How do low hands work in poker?
In the Ace-to-Five low system used in Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better, compare the highest card first. The lower highest card wins. If those cards tie, compare the next-highest card and continue downward.
Lowball systems are not universal. Straights, flushes, pairs and aces are treated differently in different systems. The examples here teach Ace-to-Five low for Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better: aces are low; straights and flushes do not hurt; a qualifying low needs five different ranks.
How do you compare two low hands?
First, reorder each hand from its highest rank down to its lowest. Then compare the first position. Stop as soon as one rank is lower.
7-low beats 8-low. Hand B wins at the first comparison: its highest card is 7, while Hand A’s is 8.
Why does the Ace not make Hand A better?
The Ace is the lowest individual rank in this system, but low hands are judged from the top down. Hand A’s Ace is not compared until every higher rank ties. Its 8 loses immediately to Hand B’s 7.
How are low hands named?
A low is normally named for its highest card. A-2-3-4-5 is a 5-low, often called the wheel. A-2-3-4-7 is a 7-low. When more precision is useful, players name the next rank too: 7-5-4-2-A is a “seven-five low.”
What is the best low hand?
In Ace-to-Five low, the best five-card low is A-2-3-4-5. It is five-high even though those ranks also form a straight, because straights do not count against a low in this system. That statement does not apply to every lowball form.
Does an Ace count low?
Yes, in Ace-to-Five low an Ace is below 2. It can also participate in a player’s high hand where normal high rules allow it. Other lowball systems may treat the Ace differently.
How do low-hand ties work?
Compare every rank in descending order. 7-5-4-3-A beats 7-6-4-2-A: both are seven-high, but 5 is lower than 6 at the second position. If all five ranks match, the lows tie. Suits do not break that tie; the players divide the low share under the game’s pot-splitting rules.
Are low hands the same as 8-or-Better?
No. Ace-to-Five is the ranking system. 8-or-Better is a qualification condition layered on top. A 9-low can be a valid Ace-to-Five low in a lowball game yet fail to qualify for the low half in Omaha 8.