There are many different versions of poker, but Deuce to Seven Triple Draw or 2-7 Triple Draw is unlike most of the other common forms you might well have seen before.
What makes 2-7 Triple Draw poker so unique is the fact that you are chasing the exact opposite to most other poker games. You are trying to make the lowest or worst five-card hand possible. Each player is dealt five cards which nobody else can see and there will be an option to discard and replace unwanted cards in the course of the hand. It’s an exciting game, for sure.
In this handy guide we’ll tell you the rules of Deuce to Seven Triple Draw and tell you what kind of strategy to adopt when playing it, so you can start enjoying this game straight away.
The Rules of 2-7 Triple Draw
The minimum number of player in a Deuce to Seven Triple Draw game is six. A dealer button is used in the game which indicates which player posts a small blind (the player immediately to the button’s left) and which posts the big blind (the player two places to the left of the button). Every player is then dealt five cards face down and betting begins. The player to the left of the one who played the big blind bets first and every play calls, raises or folds until each player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the pot.
Following this round of betting players can decide to discard any cards they don’t want and receive new ones. 0 – 5 cards can be swapped. New cards are dealt in the order which betting will continue. Discarded cards are placed by the dealer into what is known as the muck or discarded pile. New bets are made once every player has received their new cards, if they required any.
There are two further opportunities to discard and replace unwanted cards which are performed in exactly the same way as in the opening round and there is another round of betting following each of them.
If there aren’t enough cards left in the deck to complete any draw, the dealer will shuffle the cards in the muck and deal from those.
Betting in 2-7 Triple Draw
If you are familiar with Texas Hold’em then you’ll be pleased to learn that betting in Deuce to Seven Triple Draw is performed in exactly the same way. If you’re not familiar with the betting then you can learn it very quickly.
There is a small limit and a large limit. For example, a game could be $10/$20. $10 is the low limit and $20 the high limit. The high limit is general double the low limit in every single game. The first two rounds of betting will observe the low limit and the final two see the limit increased to the high limit. Every player must contribute the same amount to the pot in order to conclude a round of betting.
Hand Rankings in Deuce to Seven Triple Draw
The hand rankings of any poker game apply in 2-7 Triple Draw, it’s just that you’re looking for the worst or lowest one possible. A Royal Flush would be the absolute best hand in most other poker games, but it’s considered the worst here. Aces are high and 2s are low and it’s a 2 you will want to have, just one of them though – you don’t want two, three or four of a kind in this game.
Any straight is a terrible hand too, so 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is one to avoid. The best possible hand is 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and is known as a Wheel. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 is known as Number Two as it’s the second best possible hand you can have. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 is known as Number Three as it’s the third best hand and the hands continue to be named in this fashion.
Other notable hands are Nut 8 which is 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, Nut 9 – 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 – and any other Nut hand which is formed in the same way.
Having a pair isn’t necessarily damaging as another player might also have one. The best pair hand you can have in 2-7 Triple Draw is 2, 2, 3, 4, 5.
It goes without saying that all the good hands mentioned above need to be off suit.
As you move up the poker hand rankings of traditional poker, the worse they become in Deuce to Seven Triple Draw. It might sound easy to end up with a hand of absolute junk, but it’s actually quite difficult as you’ll discover once you start playing.
2-7 Triple Draw Poker Strategy
There are a few things you need to remember when playing Deuce to Seven Triple Draw. The most important is that the hand ranking is the polar opposite of that which you’re used to. Instinct might well kick in and you’ll feel excited at the sight of a pair of aces but remember that they are a terrible couple of cards to be holding in this game.
You should take care when discarding and replacing cards. If you’re in a situation where you feel like you want to change 5 cards, you’re probably better off folding. As a rule, two cards is the maximum you want to change and at a push you can do it with three, although this is definitely not recommended in the final round.
As well as wanting to break up any pairs, threes of a kind or hands which are traditionally better you should also discard a lone 6. A 6 is needed in order to form any low straight and it can be quite a damaging card.
Bet in the same way as you would in other poker games, except you want people to believe that you’ve got bad or low cards rather than good or high ones. It can take a little while, but once you master Deuce to Seven Triple Draw you’ll find that it’s a lot of fun.