2 7 Lowball Triple Draw

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This week, we will begin a series on 8-game play. The 8-game mix is increasingly becoming the true test of poker over even HORSE. It has officially become the game of choice for the $50,000 Event at the World Series of Poker. Over the next few weeks, we will give you some basic tips for each game in the 8-game mix. This week, we will begin with Triple Draw 2-7 lowball.

How To Play 2 7 Lowball Triple Draw
2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Strategy

In 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (sometimes known as Kansas City Lowball), the goal is to make the worst conventional poker hand. That's right - you're looking for the lowest five-card hand possible, not the highest. The lowest hand possible in 2-7 Triple Lowball is: 7-5-4-3-2 (Unsuited). 2-7 Triple Draw is usually played as a fixed limit game where as 2-7 Single Draw is usually a no limit game. There are more betting rounds when playing Triple Draw and therefore more chances to get money into the pot. NL 2-7 rules basically state that you can bet whatever amount you want whenever you want. 2-7 Triple Draw is a draw variant of poker and uses a lowball hand ranking system. In draw variants, players may discard cards from their hand and replace them with cards from the deck. The draw typically occurs before each betting round and occurs three times in 2-7 Triple Draw hence the name “Triple Draw”.

2-7 Triple Draw is a form of ‘lowball’ draw poker. Until recently, the game wasn’t particularly popular but thanks to it’s introduction at various online poker sites and it presence in some mixed game rotations, the player base for this variant has grown in recent years.

Two or One Card Draws

While you will see many players taking part in nearly every hand before the first draw, you are going to want to stick with hands that require just one or two cards to complete the hand.

Three and four card sevens and eights are what you are going to be looking for and in the case of a four-card seven or eight, you will likely want to throw in a raise. When drawing, you want to be careful drawing to an open-ended hand like 7-6-5-4 as you lose eight outs immediately due to straights.

Push Made Hands

When you make your hands in this game prior to the third draw, you need to bet them. If you are dealt a pat hand, you need to become aggressive immediately. This way, you’ll often push out weaker draws of three cards or more.

The only exception would be if you draw to the wheel (7-5-4-3-2) at which case you want them to catch up or bluff into you. Of course, if you have an opponent that’s prone to call you regardless, you can still bet a wheel.

One huge mistake that some players make is that they choose not to push a somewhat weaker made hand like a made nine or ten because they are afraid of losing bets when someone draws out on them. Playing this timidly will allow players to suck out a higher percentage of the time than normal.

Snowing

There are times where you will want to bluff, especially after the final draw. This is referred to as snowing in Triple Draw. For example, if you drew one card the entire way and missed your draw, you may decide to snow into someone that drew two cards. You’re likely on a big draw and unless they have pot odds, they may get out of your way.

Adversely, you may want to call down with weaker hands when you think that the player could be snowing. If a player is prone to bet their hands regardless of holdings, then you’ll want to consider calling a potential snow.

Call Bets At the End with Made Hands

Quite often you will see a player drawing one card lead out after that draw trying to represent a made hand. Since the final draw is a great bluffing opportunity, do not be afraid to look up another player with a weaker hand like a made nine or even a made ten.

An aggressive player or one in position may also bet a weaker hand like jack or even a king. You will find that a solid percentage of the time the player that led out after drawing one did so with a jack or worse in his hand, or on a pure bluff.

A Solid Approach Works Well

2-7 Triple Draw is one game of the 8-Game mix where you can do well playing tight the majority of the time. That’s because there will be many players coming in with weaker hands and continuing when they shouldn’t. Playing snugly will give you a good shot at picking up some chips during a lowball round.

Next week, we will take a brief look at the next game in the Eight Game rotation, Limit Hold’em.

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Donnie Peters

Coming up in about a week and a half, Event #34: $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw will take place at the 2016 World Series of Poker. The cards will be in the air on Monday, June 20 at 3 p.m. in Las Vegas, so that gives you a good chunk of time to do some last-minute cramming before taking your shot in one of the more popular mixed games.

