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Some Forms of Lowball Draw Poker

When someone mentions the term "lowball draw poker" the first thing that may come to mind is the California Lowball. This particular poker game, after all, is the most popular of all lowball games. But there are also other forms of lowball draw poker. Here are the specific characteristics of the California Lowball and other forms of low ball poker.

California Lowball

- This poker game utilizes the Ace-to-five low hand values and there is one joker in the deck of cards

- It is the only poker variant which is played with blinds that prohibit the players to check during the first betting round. But checks are allowed in the second betting round.

- A poker player must not check a 7 unless he has plans to fold when an opponent bets.

- In low-limit California Lowball, a poker player who already checked can no longer raise on the same round. This rule, however, is not applied in pot-limit or no-limit

Five-Card Draw

- The low hand values in this poker variant is Deuce-to-seven and the deck of cards has no joker

- There is no 7-high rule and the poker players may check and raise.

- This poker game is also known as Kansas City Lowball or Low Poker or Billy Baxter, the name of the poker player who held the world championship for several years.

California high/low split

- The deck used for this poker variant has a one joker which is treated as a Bug.

- The pot is split into two, one half goes to the best low hand and the other half goes to the best high hand.

- A poker player whose hand meets the requirements for the best low and the best high can take the whole pot. Such is termed as "scooping".

High/low with declare

- This poker game is similar to the California high/low split, except that the poker players declare which half of the pot they intend to win. Such declaration is done after the second round of betting and before the showdown.

Double-draw and Triple-draw

- This is a variation of any lowball game in which, instead of one draw phase, there will be two or three draw phases, increasing the number of betting rounds

Four-before

- Again, this can be a variation of any of the above lowball games in which the players are dealt with four cards first, followed by a betting round.

- During the draw phase, each player gets one card more than the number of cards to be replaced. That is, if a poker player wants to replace two cards, he will draw three cards.