Why is 7-2 considered the worst hand?
Because 7 and 2 can’t form a straight or a flush, they have no advantage in Texas Hold’em.
Among 50,000 players, the winning rate for 7-2 is only 5%. In a specific hand where 7-2 faces 6-2, the winning rate for 7-2 is 57%. This sounds good, but it’s only in heads-up situations, and 6-2 itself is also a very bad hand.
In standard Texas Hold’em games, 7-2 has a winning rate of less than 10%. According to PokerTracker, with 1,000 games of data, you lose 5% of your chips on average per game with 7-2. In 50,000 games, players using 7-2 will lose a total of 2,500 big blinds.
According to PokerSnowie simulations for six-handed games, the expected profit for 7-2 is -0.5 big blinds per hand. On average, you will lose 0.5 big blinds. You might ask, why not just fold 7-2? It’s like throwing money into a bottomless pit, never to return.
The hand that causes the most losses is not 7-2, but A-2. Many players get overconfident with A-2, which has a winning rate of about 25% in heads-up situations. However, blindly betting thinking the hand is strong leads to greater losses. As poker master Doyle Brunson said, “You win money because you have the best hand, not the second best.”
How does 7-2 compare to other low hands?
- 7-2 has a low winning rate in most cases, with an overall win rate of only 5.5%.
- Pocket pairs like 2-2 have a win rate of about 50%, and 7-7 has a win rate of about 82%. 7-2 has a very low win rate.
- Strong hands like A-K have a win rate of about 65%, and Q-J has a win rate of about 62%. 7-2 has no chance.
- Medium hands like 10-9 have a win rate of about 58%, and 8-7 has a win rate of about 54%. 7-2 has no advantage.
- Low hands like 6-5 have a win rate of about 53%, and 9-4 has a win rate of about 51%. Even among low hands, 7-2 struggles to win.
Why is 7-2 unsuitable for most games?
- 7-2 is a weak hand.
- 7-2 has no potential to become a strong hand.
- 7-2 loses 0.5 big blinds per hand.
- 7-2 has no bluffing value.
- 7-2 has a 2% chance of forming a straight or flush in 50,000 games.
- The chance of hitting a pair of 7s or 2s with 7-2 is only 10%.
Getting 7-2 is really a headache. 7-2 has no potential to become a strong hand. It can’t form a straight or a flush. In 20,000 games, the chance of 7-2 forming a straight is less than 1.5%. It’s almost impossible to turn the game around with this hand. Next time you get this hand, smile and then fold decisively.