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Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules

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Non-US Poker Rooms with 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw The best place to play Deuce to Seven Triple Draw for Non-US players is definitely Pokerstars. Pokerstars has been spreading online poker games for a many years, has an incredible reputation for paying their players, and is the largest online poker room in the world (as of January, 2012). 2-7 Triple Draw is a form of 'lowball' poker, where the best hand is the lowest hand. The best possible hand in 2-7 Triple Draw is 2-3-4-5-7, or number 1 as players of the game refer to it. As you can see, this hand would be complete garbage in a 'high-hand' variation of poker.

Introduction

Lowball or Low Poker is poker in which the lowest ranking hand wins. Most poker variants can be reversed in this way, but the name 'Lowball' is most often used to refer to a low version of Five Card Draw Poker. On this page several versions of this game are described. They differ in the hand ranking, the drawing procedure and whether a wild card is used, and these are described on this page.

The different possible rankings for low poker are explained on the hand ranking page. The differences depend on whether Aces are counted as high or low, and whether straights and flushes count. Paired cards always count, so in the absence of straights and flushes a hand of five different ranks always beats a hand containing any duplicate ranks.

When drawing to a five-card hand to make a low hand, it is seldom worth drawing more than one card. If you draw two cards you will make a pair about half the time, and however low the three cards are that you keep, your chance of getting a 9-high or better is never more than 25%. For this reason, there are versions of lowball in which players have more than one opportunity to draw. In such a game you can afford to draw more than one card the first time, but if you stay for the last draw you will either stand pat or draw just one card, hoping for a low card that does not pair with any of your other four.

Although Draw Poker is perhaps the most usual form of Lowball game, the Lowball version of Five Card Stud also works well, and Seven Card Stud Low is also played under the name Razz. The name Lowball is also occasionally used to refer to the game called Jacks Back on this site, which begins as Five Card Draw Jacks or Better and is played for low if no one has a good enough hand to open.

California Lowball

Against

Also known as Ace-to-Five Single Draw, this game is similar to Five Card Draw Poker, but in the showdown the lowest hand wins, using ace-to-five ranking. That is, aces are always low and straights and flushes do not count, so the lowest hand is A-2-3-4-5, then A-2-3-4-6, A-2-3-5-6, etc. AS always the highest cards of an unpaired hand are compared first, so for example 7-5-4-3-2 beats 7-6-3-2-A.

It is possible to play with an ante, but in formal games it is more often played with blinds. The dealer places a small blind and the next two players to the left of the dealer each place a big blind equal to the minimum bet.

Everyone is dealt five cards and there is a round of betting. If an ante is used this begins with the player to the left of the dealer. When blinds are placed, these count as bets and the first betting round begins with the player immediately to the left of the blinds; the players who placed big blinds are allowed to raise when the turn comes around to them even if no one else has done more than call.

After the first betting round, surviving players in turn, starting to the dealer's left, can discard any number of cards (in practice seldom more than one card) and are dealt replacements. There is then a second round of betting. If the game is played with blinds this is started by the first active player to dealer's left. If there are antes and no blinds, the second round is begun by the player who opened the first round of betting.

When Lowball is played as a fixed limit game, some play that the size of the bet is doubled after the draw and others play that it remains the same.

This game is often played with a joker added to the deck. The joker, sometimes known as the fitter, represents the lowest rank not present in the holder's hand. For example 8-6-4-A-joker is equivalent to 8-6-4-2-A.

Betting Sevens

Some play that a player who checks after the draw with a hand that is 7-low or better (five different ranks with nothing higher than a 7) and has the best hand at the showdown can only win the chips that were in the pot at the time of the draw. Any chips that were bet after the draw are placed in a separate pot that this player is not eligible to win.

Betting, calling a bet or raising after the draw entitles you to win the whole pot with your 7-low or better if you have the best hand at the showdown, provided that you did not check at your first turn to act after the draw. It is therefore unwise to check after the draw with such a hand, unless you intend to fold if another player bets against you.

