Deuce to Seven Triple Draw

Introduction

The game of Deuce to Seven Triple Draw is a variant of lowball poker featuring three drawing rounds. Below are the comprehensive rules you need to know.

Rules

1. Players have the option to place an ante bet at their discretion, based on the rules set for the specific table.
2. Each participant receives five cards dealt face down to them.
3. First round of betting takes place.
4. Players are allowed to discard anywhere from none to all five of their cards.
5. Second round of betting takes place.
6. Players are allowed to discard anywhere from none to all five of their cards.
7. Third round of betting takes place.
8. Players are allowed to discard anywhere from none to all five of their cards.
9. Fourth round of betting takes place.
10. The lowest ranked poker hand wins.
11. Aces are HIGH unless in an A2345 straight.
12. In this game, straights and flushes are not valid; the best hand is a 2-3-4-5-7 consisting of two or more different suits.

Video

Direct link: Here’s a link to a useful video: youtu.be/RkLG-212jA8?si=FMAdXmygfN1IQf5p .

General Rules to Betting

The following betting rules are typically observed across various poker formats.

1. Similar to many poker games, there’s a positional edge for those acting later in the round. To ensure fairness, the dealer position rotates clockwise around the table after each hand.
2. The identity of the dealer does not affect gameplay, but the player designated as the dealer will have the advantage of acting last during that hand.
3. The participant seated immediately to the dealer's left is the first to act, followed by players in a clockwise direction.
4. In the first round of betting, a small blind and a big blind are commonly required. These amounts are predetermined, for example, the small blind might be $1 and the big blind $3. The player left of the dealer bets the small blind, while the next player to the left places the big blind. After this, the remaining players can choose to fold if they prefer.
5. Should a player decide to raise the bet, any subsequent raises must equal or exceed the amount of the last raise. For instance, if player A bets $10 and player B intends to raise, their new bet must be at least $20.

Betting Limit Terminology

• Structured betting means that raises can only be made in specific increments. Typically, there are two amounts: one for the initial rounds and a larger one for the subsequent rounds. For example, in a $5/$10 game, raises in the early betting rounds must be precisely $5, while in later rounds they must be $10. In games like Texas Hold 'Em with four betting rounds, the initial two rounds follow the first amount and the last two rounds use the higher amount. Additionally, the small blind equals the lower amount.
• In pot limit games, while there are minimum raise rules similar to structured betting, the maximum raise can equal the total in the pot before the raise is made. For example, in a situation with a pot of $80 in a $5/$10 game, the minimum raise in the early rounds would be $5, while the maximum could be $80.
• In no limit games, while minimum raise rules align with those in structured games, there is no upper limit to how much a player can raise, except the total stack of all opponents at the table.

Poker Etiquette

1. One of the most significant breaches of poker etiquette is what’s known as the string bet. Proper betting involves a straightforward, singular action; modifying a bet that has already been made or making a bet that contradicts an earlier declaration constitutes a string bet.
2. Make sure to announce your intention to raise before you take any action.
3. When declaring your action, it should consist of just one verb. For instance, you could say 'I bet $20' or 'I raise $10.' Phrases like 'I call and raise' become ambiguous, and only the first action mentioned will be accepted, meaning you must simply call.
4. Check-raising is perfectly permissible; this involves checking initially and then raising later within the same betting round. Although it was once viewed as poor etiquette and sometimes prohibited, it has become a legitimate strategic tactic to deter players in later positions from claiming the pot after a series of checks.

Written by: Michael Shackleford