Low Ball
Some forms of poker, often called lowball or "low
poker", reward poor poker hands (in the traditional
sense). There are three common variations on this idea,
differing in whether aces are treated as high cards or
low cards, and whether or not straights and flushes are
used. The methods are:
- Ace-to-five
low: The most common method. Aces are low and straights
and flushes are ignored, so the best possible hand is
5-4-3-2-A, called a wheel.
-
Ace-to-six low: Aces are low and straights and flushes
do count (as high), so the best possible hand is 6-4-3-2-A.
-
Deuce-to-seven low: Almost the direct inverse of traditional
high hand poker. Aces are high and straights and flushes
do count, so the best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2. A
wheel is not considered a straight, so A-5-4-3-2 is
just ace-high no pair.
Some
games are played high-low split, where the player with
the best traditional poker hand (called the high hand)
splits the pot with the best low hand (by one of the methods
above). Low hands tie more frequently than high hands,
especially in community card games, so it is not uncommon
for such a hand to win a small fraction of a poker pot.
For example, if one player has the high hand on showdown,
and two other players tie for the best low hand, the high
hand wins half of the pot and each low hand wins only
a quarter of the pot.
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