2-7 Single Draw Lowball Poker Variant Explained – Worst Hand Wins
Imagine an upside-down world, where everything is backwards. In this world, people are born old, and as time goes by, they get younger. Trees grow from the sky towards the ground, and rain falls up from the ground to the clouds. People say ‘goodbye’ when they meet, and ‘hello’ when they part ways.
What would poker be like in this world? The worst hand would always win for sure, and the usual hand rankings would be flipped on their heads. This backwards version of poker actually exists in our reality, and it is called 2-7 Single Draw or Deuce-to-Seven Lowball.
Whether you’re an experienced poker player or a curious newcomer, 2-7 Single Draw offers an exciting new twist on the classic game and strategic battles for everyone.
In our comprehensive guide, we aim to take you through 1-7 Single Draw’s history, its rules, similarities and differences with classic Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, common pitfalls, and also provide you with basic and more advanced strategies to help you get started
A Brief History of 2-7 Single Draw
2-7 Single Draw is not as old as Texas Hold’em, and it was never played by cowboys in the mythical smoky saloons of the Wild West. Poker games where the worse the hand, the better, also known as ‘lowball’ games, started out as niche games among hardcore gamblers only at the beginning of the 20th century.
The lowball game of 2-7 Single Draw gained real popularity in the mid-1900s in Las Vegas, where it became one of players’ favorite mixed games. High-stakes card players, who appreciated its pure bluffing dynamics and mathematical depth, were drawn to the game, including poker legends Doyle Brunson and Barry Greenstein. Thanks to these players, 2-7 Single Draw soon became a staple of the World Series of Poker as well.
Since the rise of online poker, 2-7 Single Draw has lost some of its appeal, but is still often played in high-roller cash games and tournaments. A couple of online poker platforms also offer 2-7 Single Draw tables. The game has no-limit and triple-draw versions too, but single draw remains the purest form of this poker variant.
The Rules of 2-7 Single Draw
As opposed to Texas Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Single Draw is a ‘closed’ game, in the sense that players only see their own cards. Because there are no shared community cards, bluffing and hand-reading become even more important than in community card games.
In this manner, the game is similar to the classic 5-Card Draw, but in 2-7 Draw, the lowest hand wins. This means that straights and flushes are disadvantageous, and aces are always counted as high cards. Making the worst hand in poker sounds easy, right? Let’s see!
2-7 Single Draw can be played with 2 to 10 players using a standard 52-card deck. Players have to make the worst possible five-card hand by discarding from their hands and drawing new cards from the deck to replace them.
Before dealing any cards, the two players to the left of the dealer must post mandatory ‘blind bets’ called the ‘small blind’ and the ‘big blind’. The purpose of these blind bets is to ensure there is always some money in the middle to incentivize player action. Some games might include ‘antes’ too, which must be posted by every player in the hand, not just the blinds.
When the blinds are posted, each player is dealt five private cards face down, and the first betting round begins.
Players can either:
- throw their cards away or ‘fold’
- put in the same amount of money as the big blind or ‘call’
- put in more money than the big blind or ‘raise’
After all players have acted, they can choose to discard and replace up to five private cards from the deck, or ‘stand pat’ if they want to keep all five of their private cards.
After all players have acted, a second round of betting ensues. After this second betting round concludes, the remaining players reveal their hands, and the worst five-card hand, or the lowest unpaired hand wins.
2-7 Single Draw Hand Rankings
To evaluate their own and their opponents’ hands, players need to be familiar with the hand ranking hierarchy of the game. Remember, everything is backwards compared to the classic poker hand rankings, a straight or a flush is terrible in this game!
Here are the rankings for every possible combination, sorted from highest to lowest:
| Hand Type | Example | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Best Possible Hand (“Number One”) | 2-3-4-5-7 (no flush) | Unbeatable |
| Strong Low Hand | 2-4-6-7-8 | Very strong |
| Marginal Low Hand | 3-5-7-8-J | Risky |
| Weak Hand (Straight/Flush Penalty) | 5-6-7-8-9 (straight) | Very weak |
| Worst Hand (Pair or Better) | K-K-Q-J-10 | Loses to everything |
Basic Strategies & Tips for 2-7 Single Draw
2-7 Single Draw is a game of incomplete information: players only see their five private cards, but not their opponents’ cards. Because of the nature of the game, reading opponents, dealing with unknown factors, and managing risk are just as important as the player’s own cards.
Here are some essential strategies to help you get started:
Starting Hand Selection
In the long run, some hands perform much better than others. You should take the time to carefully evaluate the strength of your cards before betting or drawing. The best starting hands include three or more low cards (2-7) that do not form pairs or are at risk of making a straight or a flush.
It is best to play strong starting hands like 2-3-4-5-X (where ‘X’ is any non-pairing, non-straight card) or 2-3-5-7-8. Let go of weak hands even before the draw in order to avoid costly mistakes on later betting rounds. Weak hands are hands with 8s or 9s because they weaken your low potential, and three-card straights or flushes because they can easily backfire after the draw.