Kansas City Lowball

Kansas City Lowball is also called Deuce to Seven Single Draw or sometimes Billy Baxter Lowball after the player who won the world championship in this game several times. In this game, Aces are always high and straights and flushes do count (and are therefore bad), but A-2-3-4-5 is not a straight, because the Ace is high. The best hand possible is 7-5-4-3-2 (hence 'Deuceto Seven'), followed by 7-6-4-3-2, .. K-Q-J-10-8, A-5-4-3-2, A-6-4-3-2, .. up to the usual royal flush, which is worst. In other words, it's the exact opposite of normal high poker except for the A-2-3-4-5 rule.

The deal, draw and betting are similar to California Lowball. So far as I know, this game is normally played without a joker, and there is no equivalent of the 'betting sevens' rule.

The Deuce to Seven page of the Play Lowball Poker site has further information on this game.

Ace-to-Six Lowball

This is Five Card Draw Poker using ace-to-six ranking, in which straights and flushes count but aces can be low. Normally A-A should be the lowest (and therefore best) pair, but A-K-Q-J-10 would count as a straight - but opinions may differ, so these details should be agreed in advance among the players.

This game is often ignored or said to be unusual in books and on poker web sites. This may be because it is not played in public card rooms on the American West Coast and rarely offered as an online game. However, I suspect it is fairly widespread in home poker games, particularly on the American East Coast and in Europe.

Triple Draw

In this game players have three opportunities to improve their hand. According to some sources the maximum number of players for this game is six. Certainly with a larger number of players the cards will frequently run out and discards will need to be recycled.

Normally it is played with blinds: the player to dealer's left posts a small blind, and the next player to the left posts a big blind, equal to the mimimum bet for the game.

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules

The dealer deals five cards to each player and there is a round of betting beginning to the left of the big blind. As usual in games with blinds, the big blind player is allowed to raise even if the others have all folded or called. Then in clockwise order, starting to dealer's left, players may discard any number of cards and are dealt replacements. There is a second round of betting begun by the first active player to dealer's left. This is followed by a second opportunity to discard and draw, a third round of betting, a third discard and draw, and a fourth round of betting. In a fixed limit game, the size of the bet is normally doubles after the second draw, so that the last two rounds have big bets.

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules Dice Game

It happens fairly often in this game that the dealer runs out of cards. In this case all the discarded cards (the 'muck') are shuffled and cut to form a new deck from which replacement cards are dealt to players who are still waiting to draw.

There are two versions of this game, depending on the hand ranking used in the showdown (see low poker hand ranking):

  • Deuce to Seven Triple Draw, which uses deuce-to-seven ranking, is perhaps the more popular game.
  • Ace to Five Triple Draw, using ace to five ranking is also sometimes played.

The Triple Draw page of the Play Lowball Poker site has further information on the history and variants of this game.

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Double Draw

This game is similar to Triple Draw, except that players only have two opportunities to improve their hands by drawing cards. There are therefore three betting rounds: after the deal, after the first draw and after the second draw. Either ace-to-five or deuce-to-seven (or even ace-to-six) ranking can be used, as agreed by the players.

Lowball poker is a popular form of poker in live and online poker rooms today. While there are several forms of lowball poker, the first that you should acquaint yourself with is 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball.

It is a game that grew in popularity in the card rooms in California before Texas Hold'em was legalized, and now it has gained a rebirth in online card rooms. Today we will look at the basic rules of 2-7 Lowball.

What is 2-7 Lowball Poker

Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball is a Five Card Draw variant where the objective of the hand is to make the lowest five-card hand. Straights and flushes hurt your hand in this game and aces are always high. As a result, the lowest possible hand in the game is 2-3-4-5-7 unsuited. This game is customarily played in a limit format with six players at the table.

Standard Game Play

Before a hand is dealt, two players must post blinds. This is done the same way as in Texas Hold'em with a dealer button providing the dealer position and the two players to the left being the small and big blinds. The big blind is the equivalent of the small bet amount. In a $3-$6 2-7 Lowball game, the small bet amount is $3.

After blinds are posted, each player receives five cards and action proceed from the left of the big blind around the table. Betting and raising are done in the small bet amount and up to three raises may be made.

Badugi, 2-7 Triple draw and O/8 hand labs. We are creating a new wave of mix game fanatics on Ship It Poker Cruises. https://t.co/pP0HinKshC

— Mary Gregorich (@marygregorich) November 17, 2019

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules Rule

After the first round of betting, each player may draw up to five cards. If a player does not want cards, they can rap pat. When the draw is completed the 2nd betting round occurs, again in the small bet amount. Once completed, a second draw occurs, followed by another betting round. The betting rounds after the 2nd and 3rd draws are both done in the big bet amount or $6 from our earlier example.

