Lowball is a type of poker game. It is also known as low poker. When it comes to Lowball, the player with the lowest hand wins. The game of Lowball seeks to reward players who hold the lowest hand in the traditional sense.
There are three ways that Lowball is commonly played. A fourth variation of the game exists, but it is rarely played. The Lowball variation played depends on how the Ace card is viewed. The Ace card can either be viewed as a high card or a low card. The Lowball variation also depends on whether the game uses straights and flushes.
The four ways of playing Lowball are mentioned below.
1. Ace-to-five low
2. Ace-to-six low
3. Deuce-to-seven low
4. Deuce-to-six low
Ace-to-five low
Ace-to-five low is also called ‘a wheel’. The lowest hand possible is 5-4-3-2-A. In this case the Ace card is viewed as a low card. Straights and flushes are not taken into consideration. Ace-to-five low is the most common variation of Lowball.
Ace-to-six low
Ace-to-six low is also known as a 6-4 low. This is because in this variation, a hand comprising of 6-4-3-2-A is the lowest hand possible. In this type too, the Ace card is considered to be a low card. In this variation however, straights and flushes are considered and are viewed as high cards.
Deuce-to-seven low
Deuce-to-seven low is also known as a 7-5 low. This is due to the fact that 7-5-4-3-2 is the lowest possible hand combination. This particular hand is almost directly inverse to a traditional high poker hand. The Ace card is a high card. Straights and flushes are counted as high hands. As the Ace card is a high card, a hand made up of A-5-4-3-2 is not considered to be a straight, but is simply an ace-high no pair hand.
Deuce-to-six low
This variation is hardly ever played. It would be played as a 6-5 low. The Ace card is a high card. In this type, straights and flushes are not considered.
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