Drawing Is Information
Because there are no community cards, the only information your opponents can get about your hand is based on how many cards you choose to draw. If you stand pat or keep all five of your cards, it signals strength, and you can often force folds with it. If you draw one or two cards, it often means that you are close to a strong low. If you draw three or more cards, it suggests that you have a weak hand. Be careful, because all these can be deceptive bluffs as well!
Apply Controlled Aggression
Because you only get one draw, the betting rounds are of paramount importance. You should play tighter and only enter pots with premium low draws from early positions, but you should steal blinds with well-timed bets from late positions, especially if your opponents display weakness.
Bluff Intelligently
If you suspect that your opponents are drawing, do not be afraid to pull the trigger and represent a strong low hand by betting them aggressively.
Advanced Tips & Tricks for 2-7 Single Draw
If you already know the basics, you might want to up your game with more advanced strategies. Here are a few aspects to consider:
Adjust Your Strategy Based On Position
Deviate from your basic strategy depending on your position. Late positions give you an advantage because you act last after the draw, and can gather more information before the betting round begins. Play more hands from late positions to take this advantage. Conversely, you should play fewer hands from early positions, because you have less information, and you will act first in future rounds.
Profile Your Opponents
Pay careful attention to your opponents’ actions and assign them to player categories. Calling stations call too often, so you should value bet them a lot. Nits fold under pressure, so you can easily bluff them off marginal hands. Maniacs overbet their weak hands, so you can trap them with your strong holdings.
Balance Your Range
If you only bet your strong holdings, players might quickly find out about your strategy. You should avoid being predictable by mixing strong hands as well as bluffs in your betting patterns. This way, your opponents will have more difficulty exploiting your strategy.
Give False Tells
You can misdirect your opponents by acting weak with your strong hands or acting strong with your weak hands.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in 2-7 Single Draw
There are countless pitfalls in poker. Be easy on yourself if you make a mistake – even experienced players make them from time to time, especially when they transition to 2-7 Single Draw.
Identifying potential pitfalls reduces the risk of falling into them. Here are some mistakes you should look out for:
Overvaluing Marginal Low Hands
With all the drawing going on, you are not very likely to win with any low hand, even though many players think that any low hand is strong. In reality, low hands like 3-5-7-8-J are very vulnerable. You should only continue with two-card draws to a strong low, like 2-3-5-7-X.
Ignoring the Risk of Straights & Flushes
In 2-7 Single Draw, hands like 4-5-6-8-9 might look quite decent, but they are, in fact, disastrous, because they can easily make a straight. You should avoid keeping three connected cards unless they are very low, like 2-3-4.
Drawing Too Many Cards
If you always discard three, four, or even five cards, you basically hope that a miracle happens. Be selective with your actions, sometimes it is better to just fold than to chase a miracle improvement of your card combinations.
Underbluffing or Overbluffing
If you never bluff, your play will be absolutely predictable, and smart opponents might exploit your weakness. You should bluff strategically, especially against tight players, who play few hands.
2-7 Single Draw vs. Other Poker Variants
Generally speaking, 2-7 Single Draw requires more psychological reads, while Texas Hold’em demands deeper mathematical knowledge.
Here’s how the game stacks up against other popular formats:
| Feature | 2-7 Single Draw | Texas Hold’em | Omaha | Razz (Stud Lowball) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective | Lowest hand wins | Highest hand wins | Highest hand wins | Lowest hand wins |
| Hand Rankings | Straights/flushes hurt you | Standard poker hands | Standard poker hands | Aces low, straights/flushes don’t count |
| Cards Dealt | 5 (private) | 2 private + 5 community | 4 private + 5 community | 7 cards (some face-up) |
| Drawing Rounds | One draw (0-5 cards) | No drawing | No drawing | No drawing (stud format) |
| Best Hand | 2-3-4-5-7 (no flush) | Royal Flush | Royal Flush | A-2-3-4-5 |
| Bluffing Frequency | High (limited info) | Moderate | Moderate | Lower (more exposed cards) |
| Game Complexity | High (reverse logic) | Medium | High | Medium |
| Popular Among | High-stakes pros | Recreational players | Pot-Limit specialists | Mixed-game players |
How to Get Started with 2-7 Single Draw
Want to start playing 2-7 Single Draw, but don’t know where to start? Here are some tips to help you get ahead of the competition:
Learn the Basic Rules
Many players aren’t even familiar with the rules of the game, so knowing exactly how the game is played can already give you an edge over them.
Take The Time to Study
Being disciplined about regular study sessions is what separates great players from mediocre ones. There are many free and paid courses on 2-7 Single Draw online for players of every skill level.
Play Online
Playing online can improve your game fast because hands are played faster than in live poker, and you can also play multiple tables at once. This means that you can gain much more experience playing a day online than you would if you spent a day in a casino!
What is more, many sites offer low-stakes tables where you can play without risking too much money.
Start with Low-Stakes Games
When you feel that you are ready to play with real money, start playing small stakes. When you have built enough confidence there, you can safely move up to the next stake.
Ready to test your skills? Join an online poker platform like CoinPoker or Natural8 to practice and compete against players worldwide. Remember, every pro was once a beginner.
