Triple Draw Rules

2-7 (Deuce to Seven) Triple Draw Lowball is a poker game in which the low poker hand wins the pot at showdown. In other words, it is a form of ‘Lowball’. It is a ‘draw’ game, meaning that you are dealt five cards, and may discard from zero to five of them on the draw, and receive that number of replacement cards. In Triple Draw, each player has the opportunity to draw three times, though you may ‘stand pat’ (not discard any cards) on any or all of the draws.

How to Play 2-7 Triple Draw

2-7 Triple Draw: Rules & Strategies. A very specific poker variant that has seen a massive raise in popularity in recent years has been the 2-7 Triple Draw. Playerd with classic draw poker rules in place, the game has players competing against each other to make the worst possible poker combination in what is commonly referred to as lowball poker. 2-7 Triple Draw is a lowball draw game which involves 3 rounds of drawing and 4 rounds of betting. The objective of the game is to win our opponent's chips which typically have a monetary value. In a tournament game the objective is to be the last player left standing with all of the chips. 2-7 Triple Draw Rules. 2-7 Lowball is a vastly different game compared to any other poker game you have played so far. To be good at it and consistently win pots, you need to forget everything you have learned about poker before. You need to play against what seems like common sense.

First, it’s important to understand that the hand rankings are different in 2-7 Triple Draw than in other low games. In 2-7 Triple Draw, straights and flushes count against your low hand, and aces are always high. So the best possible hand is: 7, 5, 4, 3, 2. The following 2-7 hands (not a complete list) are ranked from least powerful (#1, which will rarely win the pot) to most powerful (#16, the nuts):

1. J, 7, 4, 3, 2 (all the same suit – a flush)
2. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 (a straight)
3. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 (a lower straight)
4. 5, 5, 5, 6, 3
5. 2, 2, 7, 6, 5
6. A, 9, 6, 4, 2
7. A, 8, 7, 4, 2
8. A, 5, 4, 3, 2 (not a straight – ace-high)
9. K, J, 8, 7, 4
10. T, 7, 5, 4, 3
11. T, 6, 5, 4, 3
12. T, 6, 5, 4, 2
13. 9, 7, 6, 4, 3
14. 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
15. 7, 6, 4, 3, 2
16. 7, 5, 4, 3, 2

Blinds

Draw games are played using forced bets known as blinds, with the player sitting to the left of the dealer button posting a small blind, and the player to their left posting the big blind. The small blind is usually equal to half the size of the big blind. Lowball is also sometimes played with an ante, which is a small forced bet posted by each player in addition to the blinds.

The Deal

Each player is dealt five cards face down. There is then a round of betting, where you have the option to either call, raise, or fold. Players still left in the hand after the first round of betting now have the opportunity to draw. That is, each player selects which (if any) cards he wishes to discard by clicking on them. By clicking a second time on a card that you have planned to discard, you remove it from the discard set. You can discard all five cards if you wish. If you feel that you already have a strong hand, you can opt to ‘Stand Pat’. This means that you are choosing not to discard any of your cards. Discarding continues around the table clockwise. When it is your turn to discard, you press the button to confirm you wish to discard the selected cards.

After the first draw, there is another round of betting, beginning with the first active player to the left of the button.

There are two more draws with a round of betting following each one, resulting in three draws total, and four rounds of betting. If more than one player is still left in the hand at this point, a showdown takes place, with the player holding the best hand taking the pot.

So the sequence of action is:

1. Five cards dealt to each player
2. Betting round #1, beginning with player to left of big blind
3. Draw #1, beginning with player to left of button
4. Betting round #2, beginning with player to left of button
5. Draw #2, beginning with player to left of button
6. Betting round #3, beginning with player to left of button
7. Draw #3, beginning with player to left of button
8. Betting round #4, beginning with player to left of button
9. Showdown (if necessary)

2-7 Triple Draw Rules

In draw games, it is possible for more cards to be needed than are remaining in the deck. In this case, the cards are reshuffled, and play continues using the new deck.

Showdown – Determining the Winner

The player with the best five-card 2-7 hand wins the pot. After the pot is awarded to the best hand, a new game of 2-7 Triple Draw is ready to be played.

If two or more hands have the same value, the pot is equally split among them. There is no rank of suit for the purposes of awarding the pot. 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.

Triple Draw Rules

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. You are always welcome to play on free poker tables at the poker rooms, and sharpen your skills before playing real money poker.