Statiscally 2-7 offsuit isnt the worst hand

[billbaffles]

Ive been thinking about 2-7 offsuit recently and how it is considered the worst hand in poker but statistically it is 56% to win against 2-3 offsuit. I know that people say that you can get more straights with 2-3 and I thought about it and how straights are less common than than 1 pair, 2 pair, and 3 of a kind. I know that it also makes sense that since you do not have access to your opponents hole cards you wouldnt be able to know that you were ahead but I still disagree that 2-7 is the worst hand. Its similar to A5 vs A8, you can get more straights with A5 but you are still behind.

 

[Abramo Della Luce]

27o might be ahead against 23o, this does not mean that it is better than 23o.
The way you have to see it, is how good your probability is of winning against all the other possible starting hands. When looking at it this way you'll see that 23o has a slightly higher percentage of winning than 27o at a full ring. Heads up 23o is worse than 27o. So it all depends the situation a bit.
However, the difference is so small and who would actually consider those hands anyway. It seems a bit purposeless to analyse these insignificant differences for hands we will not play...

 

[Dorugremon]

Like everything else about Poker, it depends, it depends, it depends. If you're playing full ring, then there's no reason to ever play (2,7-o) unless you're making an advertising play to shake a nitty image, or you're just plain stealing where your cards don't matter. (2,7-o) can't make a straight, it makes underpairs, and needs to hit two pair or a Full to be worth anything, and those are long shot flops.

Different story when playing head-up. The 7 is good mid-card strength, kickers are less likely to be a factor, and 2nd button stands a better chance of winning. In SB v BB situations (2,7) in the SB isn't a bad hand to hit it. You just might pick up the BB, and if he calls, he may not be able to beat your pair of 7's. You see a flop like (A,7,2) (K,7,2) (Q,7,2) and he has the TP, you just might stack him. Flops like that look very non-threatening to TP, especially in a HU or SB v BB contest. It's especially nice if he figures you'd never play a (7,2-o) because "everybody knows" it's the worst hand.

 

[detroitjunkie]

you are looking at it the wrong way, it is considered the worst hand when put up against all of the other hands that can exist multiway, unless you are playing a heads up game it will always be the worse hand. And with implied odds always present, 23o fairs much better in taking a much bigger pot on average

all in all however, it is very close, almost insignificant - best advice is to NEVER play either hand, trash is trash

 

[supernuts25]

72 has the least amount hands you can make to all other hands is y it is considered the worst. not necessarily that your cards may be higher at points in the game or not.

 

[ollaf]

I really prefer a 27s against 23s but i prefer 23o against 27o

 

[Dan Lucas]

Detroit makes the best case here. It is not what is statistically superior here, it is whether either hand is profitable to play. In both cases, in my opinion, you are playing to speculate or to set up a bluff, which means that any 2 serve the same purpose. I might play 2 7 if I am big blind and no one raises pot. Otherwise, why even consider playing it?

 

[MediaBLITZ]

So what you are saying is if I put my opponent on 23o I should bet the hell out of 27o. Gotcha

 

[Mauno]

I have had 27 and it turned turned to 22777 .. one time only so far .
Against other higher cards you just have less possible combinations to win,

 

[billbaffles]

Ya your right, i checked it out and in a 10 handed game, 27 offsuit is the worst hand but like many hands improves as hands fold in the hand where 23 offsuit is the worst 2-handed holdings. Thanks for setting me straight.

10-Handed



2-Handed



I actually learned yesterday about changing hand rankings due to to how many hands still remained. I knew about increased equities due to people folding but was unaware that hand ranks changed when there are fewer hands remaining. Learn something new everyday. Thanks cardschat.

 

[Sadalmelik]

Ive been thinking about 2-7 offsuit recently and how it is considered the worst hand in poker but statistically it is 56% to win against 2-3 offsuit. I know that people say that you can get more straights with 2-3 and I thought about it and how straights are less common than than 1 pair, 2 pair, and 3 of a kind. I know that it also makes sense that since you do not have access to your opponents hole cards you wouldnt be able to know that you were ahead but I still disagree that 2-7 is the worst hand. Its similar to A5 vs A8, you can get more straights with A5 but you are still behind.

if you flop 777, than 27o is best hand you can ask

 

[davidsincara]

I don't know, miracles can happend. At least for me, but i text-book fold my 72o preflop.... and then this happend:


JPG dont work? see the iamge here: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVfZ9eNWsAUROH5?format=jpg

 

[ADRI7HO]

Very nice :top: !

 

[Therminator]

Meh, I'd say considering all the possibilities it is the worst in it's possibilities. Least unlikely to get a straight, very hard to get a decent flush, with other hands like 23o, the 23o is more likely to hit a straight.

 

[Datdude1]

I'm not really a big fan of statistics and hands before preflop. I understand how one hand is supposed to be better than another but regardless of the cards you hold, after the community cards are on the table, any two cards can look like rags and any two can be the nuts.

 

[brains12341]

While i understand that after the flop any two cards can become whole, the probability of 27 off becoming a good hand on the flop is astronomically lower than a proper hand or suited connectors or pocket pairs. Hence the reason for why they are the worst 2 starting cards prefop. It will always cost you more money trying to play that hand into the flop. Especially when you try to play them out of position. They are by far the worst starting hand, the hand making possibilities are of the lowest, the kicker is the lowest, the high card is the lowest with kicker not being able to make a straight together. J2 off, lowest kicker, but better high card and still cant make a straight together, but 72 off lowest kicker, still cant make a straight together and lowest high card possible to go with the lowest kicker. 26 off can make a straight together, so i hope some of you all understand what i am trying to explain. Not a pro here just trying to explain my understanding of hand possibilities preflop and why certain hands should and should not be played. The only time i consider playing 27 off is if everyone folds and you are defending your BB and you have a marginal lead in chips against the SB. That is the only position, anything else is wasting money, unless you intend to try and bluff the pot and you might get lucky and flop into something nice.