Written By: CaliforniaLowballPoker.com
Triple draw poker refers to a version of poker that is played by dealing a complete hand and then giving players the option to draw as many as their entire hand or as few as no new cards to replace their original hand. Triple draw poker can be played in a variety of ways under different names and using a wide array of rules specific to each version. Many poker players are familiar with the basic five card draw version of poker (which has only two rounds of betting), but today’s poker world goes far beyond this simple version. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular triple draw poker games.
California Lowball Poker
As you might have imagined, California lowball poker originated in California and has garnered quite a following. California lowball relies on the hand values of ace to five low and allows for a single joker to be placed in a standard deck of fifty-two playing cards. California lowball is a ‘blinds’ game, which means that two players must make mandatory bets at the game’s beginning. A special rule for California lowball exists: players who have a seven high hand or better that checks after the draw will effectively forfeit his right to the pot, even if he wins.
Badugi Poker
Badugi (often referred to as Padooki) is a very unique triple draw game because the hand is made up of merely four cards and traditional hand rankings in poker do not apply. An actual Badugi is a four card spread of ace – two – three – and four, all of separate and descending suites with the spades suit being the top suit, followed by clubs, hearts, and diamonds. Badugi is played with three drawing rounds to allow for hand improvement, and may be played as either pot limit or half pot limit.
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Kansas City Lowball/Deuce to Seven/ 2 to 7
Five card draw without the joker is the premise of Kansas City lowball poker, which is also known as deuce to seven low, Billy Baxter draw, or simply 2 to 7 low. There is no seven high rule or check and raise rule in Kansas City lowball. Hand values in Kansas City lowball are deuce to seven, although ace to six low hand values may be common in some areas.
California Hi/Lo Split Poker
California Hi/Lo split poker is played like Deuce to Seven poker with a bit of modification: a joker is played in split and it used as a bug (wild card). Ace to five low values are enforced in California Hi/Lo split poker, and both the high hand and low hand split the pot. Eight high or better low takes the pot, and if there is no qualifying low hand in California Hi/Lo split, then the high hand take the entire pot home. In California hi/lo split, the cards “speak”, which is just a way of saying that players do not have to declare if they are trying to win the high or low end of the pot – they just show their cards. Low straights or flushes can play double duty by “scooping the pot”, which means that the player wins the entire pot by having both the best low hand and the best high hand.
Other Triple Draw Versions
Some other lesser known versions of triple draw poker are four-before, Jacks’ Back, Q-Ball, Shotgun, Skinny Minnie, Spit in the Ocean, and Anaconda (also known as Pass the Trash).