Mixed Games, Where to Start?

Transitioning from no-limit Texas hold’em to the various mixed games spread in the cash games around the world can seem overwhelming at first glance. Trying to learn all the games overnight is a sure recipe for failure, so what is the best strategy for getting your feet wet in the mixed games? Remember, poker fundamentals are just that, and should be exercised at all times, especially as you are learning and developing your skill set for the different games. We will be discussing three different types of games, with the understanding that future articles will dig deeper into the concepts presented. These three are draw games, stud games, and flop games. This article will focus on the draw games and how to use some basic strategies to manage your learning curve and swings along the way. First, we will identify the games being most commonly spread in today’s card rooms. Next we will outline the basic rules for those games and finish with some tips for players new to the draw games.

Draw Games

The draw games most commonly spread are limit poker played for low only and include: Deuce-to-seven triple draw, badugi, ace-to-five triple draw, badeucey, and badacey.
Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw: Players start with five cards dealt face down clockwise starting from the left of the dealer, one card at a time. Players will post a small blind and a big blind just as in hold’em. This game also uses a button in the same manner as hold’em. There are three draws and four betting rounds. The best hand is called a wheel, and is 7-5-4-3-2. Straights and flushes are bad in this game. For example, a 7-6-5-4-3 is not a seven low, but rather a straight, a sure losing hand unless you are able to bluff your opponents at the showdown. The ace is played as high only in this game, so a K-7-5-4-2 would beat an A-7-5-4-2 and scoop the pot.

Some key concepts in this game: Your position is as important, or possibly more important, than in hold’em. Since this is a draw game, when you have position over your opponents, you get to see how many cards they draw before you have to decide. For example, let’s say after the second draw you have made a 10-7-4-3-2 and have the button. Your lone opponent now will be forced to check or bet first. If he checks, you will likely be inclined to bet your hand since you have made a hand which can win at showdown unimproved. You may also win the pot by betting before the final draw and getting a fold. Let’s change the situation slightly, and now, instead of check/calling or check/folding, your opponent now check-raises you! Well you have one draw left, and if they choose to stand pat (meaning drawing no further cards on the last betting round) you can throw away your ten, and draw at your 7-4-3-2 to try to peel a 5, 6, 8 or 9 to improve your hand. The key message here should be that position allows you to use the information presented in front of you to better judge how best to play your holding. When first learning this game, understand that it is called deuce-to-seven for a reason. The deuce and the seven are the most powerful cards in the game. Start by only playing hands that contain both a deuce and a seven. While other starting hands can and should be played to maximize profit, when first learning the game, follow this strict guideline, trust me.

Badugi: Players start with four cards dealt face down clockwise starting from the left of the dealer, one card at a time. Players post a small blind and a big blind. This game also uses a button. There are three draws and four betting rounds. The best hand is called a wheel, and is A-2-3-4 rainbow. Yes, I said rainbow, meaning you need to have a heart, a diamond, a spade, and a club in your hand of differing denominations in order to have a qualifying badugi hand. For example, if your holding was A 2 3 5 you would have a 5-low badugi, the second best hand possible. So what happens if nobody makes a badugi? Then the winner is determined by the best three-card low. For example, if one player held A 2 3 3, he would have what is known as a three-card 3. His duplicate 3 holding means he does not hold a badugi, and rather holds the best three card holding. This means any badugi would beat him, such as Q 8 5 3 or K Q J 7. Badugi is also a positional game, and knowing what your opponents action is on every betting street is a major advantage, so play tighter up front, out of position, and play looser in the back when you have position. Try starting with a good three card badugi when first learning this game. It is easy to get frustrated when your draws don’t come in, so play fewer hands when first playing, and always be drawing fewer cards than your opponents if possible. Bluffing can be a crucial skill in badugi. A lot of times, everyone misses their hand, and whoever bets or raises the river takes the pot!

Ace-to-Five Triple Draw: Players start with five cards. Small and big blinds are posted as in hold’em. This game also uses a button. There are three draws and four betting rounds. The best hand is called a wheel, and is A-2-3-4-5. Straights and flushes are not bad in this game, and the ace is always low in this triple-draw variant, a key difference between ace-to-five and deuce-to-seven triple draw. Good hands in this game are made six lows and seven lows. A made eight in this game may not be good against multiple opponents, and is dependent on the game dynamics in question. Remember, as with all the other draw low games, position is the most important factor in how you will be playing your hands, so think about where you are, up front, in the middle, or in the back. Play tight up front, begin to loosen up in the middle, and turn up the aggression from later positions to exert maximum pressure on your opponents.

Badeucey: Badeucey is a split pot game which was spawned several years ago and is a mix of badugi and deuce-to-seven triple draw. Half the pot is awarded to the best badugi hand where 2-3-4-5 rainbow is the nut badugi, and the other half of the pot is awarded to the best deuce-to-seven triple draw hand. This game creates so much action it is silly at times! Players are always looking for reasons to play and draw to hands, let’s face it, who likes to fold? My suggestion is when first playing badeucey, focus on the deuce-to-seven triple draw aspect of the game. A lot of times, players only make 3-card badugi hands in this game, as it is difficult to make a seven or an eight and make a 4-card badugi hand for the other half. Experience is your friend in this game, so learn deuce-to-seven triple draw first, then learn badugi, and finally you can start to mix your knowledge of the two games to take on all badeucey challengers.

Badacey: Badacey is a split pot game which was spawned several years ago and is a mix of badugi and ace-to-five triple draw. Half the pot is awarded to the best badugi hand where A-2-3-4 rainbow is the nut badugi, and the other half the pot is awarded to the best ace-to-five triple draw hand. Just like its counterpart badeucey, badacey is an action game where players find reasons to stick around until the third and final draw. Just like previously stated, learn ace-to-five triple draw, then learn badugi, then incorporate your knowledge and experience to help navigate your foray into badacey.

Some general tips for playing draw games:

1. Position is incredibly important! Position over your opponents buys you more information before you must act.

2. Draw from the bottom up when possible (start with the lowest cards you need and draw for the higher cards).

3. Be prepared for greater swings in draw games as they tend to play bigger and faster than other poker variants.

4. Watch your opponents expressions as they look at their drawn cards, draw players give off numerous physical tells after the draw rounds.

5. Don’t be afraid to try a bluff here and there, as hands in draw low are difficult to make.

6. Aggression short-handed and from late position is necessary and profitable.

Draw games tend to be very swingy, due to the large number of bets players put in the pot in these games to get to the final draw. As always, be respectful of your opponents, exercise patience with the dealers, and be wary of the tilt factor in yourself and your opponents. Game dynamics change rapidly in mixed games, a tight table might start playing wildly aggressive, if, for example, a mediocre hand wins a large pot. Stay focused and when you miss a few draws in a row, as is bound to happen, keep playing your best game or go for a walk. Challenge yourself to continue playing your best or quit. Oh, and if a player makes reference to how it is “snowing,” they are more likely to be bluffing you than talking about the weather! ♠

Jonathan Green is a Commercial Manager for the General Electric Company and a semi-professional poker player, currently living in Las Vegas, NV.  Jonathan spent 2004-2011 living and playing on the east coast tournament trail, with annual trips to the WSOP since 2007. In between tournaments, Jonathan can be found playing middle limit mixed cash games in L.A. and Vegas. All feedback is welcome at: [email protected].