2-7 Triple Draw – Learn How to Play in a Few Easy Steps

Even though 2-7 Triple Draw poker has been around for a while, it never seemed to truly take off – until now. We’re seeing some of the biggest stars like Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, Viktor Blom, and many others popularizing the variant and showing all the action-packed play it has to offer. 

If you’re ready to learn what 2-7 Triple Draw poker is, how to play, which strategy to know, and how to bet, keep on reading.

What Is 2-7 Triple Draw?

2-7 or Deuce to Seven Triple Draw poker is a poker variant that uses a lowball hand ranking system and the goal is to make the best low hand. Even though it’s not a game you might typically see in brick-and-mortar casinos, it’s definitely gaining traction online for a few reasons. 

First off, 2-7 Triple Draw poker is a variant often played during mixed games, which are also making a big comeback. Another reason for its popularity is that these games often tend to go into nosebleed stakes, attracting high rollers and poker pros.

In Deuce to Seven poker, the Ace is considered to be a high card and the deuce is the lowest. With the absolute nut low being 7-5-4-3-2, the game was aptly named Deuce to Seven or 2-7 Triple Draw poker. 

Another thing to know about the variant is that both flushes and straights count against your hand. So players are seeking a smooth low hand, which we’ll explain shortly. The second-best low in this game is 7-6-4-3-2, immediately followed by 7-6-5-3-2.

More often than not, you’ll find that 2-7 Triple Draw poker is played in a fixed-limit betting structure. However, it can also be played pot-limit and no-limit, although that’s not as common.

How to Play 2-7 Triple Draw

In 2-7 Triple Draw poker, there are four rounds of betting and three draws. After every round of betting, which we’ll explain shortly, all players choose how many cards they want to discard. They can discard either none or up to five, and the dealer will give them the replacement cards.

After the third and final draw, there’s one last round of betting. Another thing to know is that the person left of the dealer is in the small blind, while the one that’s sitting to the small blind’s left is the big blind. 

Once players complete the hand, the dealer button moves to the next player on the left, as do the small and big blind positions. To make sure the game has action, the blinds have to make a forced bet every pot. Usually, the small blind is half the amount of the big blind, while the table limits determine the big blind. 

2-7 Triple Draw Hand Rankings

We’ve already covered some basic hand rankings, but let’s take a closer look. On the surface of it, 2-7 rankings are pretty easy to remember because they are the complete opposite of Texas Hold’Em. So while the 2-3-4-5-7 sequence would be the worst hand in Hold’Em, it makes the nuts in 2-7 Triple Draw poker.

Also, in this variant, the worst unpaired hand to make is A-K-Q-J-9 because your goal is to make a low hand. Following the same logic, the worst hand to have in this game is the Royal Flush, and triples are worse than pairs. 

Straights, which don’t count to your hand, are worse than pairs and triples. Flushes are worse than straights, and full houses are worse than flushes.

Here are the top ten hands you can make in 2-7:

1. 7-5-4-3-2
2. 7-6-4-3-2
3. 7-6-5-3-2  
4. 7-6-5-4-2  
5. 8-5-4-3-2
6. 8-6-4-3-2
7. 8-6-5-3-2  
8. 8-6-5-4-2  
9. 8-6-5-4-3  
10. 8-7-4-3-2

The betting options in 2-7 Triple Draw poker are identical to the majority of other poker formats. Players can check, bet, fold, call, raise, or raise.

2-7 Triple Draw Strategy

There are certain strategies and tips that can help you level up your 2-7 game, like trying to always have a deuce in your hand. This is especially helpful if you’re a beginner because you can’t draw to the nuts in Deuce to Seven without having one in your hand.

Also, considering there are four betting rounds and three drawing ones, you can make some quite powerful hands. It’s always best to make an eight or better, meaning a non-straight or non-flush hand with the eight as your highest card.

Another 2-7 strategy to try out is to avoid having straight-making starting hands. By doing so, you can give yourself a better chance at drawing well in order to win at the showdown. 

You should also consider your position because, as with any poker game, it could be what makes or breaks your game. Knowing what your opponents are doing before you have to act can truly tip the scales in your favor.

Perfect vs. Smooth vs. Rough Hands in 2-7 Triple Draw

In the 2-7 Triple Draw poker world, you’ll often hear terms like perfect, smooth, and rough. The perfect hand means that you’ve made the lowest possible hand for your highest card. For example, if someone announces Ten Perfect, they’re probably holding 10, along with 5-4-3-2. The next best hand would be the worst nine.

Having a smooth hand refers to having a solid low end of your hand. When someone says that they have an Eighty-Six Smooth, they mean that they’re holding 8-6, along with 4-3-2. A Ten-Eight Smooth would make up a hand 10-8, along with 4-3-2, and so on.

Lastly, there’s the opposite of a smooth hand, which is a rough hand and it refers to a moment when a player has a bad high-end of their hand. So if someone says that they are holding a Rough Nine, their hand looks like this: 9-8-7-4-2. That indicates that their Nine wasn’t a very good one.

To Sum Up

There you have it, our guide to the 2-7 Triple Draw and the strategies that could help you take home the pot. As with any other poker variant, practice makes perfect, so take your time, and hone your skills.

If you’re a beginner, still attempting to get in the game, try to find one with micro or small stakes or try a mixed game. 

But if you want to dive in, head first, and get real-world experience playing poker, try out CoinPoker today. Our lobbies are always full of both pros and beginners, so you’re sure to be able to get the practice you need to make your mark.