2-7 (Deuce to Seven) Triple Draw
In 2-7 Triple Draw, the lowest hand wins. Also known as Deuce to Seven Triple Draw Lowball, this poker variant turns traditional hand rankings on their head. Your goal is to make the lowest possible five-card hand, with a few important twists that set it apart from other lowball games.
Each player receives five face-down cards and has up to three opportunities to discard unwanted cards and draw replacements. You can stand pat if you’re happy with your hand or exchange between one and five of your cards.
With three draws and four betting rounds, there’s plenty of room for strategy. Knowing which cards to keep, which to discard and when to apply pressure is all part of the game.
How to Play 2-7 Triple Draw
Before getting started, it’s important to understand how hand rankings work in 2-7 Triple Draw. Unlike other lowball variants, Aces are always high, and straights and flushes count against your hand.
That means the best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2, with the cards not all of the same suit. This is known as the number one or nuts hand.
Here are 16 example hands, ranked from weakest (#1) to strongest (#16):
- J-7-4-3-2 (all the same suit: a flush)
- 8-7-6-5-4 (a straight)
- 7-6-5-4-3 (a lower straight)
- 5-5-5-6-3 (three of a kind)
- 2-2-7-6-5 (a pair)
- A-9-6-4-2
- A-8-7-4-2
- A-5-4-3-2 (Ace-high, not a straight)
- K-J-8-7-4
- 10-7-5-4-3
- 10-6-5-4-3
- 10-6-5-4-2
- 9-7-6-4-3
- 8-6-4-3-2
- 7-6-4-3-2
- 7-5-4-3-2 (the best possible hand)
When comparing hands, start with the highest card. If the highest cards match, compare the next highest cards, and continue until the winner is determined. Pairs, straights and flushes all work against you, so an unpaired hand with low, unconnected cards is usually the goal.
Blinds
Like Texas Hold’em, 2-7 Triple Draw uses a dealer button and blinds to get the action started.
The player to the left of the dealer button posts the small blind, while the next player posts the big blind. The small blind is usually half the size of the big blind, although the exact amounts depend on the game.
Some lowball games also use an ante, a small forced bet posted by every player before the cards are dealt.
The Deal and First Betting Round
Each player receives five cards, all dealt face down. Once everyone has their cards, the first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind.
Depending on the action, you can fold, call or raise. Once the betting round is complete, any players still in the hand move on to the first draw.
The Draws
In 2-7 Triple Draw, you have three opportunities to improve your hand.
During each draw, select the cards you want to discard by clicking on them. Changed your mind? Click a selected card again to remove it from your discard selection. You can discard anywhere from one to all five cards, or choose to stand pat and keep your entire hand.
When it’s your turn, confirm your selection to complete the draw. Action moves clockwise around the table until all remaining players have made their choices.
After each draw, another betting round takes place. The first active player to the left of the dealer button acts first in each of these rounds.
Here’s the full sequence of a 2-7 Triple Draw hand:
- The deal: Each player receives five face-down cards.
- Betting round 1: Action begins to the left of the big blind.
- Draw 1: Players discard and replace cards, or stand pat.
- Betting round 2: Action begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
- Draw 2: Players get another opportunity to improve their hands.
- Betting round 3: Another round of betting follows.
- Draw 3: The final opportunity to exchange cards.
- Betting round 4: The last betting round takes place.
- Showdown: If more than one player remains, the best hand wins the pot.
Occasionally, a draw game may require more cards than remain in the undealt deck. If this happens, eligible discards and the remaining undealt cards are reshuffled to form a new deck, and play continues. Find out more in our Reshuffling the Deck guide.
Showdown: Determining the Winner
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, it’s time for showdown.
The player with the best five-card 2-7 low hand wins the pot. Remember, Aces are always high, and straights and flushes count against your hand. The aim is to make a low, unpaired hand with cards that don’t form a straight or flush.
If two or more players have hands of equal value, the pot is split equally between them. Suits don’t determine the winner.
Once the pot has been awarded, the next hand begins.
Learn to Play 2-7 Triple Draw for Free
New to 2-7 Triple Draw? Practising at free poker tables is a useful way to get familiar with the rules, understand the three draws and learn how different hands compare before playing for real money.
Take your time getting to know the hand rankings and think carefully about which cards to keep. With three draws available, every decision can make a difference.
Explore More Poker Games
Enjoy draw poker? There are plenty of other variants to explore.
- 2-7 Single Draw: one draw to make the best possible low hand.
- Five Card Draw: a classic poker game where you aim to make the strongest five-card hand.
- Badugi: a lowball variant where the goal is to make a low hand with four different ranks and suits.
- Texas Hold’em: the classic community-card game that combines hand selection, betting and strategy.
You can also explore our Poker Games guide to discover more variants, learn the rules and find your next challenge.