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Triple Draw Rules

Triple Draw Rules: Overview

There are two distinct variations of Triple Draw. The first is called 'Deuce to Seven' Triple Draw, the second 'Ace to Five.' Both are, as the title goes, draw games; ie cards can be exchanged at various points of the game. The difference between the variations is again given in the title: in Deuce to Seven the name of the game is to make the lowest possible five card hand BUT unlike other low games, straights and flushes count against you, and aces are high. The best hand a player can make is 23457 unsuited. This is not the case in Ace to Five, where the lowest hand wins regardless of whether or not it is a straight or suited. The best hand in this game is the 'Wheel' A-2-3-4-5. As aces play high in Deuce to Seven, the hand A-2-3-4-5 is NOT a straight and counts as a low hand.

Triple Draw: The Format

  • The game has a dealer button as in Texas Hold 'em, and the two players to the left of the dealer must post the 'blinds' (see below for further information).
  • Each player is dealt five cards and has the option to call, raise or fold.
  • Once the first round of betting is complete, each player has the option to 'draw'or replace any amount of their cards. Players choosing to retain all of their cards are said to be standing 'pat.'
  • When each player has made their discards, the dealer replaces their cards with new ones.
  • When the draw is complete, there is another round of betting and players are again allowed to draw; this procedure repeats one more time; a total of three draws are made.
  • After this final draw, there is a final round of betting. The player with the lowest five card hand wins the pot.

The Betting

In a Fixed Limit game, both the bet and raise amounts for each round are a preset amount. For example, in a $5/$10 Fixed game, both the bets and raises for the first two rounds of betting must be $5, no more, no less. The last two rounds have a bet/raise amount of $10. In a Pot Limit game, the maximum bet/raise can't be more than the current pot amount. So, if the pot is $30, you can't bet more than $30. One thing to note: If you are raising on a player's bet, your call is already included in the pot. For example, let's say the pot is $100. Player X opens the betting with $100. Your maximum bet is now $300 (Pot = Initial $100 + Player X's $100 + your $100).

The Stakes, The Cap and The Blinds.

The Stakes: The stakes are tied directly to the game type you select. For a Fixed Limit game, the stakes dictate the bet and raise amount for each round. Let's use our $5/$10 stakes example again. In the first two rounds of betting, both the bet and the raise must be $5, no more, no less. The last 2 rounds have a bet/raise amount of $10.

The Cap: In Fixed Limit games, each round of betting can consist of one bet and has a maximum number of three allowable raises, known as the cap. So, if a bet is made, that bet can only be raised three times, after which all players must call or fold. However, if only two players remain in the hand, the cap is increased to a maximum of five raises.

The Blinds: The blinds are mandatory bets posted by two players at the start of each hand, prior to the cards being dealt. The player directly to the left of the dealer posts the small blind, which in a Fixed Limit game is half the small stake, rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small-blind player posts the big blind, which in a Fixed Limit game is equal to the small stake. In Pot Limit and No Limit games, the big blind is equal to the big stake.

Some other notes about blinds: Any player has the option of sitting out and waiting for the big blind to reach them. However, if a player sits out and misses posting the big blind, then that player will be required to post a big blind and a small 'dead' blind before returning. This rule is in place to prevent potential abuse from players who join a table and then leave before having to post the blinds.

The Dealer's Position

In poker, the rules state that each player in turn plays as the dealer. At the table we represent the dealer position with: the Dealer Button: The Button is a graphic symbol that represents the theoretical dealer. After each hand, the button moves clockwise to the next active player, who becomes the dealer for that hand. This player is considered to be 'on the button', and is the last person to act in the betting round. The first player to the left of the button is the first player to be dealt cards, the first player to act in each betting round and the player that posts the small blind.