When the betting round after the 2nd draw is complete, the final draw occurs. One last round of betting takes place and then the players show their hand. The player with the lowest hand takes the pot. In the event of a tie, the pot is split.

Irregularities and Deal Rules

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules

Also known as Ace-to-Five Single Draw, this game is similar to Five Card Draw Poker, but in the showdown the lowest hand wins, using ace-to-five ranking. That is, aces are always low and straights and flushes do not count, so the lowest hand is A-2-3-4-5, then A-2-3-4-6, A-2-3-5-6, etc. AS always the highest cards of an unpaired hand are compared first, so for example 7-5-4-3-2 beats 7-6-3-2-A.

It is possible to play with an ante, but in formal games it is more often played with blinds. The dealer places a small blind and the next two players to the left of the dealer each place a big blind equal to the minimum bet.

Everyone is dealt five cards and there is a round of betting. If an ante is used this begins with the player to the left of the dealer. When blinds are placed, these count as bets and the first betting round begins with the player immediately to the left of the blinds; the players who placed big blinds are allowed to raise when the turn comes around to them even if no one else has done more than call.

After the first betting round, surviving players in turn, starting to the dealer's left, can discard any number of cards (in practice seldom more than one card) and are dealt replacements. There is then a second round of betting. If the game is played with blinds this is started by the first active player to dealer's left. If there are antes and no blinds, the second round is begun by the player who opened the first round of betting.

When Lowball is played as a fixed limit game, some play that the size of the bet is doubled after the draw and others play that it remains the same.

This game is often played with a joker added to the deck. The joker, sometimes known as the fitter, represents the lowest rank not present in the holder's hand. For example 8-6-4-A-joker is equivalent to 8-6-4-2-A.

Betting Sevens

Some play that a player who checks after the draw with a hand that is 7-low or better (five different ranks with nothing higher than a 7) and has the best hand at the showdown can only win the chips that were in the pot at the time of the draw. Any chips that were bet after the draw are placed in a separate pot that this player is not eligible to win.

Betting, calling a bet or raising after the draw entitles you to win the whole pot with your 7-low or better if you have the best hand at the showdown, provided that you did not check at your first turn to act after the draw. It is therefore unwise to check after the draw with such a hand, unless you intend to fold if another player bets against you.

Kansas City Lowball

Kansas City Lowball is also called Deuce to Seven Single Draw or sometimes Billy Baxter Lowball after the player who won the world championship in this game several times. In this game, Aces are always high and straights and flushes do count (and are therefore bad), but A-2-3-4-5 is not a straight, because the Ace is high. The best hand possible is 7-5-4-3-2 (hence 'Deuceto Seven'), followed by 7-6-4-3-2, .. K-Q-J-10-8, A-5-4-3-2, A-6-4-3-2, .. up to the usual royal flush, which is worst. In other words, it's the exact opposite of normal high poker except for the A-2-3-4-5 rule.

The deal, draw and betting are similar to California Lowball. So far as I know, this game is normally played without a joker, and there is no equivalent of the 'betting sevens' rule.

The Deuce to Seven page of the Play Lowball Poker site has further information on this game.

Ace-to-Six Lowball

This is Five Card Draw Poker using ace-to-six ranking, in which straights and flushes count but aces can be low. Normally A-A should be the lowest (and therefore best) pair, but A-K-Q-J-10 would count as a straight - but opinions may differ, so these details should be agreed in advance among the players.

This game is often ignored or said to be unusual in books and on poker web sites. This may be because it is not played in public card rooms on the American West Coast and rarely offered as an online game. However, I suspect it is fairly widespread in home poker games, particularly on the American East Coast and in Europe.

Triple Draw

In this game players have three opportunities to improve their hand. According to some sources the maximum number of players for this game is six. Certainly with a larger number of players the cards will frequently run out and discards will need to be recycled.

Normally it is played with blinds: the player to dealer's left posts a small blind, and the next player to the left posts a big blind, equal to the mimimum bet for the game.

