2-7 Triple Draw is a Lowball poker variant played in some land-based casinos and online poker rooms. 2-7 Triple Draw, and Lowball poker games in general, have become increasingly popular in the last few years. In this article, we will cover 2-7 Triple Draw Rules so that you, too, can start playing this favored poker game.

2-7 Triple Draw Rules - Set-up

2-7 Triple Draw is a game for 2-6 players, using a standard 52-card deck. There are three drawing rounds, with 5 cards per person. The potential for so many cards to be drawn limits the game to 6 players max. These rules apply to all Triple Draw poker games.

2-7 Triple Draw Rules – Hand Development

2-7 Triple Draw is a Lowball poker game, which means players are competing for the lowest hand. Unlike most Lowball poker games, however, all normal poker hand ranks are utilized. Straights and Flushes will count against you, and Aces are high. Therefore, as the name of the game implies, the best possible hand is: 2-3-4-5-7
 

2-7 Triple Draw Rules – Betting Structure

2-7 Triple Draw is most often played in a fixed Limit betting structure. The player left of the Dealer Button places a Small Blind, equal to half the low bet, while the player left of the Small Blind places the Big Blind, equal to the low bet. The Dealer Button is passed clockwise around the table each time a new hand is dealt.

Fixed Limit defines the amount a player may bet/raise throughout the hand. If the stakes are $2/$4, $2 is the low bet, and $4 the high bet. Therefore the Small Blind is $1, the Big Blind $2. For the first 2 betting rounds, all bets/raises must match the $2 low bet, increasing to equate the $4 high bet in the final 2 betting rounds.

2-7 Triple Draw Rules – Draw Phases/Betting Rounds

There are 3 Draw Phases in 2-7 Triple Draw. Each player must have 5 cards at all times. During each Draw Phase, a player may discard as many or as few cards as he wishes. Choosing to discard no cards in any Draw Phase is called “Standing Pat”. The dealer will replace as many cards as a player discards for each Draw Phase.

The player left of the dealer will always receive all necessary cards first in a Draw Phase, followed by the next player to his left and so on, ending with the player on the Dealer Button last.

2-7 Triple Draw – Sample Hand

The 2-7 Triple Draw hand begins with the placement of Small and Big Blind bets, followed by the initial deal, where each player receives 5 hidden Hole Cards. Blind bets are considered Live Bets, meaning they will only need to add enough to their current Blind in the first betting round to Call/Bet/Raise, to make up the difference and complete the wager.

1st Betting Round: Starts with the player left of the Big Blind, who may Call the Big Blind, Raise or Fold. Betting continues clockwise until all players have Called the current bet (or Folded).

1st Draw Phase: All players discard 0-5 cards, however many they wish. The Dealer will then  replace as many cards as each player discarded.

2nd Betting Round: All betting rounds now begin with the player left of the Dealer button. The first bettor may Check (bet nothing) or Bet the low bet amount. If a bet is placed, the following bettors must Call, Raise or Fold until the betting round is complete.

2nd Draw Phase: Another draw phase, occurs, same as the first.

3rd Betting Round: All bets/raises now increase to match the high bet.

3rd Draw Phase: another draw phase occurs.

4th Betting Round: this is the final betting round, handled in the same manner as the last.

Showdown: If at any time all bunt on player Folds, the remaining player instantly wins the pot. If two or more players remain at the end of the 4th Betting round, a Showdown occurs. Players compare their hands and the best hand (according to the 2-7 Triple Draw Hand Development Rules above) wins the pot. In case of a tie, winning players split the pot evenly.

2-7 Triple Draw Rules - Not Enough Cards

Because of the considerable draw phases, it is possible to run out of cards before the hand is complete. Should this occur, all discarded cards are re-shuffled and the new deck is used to finish the hand.