Lowball is draw poker with the lowest hand winning the
pot. Each player is dealt five cards facedown, after which
there is a betting round. Players are required to open
with a bet or fold . The players who remain in the pot
after the first betting round now have an option to improve
their hand by replacing cards in their hands with new
ones. This is the draw. The game is normally played with
one or more blinds, sometimes with an ante added. Some
betting structures allow the big blind to be called; other
structures require the minimum open to be double the big
blind . In limit poker, the usual structure has the limit
double after the draw (Northern California is an exception).
The most popular forms of lowball are ace-to-five lowball
(also known as California lowball), and deuce-to-seven
lowball (also known as Kansas City lowball). Ace-to-five
lowball gets its name because the best hand at that form
is 5-4-3-2-A. Deuce-to-seven lowball gets its name because
the best hand at that form is 7-5-4-3-2 (not of the same
suit). For a further description of the forms of lowball,
please see the individual section for each game. All rules
governing kill pots are listed in “Section 13 –
Kill Pots.”
RULES OF LOWBALL
1. The rules governing misdeals for hold’em and
other button games will be used for lowball. [See “Section
16 – Explanations,” discussion #7, for more
information on this rule.] These rules governing misdeals
are reprinted here for convenience.
The following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided
attention is called to the error before two players have
acted on their hands:
(a) The first or second card of the hand has been dealt
faceup or exposed through dealer error.
(b) Two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer.
(c) Two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting
hands of a game.
(d) An incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a
player, except the button may receive one more card to
complete a starting hand.
(e) The button was out of position .
(f) The first card was dealt to the wrong position .
(g) Cards have been dealt out of the proper sequence.
(h) Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player
not entitled to a hand.
(i) A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a
hand. This player must be present at the table or have
posted a blind or ante.”
2. In limit play, a bet and four raises are allowed
in multihanded pots. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,”
discussion #6, for more information on this rule.]
3. As a new player, you have two options:
(a) To wait for the big blind.
(b) To kill the pot for double the amount of the big
blind .
4. In a single-blind game, a player who has less than
half a blind may receive a hand. However, the next player
is obligated to take the blind. If the all-in player wins
the pot or buys in again, that player will then be obligated
to either take the blind on the next deal or sit out until
due for the big blind.
5. In single-blind game s, half a blind or more constitutes
a full blind.
6. In single-blind game s, if you fail to take the blind,
you may only be dealt in on the blind.
7. In multiple-blind games, if for any reason the big
blind passes your seat, you may either wait for the big
blind or kill the pot in order to receive a hand. This
does not apply if you have taken all of your blinds and
changed seats. In this situation, you may be dealt in
as soon as your position relative to the blinds entitles
you to a hand (the button may go by you once without penalty).
8. Before the draw, whether an exposed card must be
taken depends on the form of lowball being played; see
that form. (The player never has an option.)
9. On the draw, an exposed card cannot be taken. The
draw is completed to each player in order, and then the
exposed card is replaced.
10. A player may draw up to four consecutive cards.
If a player wishes to draw five new cards, four are dealt
right away, and the fifth card after everyone else has
drawn cards. If the last player wishes to draw five new
cards, four are dealt right away, and a card is burned
before the player receives a fifth card. [See “Section
16 – Explanations,” discussion #9, for more
information about this rule.]
11. Five cards constitute a playing hand; more or fewer
than five cards after the draw constitutes a fouled hand.
Before the draw, if you have fewer than five cards in
your hand, you may receive additional cards, provided
no action has been taken by the first player to act (unless
that action occurs before the deal is completed). However,
the dealer position may still receive a missing fifth
card, even if action has taken place. If action has been
taken, you are entitled on the draw to receive the number
of cards necessary to complete a five-card hand.
12. You may change the number of cards you wish to draw,
provided:
(a) No card has been dealt off the deck in response
to your request (including the burncard).
(b) No player has acted, in either the betting or indicating
the number of cards to be drawn, based on the number of
cards you have requested.