If you're a beginning, we're here to help you get a hang of the basics. If you're a little bit more advanced, remember that it never hurts to give yourself a refresher course. That's why we've compiled a list of 2-7 triple draw advice for you.

1. Always Have a Deuce

Now, you don't always have to have a deuce in your hand. The more advanced you become with the game, the more you'll be able to open up your range of starting hands and get more creative. But for those getting involved as more novice players, always having a deuce in your hand is a good rule to adhere to.

To put it simply, you can't draw to the nuts in 2-7 triple draw without having a deuce in your hand. The card is in the name of the game, and it's for good reason. Last year, PokerNews spoke to Stephen Chidwick about 2-7 triple draw, and he gave us three tips. Having a deuce was his first piece of advice, and you can read more by clicking here.

2. Aim for an Eight

With four betting rounds and three drawing rounds, powerful hands can be made in 2-7 triple draw. In 2-7 single draw, often played with a no-limit betting style, you tend to see weaker hands take down pots. Don't be fooled that the same will apply for triple draw. The two additional drawing rounds and limit betting structure keep things much tighter at showdown.

First of all, all players, including yourself, have more opportunities to draw and make high-quality hands. Secondly, it's harder to bluff players in a limit betting structure, which means people don't do much of it.

All of that said, it's best to aim to make an eight or better, meaning a non-straight or non-flush hand with an eight as your highest card. This is something Ken Lo explained very well last June, and we'd recommend you give his article a read here.

3. Avoid Straight-Making Starting Hands

There are times when two cards can be better to start with than three, even though you might think that doesn't make sense because you'd only have 40 percent of a complete hand versus 60 percent. Starting with a deuce and a seven is better than starting with a four, five, and six. Yes, you have more of the lowest cards in the deck to start, but they're connected and you'll make an unwanted straight a lot of the time. You'll also find that most of the time your opponents will have deuces in their hands, making it harder for you to pull one and not make a straight.

It's these straight-making hands that you'll want to avoid starting with in order to give yourself the best chance at drawing well in order to win at showdown. If you ask Matt Glantz, 'The biggest mistake inexperienced players make is playing hands that could make a straight, four cards to a seven like a or a . You'll learn from experience that those are just junk hands that you can't go with.'

You can read more about what Glantz has to say about 2-7 triple draw advice by clicking here.

4. Position, Position, Position

Like any poker game, position is paramount. Having knowledge of what your opponents are doing before you have to act can really tip the scales in your favor, and this is also extremely true in 2-7 triple draw.

When you're playing pots out of position, you're at a disadvantage to most players and your win percentage will suffer because of it. You'll be able to bluff less and will require more strong made hands to rake in pots. When you're in position, you can use the additional information you're privy to in order to outmaneuver your opponents in more creative ways, much like you would do in a standard game of no-limit hold'em.

How To Play 2 7 Lowball Triple Draw

'Position is as important in triple draw as it is in any game, because you get more information when you see how many cards your opponent is drawing in front of you,' Glantz said in the same article. 'Your opponents' actions will really change the decisions that you will make, and need to make.'

5. Three Draws Doesn't Mean More Hands

Because you get three chances to draw in 2-7 triple draw, beginning players often think you can open up your starting-hand ranges under the false impression it's easy to improve with three chances to do so. If you come out guns blazing and playing a lot of hands, especially in tournaments where chips are so valuable, you'll soon realize that this isn't the way to go.

Be selective with the starting hands you play and pay attention to your position, just as you would in no-limit hold'em. A hand like might be folded under the gun in a full-ring game, but on the button you're likely going to make some moves. The earlier you are in your 2-7 triple draw schooling, the tighter you'll want to be with the hands you play. We know this isn't always the most entertaining approach, but understand that the more experience you gain the more you'll be able to open up.

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