A-5 Triple Draw and 2-7 Triple Draw are essentially the same game as far as the betting and dealing structure is concerned; the point of both games is to get the lowest hand possible. The difference between them is what determines the lowest hand possible, and it's this difference that makes each game unique and exciting to play. Triple Draw poker has been growing in popularity over the last couple years. You can now play it in several different forms at the largest online poker room. This article covers the rules for the two most common variations, 2-7 and A-5 Triple Draw.



Rules in Common

In both games, the structure of the betting and drawing rounds are identical:

1. Blinds are placed.

2. Cards are dealt.

3. Bets are placed.

4. Cards a discarded and drawn.

5. Betting.

6. Drawing.

7. Betting.

8. Final Draw.

9. Final Bet.

From the description above you can see where both games gets their name ?Triple Draw?, but it's the ?A-5? and ?2-7? designations that make the biggest difference between them, and makes them both the most fun. There are single draw versions of both games as well. The rules are the same for those variations, you just only draw once instead of 3 times.

In 2-7 Triple Draw, the more subdued and challenging of the two by far, the best hand possible is 2-3-4-5-7 unsuited, hence the name ?2-7?. You'll notice that I said ?unsuited?; that's because flushes count against you, as do straights. One other difference between 2-7 and A-5 is that in 2-7, Aces are never counted low, they're always high? making the 2-3-4-5-7 unsuited the lowest hand possible. It is easy to get mixed up so if you are playing at a room that offers both variations be sure to carefully selection your table to ensure that you don't draw for the wrong cards.

In contrast, the best hand possible in A-5 Triple draw is A-2-3-4-5 of any suit. It's obvious straights don't matter, but neither do flushes and Aces are low. This is the simpler of the two games, but ONLY because there are so many more premium hand combinations to win with and far fewer hand restrictions as opposed to 2-7 triple draw.

Action in 2-7 Triple Draw is typically reserved and cautious, whereas A-5 Triple Draw spurs some of the fastest and most furious action in any game around. With so many hand restrictions, 2-7 is generally a game of only two or three players per hand, everyone else folds out. But in A-5 is not at all uncommon for all 6 players at the table to be going at it tooth and nail on every hand.

In either game, starting hand selections are the most important part of the game. 2-7 requires far more stringent guidelines of what to play and what not to play, while A-5 allows you far more leeway in your opening hands. Learning how to play the right hand from the right position will not only greatly increase your chances of winning in either game, but it will also greatly reduce your chances of playing a bad hand out of position and losing.