, each player has an opportunity to call (match) or raise (increase) the current bet, or fold and exit the hand. When this betting round is complete, a draw takes place.
Starting clockwise from the button, players choose one or more cards to discard. A player may also discard no cards and “stand pat”. Players are dealt replacement cards for any discards.
Poker 27 Triple Drawer
Another round of betting occurs, starting with the first player clockwise from the dealer. A second draw takes place, followed by another round of betting.
A third and final draw takes place, followed by a final round of betting. If two or more players remain in the hand, a showdown is held and the players’ hole cards are compared.
The pot is awarded to the best 2-7 low hand, or split in the event of a tie. The hand now complete, the dealer button moves clockwise and the next hand begins. 2-7 Triple Draw can be played with Pot Limit, No Limit, or Fixed Limit betting.