Deuce
A card with a value of two (2). The lowest card in standard poker.
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What Is Deuce?
Deuces are the weakest individual cards in most poker variants, though they can still be valuable as part of a pair, straight, or in low-hand games like Razz where low cards are prized. The term is used interchangeably with 'two' at the table, and pocket deuces (22) are often referred to by the slang term 'ducks.'
Examples
A player is dealt the two of clubs and the two of spades, commonly called pocket deuces.
In Razz, a deuce is a valuable low card rather than a weak one.
Strategy Tips
Treat lone deuces as essentially unplayable outside of specific low-card games like Razz or 2-7 lowball. Pocket deuces (ducks) have some value as a speculative hand due to their set-mining potential, but they play best in multiway pots with good implied odds. Fold deuce-high hands preflop in almost all standard No-Limit Hold'em situations. Remember that in lowball variants, the strategic value of deuces is reversed compared to standard high-hand poker.