13. If you are asked how many cards you drew by another
active player, you are obligated to respond until there
has been action after the draw, and the dealer is also
obligated to respond. Once there is any action after the
draw, you are no longer obliged to respond and the dealer
cannot respond.
14. Rapping the table in turn constitutes either a pass
or the declaration of a pat hand that does not want to
draw any cards, depending on the situation.
15. Cards speak (cards read for themselves). However,
you are not allowed to claim a better hand than you hold.
(Example: If a player calls an "8", that player
must produce at least an "8" low or better to
win. But if a player erroneously calls the second card
incorrectly, such as “8-6” when actually holding
an 8-7, no penalty applies.) If you miscall your hand
and cause another player to foul his or her hand, your
hand is dead. If both hands remain intact, the best hand
wins. If a miscalled hand occurs in a multihanded pot,
the miscalled hand is dead, and the best remaining hand
wins the pot. For your own protection, always hold your
hand until you see your opponent’s cards.
16. Any player spreading a hand with a pair in it must
announce "pair" or risk losing the pot if it
causes any other player to foul a hand. If two or more
hands remain intact, the best hand wins the pot.
ACE-TO-FIVE LOWBALL
In ace-to-five lowball, the best hand is any 5-4-3-2-A.
Straights and flushes do not count against your hand.
1. If a joker is used, it becomes the lowest card not
present in your hand. The joker is assumed to be in use
unless the contrary is posted.
2. In limit play, check-raise is not permitted (unless
the players are alerted that it is allowed).
3. In limit ace-to-five lowball, before the draw, an
exposed card of seven or under must be taken, and an exposed
card higher than a seven must be replaced after the deal
has been completed. This first exposed card is used as
the burncard. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,”
discussion #8, for more information on this rule.]
4. In limit play, the “sevens rule” is assumed
to be in use (the players should be alerted if it is not).
If you check a seven or better and it is the best hand,
all action after the draw is void, and you cannot win
any money on any subsequent bets. You are still eligible
to win whatever existed in the pot before the draw if
you have the best hand. If you check a seven or better
and the hand is beaten, you lose the pot and any additional
calls you make. If there is an all-in bet after the draw
that is less than half a bet , a seven or better may just
call and win that bet . However, if another player overcalls
this short bet and loses, the person who overcalls receives
the bet back. If the seven or better completes to a full
bet , this fulfills all obligations.
DEUCE-TO-SEVEN LOWBALL
In deuce-to-seven lowball (sometimes known as Kansas
City lowball), in most respects, the worst conventional
poker hand wins. Straights and flushes count against you,
crippling the value of a hand. The ace is used only as
a high card. Therefore, the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2, not
all of the same suit. The hand 5-4-3-2-A is not considered
to be a straight, but an ace-5 high, so it beats other
ace-high hands and pairs, but loses to king-high. A pair
of aces is the highest pair, so it loses to any other
pair.
The rules for deuce-to-seven lowball are the same as
those for ace-to-five lowball, except for the following
differences:
1. The best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 of at least two different
suits. Straights and flushes count against you, and aces
are considered high only.
2. Before the draw, an exposed card of 7, 5, 4, 3, or,
2 must be taken. Any other exposed card must be replaced
(including a 6).
3. check-raise is allowed on any hand after the draw,
and a seven or better is not required to bet .
NO-LIMIT AND POT-LIMIT LOWBALL
1. All the rules for no-limit and pot-limit poker (see
Section 14 - No-limit and Pot-limit) apply to no-limit
and pot-limit lowball. All other lowball rules apply,
except as noted.
2. A player is not entitled to know that an opponent
does not hold the best possible hand, so these rules for
exposed cards before the draw apply:
(a) In ace-to-five lowball, a player must take an exposed
card of A, 2, 3, 4, or 5, and any other card must be replaced.
(b) In deuce-to-seven lowball, the player must take
an exposed card of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7, and any other card
including a 6 must be replaced.
3. After the draw, any exposed card must be replaced.
4. After the draw, a player may check any hand without
penalty (The sevens rule is not used).
5. check-raise is allowed.
