Lowball is a term used to define the forms of poker in which the small hand wins the pot.

The fact that the poor poker hands are rewarded has three common variations. The variations are made in function of whether aces are treated as low or as high cards and if straights and flushes are used.

The most common method – ace to five low – the lowest hand is 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – A. This hand is also called wheel. The aces are the lowest cards and flushes and straights are ignored.

Ace-to-six-low – it is also called 6-4 low – the lowest possible hand is 6 – 4 – 3 – 2 – A. Flushes and straights are high hands and aces are low.

Deuce-to-seven-low – it is also called 7-5 low – the lowest possible hand is 7 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2. It is the closest version to the exact opposite of “high hand” poker. Flushes and straights are high hands and aces are high cards. In this variation A – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 is ace-high no pair instead of a straight.

Deuces-to-six-low – The straights and flushes are ignored and the aces are high cards.

There are poker games that are played high-low split.

In high-low split the player with the high hand splits the pot with the lowest hand. Usually only 8 low or better have a shot at winning half of the pot.

In community card games low hands tie more often than high hands. Once the high hand is decided and there are two low hands tying, the low hands will split the half of the pot – each getting Ό of the pot and the high hand gets ½ of the pot. Ace-to-five high-low gives players better chances at winning the whole pot since a low flush or straight can count for high and at the same time for low.

Let's take a look at examples of lowball games:

• California lowball – Draw poker, A – 5 ranking, limit betting, one joker
• Kansas City Lowball – Draw poker, 2 – 7 ranking, no-limit
• Razz – 7-card-stud, A – 5 ranking
• Triple Draw – Draw poker, three drawing rounds, limit / pot limit, A – 5 / 2 – 7 ranking
• London Lowball – 7-card-stud, A – 6 ranking, pot-limit betting