The dealer deals five cards to each player and there is a round of betting beginning to the left of the big blind. As usual in games with blinds, the big blind player is allowed to raise even if the others have all folded or called. Then in clockwise order, starting to dealer's left, players may discard any number of cards and are dealt replacements. There is a second round of betting begun by the first active player to dealer's left. This is followed by a second opportunity to discard and draw, a third round of betting, a third discard and draw, and a fourth round of betting. In a fixed limit game, the size of the bet is normally doubles after the second draw, so that the last two rounds have big bets.

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules Dice Game

It happens fairly often in this game that the dealer runs out of cards. In this case all the discarded cards (the 'muck') are shuffled and cut to form a new deck from which replacement cards are dealt to players who are still waiting to draw.

There are two versions of this game, depending on the hand ranking used in the showdown (see low poker hand ranking):

  • Deuce to Seven Triple Draw, which uses deuce-to-seven ranking, is perhaps the more popular game.
  • Ace to Five Triple Draw, using ace to five ranking is also sometimes played.

The Triple Draw page of the Play Lowball Poker site has further information on the history and variants of this game.

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Double Draw

This game is similar to Triple Draw, except that players only have two opportunities to improve their hands by drawing cards. There are therefore three betting rounds: after the deal, after the first draw and after the second draw. Either ace-to-five or deuce-to-seven (or even ace-to-six) ranking can be used, as agreed by the players.

Lowball poker is a popular form of poker in live and online poker rooms today. While there are several forms of lowball poker, the first that you should acquaint yourself with is 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball.

It is a game that grew in popularity in the card rooms in California before Texas Hold'em was legalized, and now it has gained a rebirth in online card rooms. Today we will look at the basic rules of 2-7 Lowball.

What is 2-7 Lowball Poker

Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball is a Five Card Draw variant where the objective of the hand is to make the lowest five-card hand. Straights and flushes hurt your hand in this game and aces are always high. As a result, the lowest possible hand in the game is 2-3-4-5-7 unsuited. This game is customarily played in a limit format with six players at the table.

Standard Game Play

Before a hand is dealt, two players must post blinds. This is done the same way as in Texas Hold'em with a dealer button providing the dealer position and the two players to the left being the small and big blinds. The big blind is the equivalent of the small bet amount. In a $3-$6 2-7 Lowball game, the small bet amount is $3.

After blinds are posted, each player receives five cards and action proceed from the left of the big blind around the table. Betting and raising are done in the small bet amount and up to three raises may be made.

Badugi, 2-7 Triple draw and O/8 hand labs. We are creating a new wave of mix game fanatics on Ship It Poker Cruises. https://t.co/pP0HinKshC

— Mary Gregorich (@marygregorich) November 17, 2019

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules Rule

After the first round of betting, each player may draw up to five cards. If a player does not want cards, they can rap pat. When the draw is completed the 2nd betting round occurs, again in the small bet amount. Once completed, a second draw occurs, followed by another betting round. The betting rounds after the 2nd and 3rd draws are both done in the big bet amount or $6 from our earlier example.

When the betting round after the 2nd draw is complete, the final draw occurs. One last round of betting takes place and then the players show their hand. The player with the lowest hand takes the pot. In the event of a tie, the pot is split.

Irregularities and Deal Rules

Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Rules

When a player draws five cards, many casinos do not allow a player to receive all five cards at once. The player will be dealt four cards, and then the other players receive their cards. The player that drew five will then receive their last card.

Also, on occasion, the dealer will go through the entire deck. Since 30 cards are dealt to start with, multiple players drawing multiple cards can make the deck run out. When this occurs, the burn cards are then taken and shuffled. You will then use those cards to complete the hand.

If the final hand between two players is a pair, the lower pair wins. Remember that aces are high only. In a rare occurrence where two players may have a straight and or a flush, you will award the pot to the lower hand. For example, a jack-high straight would lose to an eight-high straight. A flush would lose to a straight.

As you can see, Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball is a very different game than your typical draw poker games and distinctly different than Texas Hold'em. In recent years, Triple Draw Lowball has become a staple of mixed games such as 8-Game or Dealer's Choice. If you are looking for a new game to add to your poker rotation, or are just looking to expand your poker knowledge, definitely learn 2-7 Lowball.

Poker 2-7 Lowball Rules Rule

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