Deuce to 7 Triple Draw seems like a very simple game, and in many regards, it is. The object of the game is very basic, since all you need to do is make the lowest possible five-card poker hand, (with no straight or flush and remembering that Aces are always high), and you get three draws to try and make that a reality. Many players use that as an excuse to bet with any five cards they are dealt, figuring that they can surely turn even a hand made of straw into gold by the time three draws are complete. Unfortunately, if you subscribe to that belief, you will soon find yourself with no money in your pocket, having donated it all to your opponents who actually know how to play the game properly. However, by mastering the Deuce to 7 triple draw strategy for beginners that follows in this article, you can become a player who takes advantage of others who don’t know how to play the game as well as you do – and make this a profitable game for yourself.
As in all poker games, knowing which starting hands to play and which to simply throw away is the cornerstone of any complete strategy. There are three categories of hands that should be played before the first draw: Pat hands, one-card draws and two-card draws. In most cases, we recommend that all the hands that are good enough to play are good enough to raise with, since one of the most important strategies that you need to employ in Deuce to 7 Triple Draw is to limit the number of players who are drawing against you.
The pat hands that should be played are any seven-low or eight-low hand, meaning a hand where the highest card is either a seven or eight, which does not contain a straight or flush or a pair. As stated above, it is essential to raise and re-raise with these hands to try and limit the number of players who will try and draw to beat you. Be aware that one common play made by many is to simply call when they are dealt the “nuts” (the best possible hand, 7-5-4-3-2), in order to keep players in, knowing that they can’t be beaten. While this is a tempting play to make, good players will be able to see through this ploy, especially if you have done it before. It is more important to try and disguise your hands by betting consistently with all of them than it is to try and get tricky in this situation.
In deciding whether or not to play a drawing hand one of the most important considerations is if you have a deuce in your hand. Without a deuce, it is impossible to make a seven-low, and with one, it makes it less likely that your opponents can make one. So, at the top of the list of one-card draws are the hands that have four cards to the nuts, such as 2-3-4-7, 2-3-5-7, and 2-4-5-7. If you don’t have one of these hands, you can also play aggressively with other draws to a seven or eight that are not also straight draws. For example, 2-3-4-8 is a MUCH better draw than 4-5-6-7, even though the latter could make a better hand. Notice that the 4-5-6-7 can only make a good hand with the addition of a deuce, since threes and eights will cripple you with a straight, whereas the 2-3-4-8 can be improved to a possible winner by a 5, 6 or 7. While you still would play many one-card draws to a 7, even with a straight draw, such as 2-3-4-5 and 2-3-5-6 (notice that both sevens and eights make excellent hands here), you should avoid draws to an 8 that also contain straight draws, but play one-card draws to an 8 that don’t have straight possibilities, such as 2-3-4-8, 2-3-5-8, 2-4-6-8 and the like.
When moving into two-card draws, you need to be much more selective about which hands you will play, however, these will be the majority of the hands you will play before the first draw. The best of these are the hands that will potentially make the nuts: 2-3-4, 2-3-7, 2-3-5, 2-4-5, 2-4-7 and 2-5-7. Not only will these hands often quickly become a one-card draw to the best possible hand, but they will do so without the danger of a straight draw. You can also play 2-3-6, 2-4-6, 2-5-6 and 2-6-7, but you need to be more cautious with these hands, since they cannot make the nuts, and the first three of them could also become straight draws. The other hands to consider playing are the best possible two-card draws to an 8, such as 2-3-8, 2-4-8 and 2-5-8. For the most part, unless you are trying to steal the blinds in late position with a bluff-raise, almost all other hands should be thrown away.
After the first draw, you need to assess your situation based on whether you hit your hand, what the action is from the other players, and your position at the table. If you drew fewer cards than the other players, you should automatically bet, whether or not you hit your hand, especially if everyone checks to you in final position. If you drew more cards than your opponent, you should check automatically, even if you hit your hand, since in this case he will bet, and you will be able to check-raise him. If you hit a pat eight or better, you need to try and jam the pot with as many bets as possible, and you will stand pat for the other two draws and make your opponents pay as dearly as possible to try and outdraw you.
After the second and third draws, you need to judge where you are in the hand based on what you know of your opponents, as well as the way they are betting the hand. Once again, after the second draw, if you were a card ahead going into it, you want to bet whether or not you improve, as you are likely the favorite to win the hand. If your opponent is still drawing, he may fold at this point, assuming that you are standing pat. If your opponent bets instead, you should call with a one-card draw to a 7 and try to hit your hand, but be very careful staying in the hand with an inferior draw, as you may be drawing dead to a made hand.
Other articles in our Poker Variants section will bring focus on more advanced tactics for Deuce to 7 Triple Draw, however, this information will give you an excellent start toward playing the game and coming away a winner.
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An Introduction to How to Play Deuce to Seven Triple Draw
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