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California Lowball Rules
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How To Play California Lowball Poker
One of the most exciting (but less frequently played) poker games if the game of California lowball poker, also called “ace to five low”, which became popular during the 1970s and has stuck around in some form or fashion ever since. California lowball is a draw poker game that is played using a standard fifty-two card deck of poker cards and one joker. Ace to five hand values are what count as a “good” hand in California lowball, and there are both a big blind and a small blind in place instead of the practicing of placing an ante. One difference in California lowball and many other draw poker games is that players cannot check a seven unless they intend to fold after a bet is made by another player at the table. California Lowball Rules Covering Plays
When playing California lowball, each players is dealt a five cards in a facing down position and are then allowed to either bet or fold their cards. Following the bet, players may choose to keep all or part of the cards in their hands or to replace all or some cards to make a better hand. Players who choose to keep all of their cards are doing what is known in poker as “standing pat”. After players have determined what action to take during the drawing round and received the number of cards that they choose to replace, another round of betting ensues. This is the final betting round that leads to the showdown between players. In California lowball, four raises and a bet are allowed. The winner of a California lowball game is determined by the player who has the lowest traditional poker hand from among all players in the game. We will discuss California lowball hand rankings below.
California Lowball Rules Covering Misdeals
In regards to misdeals in the game of California lowball, those who are familiar with Texas holdem will see a big correlation between California lowball rules covering such occurrences. California lowball is a button/dealer chip game that passes to the left with each new lowball hand that is dealt, and common misdeals have to do with dealing from the wrong position. Other frequent misdeals in California lowball occur when players receive face up cards that should have been dealt face down, or when a player is skipped in the deal all together, although the player is an active player in the game.
Hand Ranking – California Lowball Rules
The ace to five low method of hand ranking is used in California lowball. Pairs and trips (three of a kind) count against the low hand in California lowball, but when pairs and trips show up in a hand they are counted as follows: a hand with one pair would beat a hand with two pair or two pair would beat trips. Straights and flushes count against the low hand and the lowest hand will win. California lowball’s best poker hand is ace-two-three-four-five. The best hand in California lowball is called a “wheel”. In determining the winner between a hand that hold ace-two-three-five-eight and ace-two-three-five-nine, for example, the California lowball hand ranking system would favor the ace-two-three-five-eight hand because eight is lower than nine.
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Poker Guides
2012 U.S. Poker Rooms