Turning poker on its head, 2-7 Triple Draw is a game in which the worst hand in regular poker is the winner. This is where 2-7 Triple Draw gets part of its name (2 to 7, without a flush, being the worst hand in normal poker and the best hand in this game). Check out our tips below.

Tip One - Bad Luck

Bad luck works a bit differently in the upside down world of 2-7 Triple Draw. In normal poker, if you have four great cards and a poor fifth one, that could still be outstanding or decent. In 2-7 Triple Draw, if you have 2347A, that Ace is pretty much ruining your hand. And it's possible to draw just Queens, Kings, or Aces. In such circumstances, you can't do much but fold (you can try bluffing but it's possible that even if the other player is bluffing too they'll still beat you).

Tip Two - Beware Straights

In 2-7 Triple Draw, everyone's after low cards. But put them together it's easy to stumble into a straight. If you have 2-7 or 3-8 you cannot make a straight. But something like 3456(A) is uglier. The Ace has to be tossed but either a 2 or a 7 puts you into a straight. Whilst you obviously can't choose what cards you get, just bear this in mind when deciding whether to stay in. The very best a 3456 can have is 8 high (strong but beatable). Worst case scenario you have a straight, and lose.

Tip Three - Bluffing

When you're the last to act in 2-7 Triple Draw, you can be in a powerful place. Not only have you seen where everybody else is regarding drawing new cards (and drawing one or two is very common), you can aggressively hold onto your hand and bet. If you've got 23457, that's perfect (and unlikely) but a worse hand can be used for bluffing in this situation in 2-7 Triple Draw. Similarly, the fewer discards you need to make, the better. If you're throwing away one card and everybody else has ditched two or three, this can be a good time to bet whether that's a bluff or not.

Tip Four - Remember your Discards

Information in 2-7 Triple Draw is mostly closed. You can see how many cards are thrown out by other players, and vice versa, but you don't know what they're throwing away. It could be a bundle of Aces. Someone might start with 22223, and discard three 2s (which means that player knows nobody else has a 2). This knowledge can help you decide whether to stay in or fold when things are tight in 2-7 Triple Draw. It's also worth noting that 22223 can be a good hand for bluffing, as nobody else has a 2 and the odds on them having a 3 are a little longer. If you bluff, you've got to hold your hand, raise, and never discard.

It can seem weird hoping for the 'worst' hand to win, but 2-7 Triple Draw can be a great way of looking at poker afresh. Just remember what you threw away, because that's valuable information.