Why I love 7/2 Off-Suit.

I'm new to this forum, but like what I see so far. I haven't really gotten involved with a poker forum before, but like what I see from this one. I've been playing poker for several years but haven't really gotten into it till about 8 months ago when I got laid off and found a lot of free-time. I guess I could consider myself part of the bandwagon, as television publicity had increased my interest. I do however use what I see on televised poker tournaments to factor my play. I don't take their advice, I use it against other people. The televised tournaments especially like the World Poker Tour has brought millions of people into the game and mostly online. It also teaches people stradegies. Stradegies these people use every time they play. It almost makes it too predictable.

For example, and as you can see by my avatar and signature. My favorite hand to play is 7/2 Off-Suit. It's the worst hand, yet it is my favorite. I never really got into calculating odds and playing people until I went hardcore around last September. Now that it's been publicly announced and remains in everyone's head. 72o is the worst hand.

However, I've killed people on this hand more than any other hand I play. Money games, or free-roll tournaments. I prefer a game at the local casinos, I like being up against live people and have the ability to study my opponents. Plus I find it much easier to pull a 10 hour session ranking in cash at the casino as opposed to online. My concentration is never strong online.

With all that said, here is a perfect example of why I love 72o. I decided to show my hand at the end rather than mucking just for the thrill. The guy went on tilt and finished 296th out of 400 in this freeroll tournament. I'm still playing.

Hand Number: 114,530,854
Table Number: 1,197,862
Event Name: No Limit Holdem (#873450)MNHF Event Started: Friday August 20th 8:00:13 PM CDT 2004 Event Type: PokerPages Tournament
Game: No Limit Hold 'em
Level III: 50/100 Blinds (25 Minimum Chip)
Average Stack: 13,157.89 (10,000 starting chips)
Remaining Players: 304 (400 started)
Seat 1 : masterP69 starts with 16,650
Seat 2 : schlafly starts with 7,025
Seat 3 : rerushing36 starts with 8,775
Seat 4 : mojorisn75 starts with 16,650
Seat 5 : ralphwiggum starts with 9,375
Seat 6 : magnum starts with 16,175
Seat 7 : mworld800 starts with 9,925
Seat 8 : wonshot starts with 12,125
Seat 9 : aceinator starts with 13,375
Seat 10 : soccerboy9 starts with 9,525
Seat 5 : ralphwiggum has the dealer button
>>>DEALING HOLE CARDS<<<
schlafly dealt down 7h 2d
magnum posts the small blind 50
mworld800 posts the big blind 100
wonshot folds
aceinator folds
soccerboy9 calls 100
masterP69 calls 100
schlafly raises 100 to 200
rerushing36 raises 100 to 300
mojorisn75 folds
ralphwiggum folds
magnum folds
mworld800 folds
soccerboy9 calls 200
masterP69 calls 200
schlafly raises 100 to 400
rerushing36 calls 100
soccerboy9 calls 100
masterP69 calls 100
>>>DEALING FLOP<<< [ Tc Ad 4s ]
soccerboy9 checks
masterP69 checks
schlafly bets 500
rerushing36 calls 500
soccerboy9 folds
masterP69 folds
>>>DEALING TURN<<< [ 2s ]
schlafly bets 1,500
rerushing36 calls 1,500
>>>DEALING RIVER<<< [ Th ]
schlafly bets 4,625 and is all-in
rerushing36 folds
schlafly takes back 4,625
schlafly cards were 7h 2d
schlafly wins 5,750
>>>SUMMARY<<<
Hand Ended: Friday August 20th 8:21:05 PM CDT 2004 Total Pot: 5,750
Board: [ Tc Ad 4s 2s Th ]
Seat 1 : masterP69 lost 400, folded on the flop Seat 2 : schlafly bet 2,400, won 5,750, net +3,350, showed hand [ 7h 2d ] Seat 3 : rerushing36 lost 2,400, folded on the river Seat 4 : mojorisn75 did not bet, folded pre-flop Seat 5 : ralphwiggum (button) did not bet, folded pre-flop Seat 6 : magnum (small blind) lost 50, folded pre-flop Seat 7 : mworld800 (big blind) lost 100, folded pre-flop Seat 8 : wonshot did not bet, folded pre-flop Seat 9 : aceinator did not bet, folded pre-flop Seat 10 : soccerboy9 lost 400, folded on the flop

Let me know what you think and if any of you have used this stradegy as effectively as I have. No one can ever put you on this hand. I put this guy on holding an ace in the hole for sure, perhaps even two pair. I'd imagine he got spooked by the ten on the river as I hurried to get all my chips in, like I was excited to see that second ten.

Personally I don't like that play. It worked great for you this time but many times you will lose big, especially in a ring game. Its just not my sorta style. Once the guy called my 500 I don't think I push because if he calls there is no way you can win. I know thats the point of a bluff but its just not my style. I guess I just don't have the stones to do that. I mostly play limit holdem anyway so 72o is an automatic fold.

I prefer to save the "win without a hand plays" for when the action is closer to being forced or when I play a hand with a pre-flop edge that misses.

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or when I play a hand with a pre-flop edge that misses.

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Exactly my take on it. Why choose a hand before the flop to try and bluff all the way down with? You can do the same with any hand you preflop raise with, if you read that it'll work, and its very effective. And you'll have a better chance of actually getting the best hand on the turn or river if your bluffs are called.

That said, occasional blind steals with 72o and then showing it is fun.

I agree with you guys on this... This was a tournament game, but it was also a free-roll tournament. As like every poker player, you play different depending on the stakes. This was more of a thrill play then anything.

Don't get me wrong, you won't see me at a real poker table pushing all in on the river when I got called for 500 on the flop and then again 1500 on the turn.

I play a lot of limit games myself, especially at the casino. I always play 72o preflop for a bet or maybe even two, depending on my opponents. I'm hit many sets and full houses on the flop alone with 72. I suppose it's just "my" lucky hand.

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Originally Posted by Schlafly

I agree with you guys on this... This was a tournament game, but it was also a free-roll tournament. As like every poker player, you play different depending on the stakes. This was more of a thrill play then anything.

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All the *less* reason to run that play. You're more likely to get called down.

Live game, I had big blind. It was limped around to me, so I decided to have some fun. I checked in the dark and decided to play the whole hand in the dark.

The flop came QJ6 and I raised it $100 (tournament) the person after me re-raised to 200 and another person reraised to 300. I got nervous and decided to peek at my cards. 72 offsuit. Hooray! I folded.

The turn was a 2 and the river was a 7 and 2 pair would have won the hand. I kinda chuckled to myself. I thought for a second that if I had just stuck to my plan, I could have had a fun pot. Oh well. The reason I decided to look is because I read my opponent and knew that I could make any bet and he would not lay down. With no chance of taking the pot down, I had only a sliver of a chance of winning.

2-7 has only worked out for me once. At the end of an SnG, where I was putting on a clinic in "Power Poker" for my last opponent; I had an ~8 to 1 chip lead. He limped with KK, I put him all in. Flop 456, turn 3, and just to rub it in, a K on the river. I must admit, 27 has beaten my good hands on many occasions though.

I have a guy that I regularly play with and he'll pre flop raise or call really any bet (besides all-in) with that hand. It's like he's convinced that it's IS the best hand in poker... He also loved 83o for some reason?

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Originally Posted by pokerfanatic01

I have a guy that I regularly play with and he'll pre flop raise or call really any bet (besides all-in) with that hand. It's like he's convinced that it's IS the best hand in poker... He also loved 83o for some reason?

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I don't go to that extreme. I can't recall a time I've ever played 8/3. With me it's something with 7's, I always seem to catch them. I suppose it's not the 7/2o that I love, just anything with a seven. an A/7 suited makes me happy.

7/2o is just fun, cause you can really put someone on tilt if you catch cards with it, or if you're able to bluff someone out and provide a nice peek. It's good information to give away and use it against your opponents. If you play consistent and bluff out big hands, someone eventually calls you down, convinced your bluffing, when indeed you hold the best possible hand or the best draw.

AA = :D

ok first of all i dont belive 2-7 offsuit is the best hand in poker, i will go all in with 2-7 offsuit against 2-3 suited any day, i know theres no straight or flush chance but that will only happen about 10% of the time if there suited or connected, therefore i say 23os is the worst hand now if theres 5 limpers and i got big blind i will take 23 suited of 2-7 too just for the 10% it does hit, but either way i will fold both preflop outside of blinds.