Lowball hand rankings fall into four main categories A-5, A-6, 2-7 and 2-6. This article will cover each category and show you what beats what when playing different lowball poker games. The one thing that all of the lowball poker hand rankings have in common is that they are all based around players making the lowest possible hand as opposed to the highest possible hand.
The most popular lowball games are Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw and 2-7 Single Draw all of which can be played at PokerStars.com alongside Badugi and Stud Hi/Lo.
In California Lowball, the best possible hand is 5-4-3-2-A. In Kansas Lowball, the best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2, not of the same suit. The behemoth of all poker hands. The number one in a list of poker hands. As unbeatable as Vladimir Putin in a presidential election. The hand consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit. Its rarity means you could play millions of hands of poker and never be able to make a Royal Flush.
Ace to five hand ranking
When playing any game that uses ace to five hand rankings the best possible holding is A-2-3-4-5 which is commonly known as the wheel. Aces are always considered to be low cards when playing ace to five lowball games and straights and flushes are completely ignored when evaluating hand strength. Razz poker is the most popular lowball poker game which uses ace to five hand rankings and is basically Seven Card Stud but with lowball hand rankings replacing the usual hand rankings.
When playing Ace to Five lowball games it’s important to note that Aces are low cards and low cards only. This means that A-A-x-x-x would always beat 2-2-x-x-x.
Ace to six hand rankings
The best possible hand when playing any poker game which uses the ace to six hand rankings system is A-2-3-4-6. This is because straights and flushes count as high hands instead of being ignored. Aces are always considered low cards. Ace to six is often known as 6-4 low because the best hand you can make is 6-4-3-2-A. London Lowball is one of the only poker games which uses the ace to six lowball hand rankings.
Remember when you play Ace to Six poker that A-K-Q-K-T is in fact not a straight. Aces are low cards only and therefore A-K-Q-K-T would beat a hand like 3-10-J-Q-K. Like in Ace to Five poker A-A-x-x-x would always beat 2-2-x-x-.
2-7 hand rankings
Lowball Poker Hand Rankings
When using 2-7 hand rankings the absolute best possible hand is 2-3-4-5-7. Aces are always high cards when using deuce to seven rankings and straights and flushes will always count as high hands. 2-7 is often known as 7-5 due to the best possible hand starting 7-5. The deuce to seven hand rankings are thought to be the exact opposite of the regular high hand rankings used by most poker games. 2-7 Single Draw and 2-7 Triple Draw are the most popular deuce to seven games around.
2-6 lowball hand rankings
2-6 lowball hand rankings state that the best hand a player can make is 2-3-4-5-6. This is because aces are always high cards but straight and flushes never count against you. Deuce to six lowball hand rankings are pretty uncommon and there aren’t any games online you can play which use this ranking system.
If you fancy playing any of the top lowball poker games then PokerStars.com is the place to do so. Currently they spread the following lowball games:
– Razz
– Badugi
– 2-7 Triple Draw
– 2-7 Single Draw
– Stud Hi/Lo
– Omaha Hi/Lo
Visit PokerStars the best place to play lowball poker online.
Most Commonly Asked Poker Questions
Not sure what beats a full house or what a straight can beat? Here are the answers to the most commonly-asked poker questions this side of the Strip.
Does a flush beat a full house?
No. A full house beats a flush in the standard poker hand rankings. The odds against making a full house in a game of Texas Hold’em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a flush are 32-to-1. The full house is a more rare hand and beats a flush.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. Using the standard poker hand rankings, a flush beats a straight, regardless of the strength of the straight. The odds against making a straight in Texas Hold’em are about 21-to-1, making it a more common hand than a flush (32-to-1 odds against).
Does a straight beat a full house?
No. The odds against making a full house in Texas Hold’em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are about 21-to-1. Both are strong five-card hands, but a full house occurs less often than a straight. A full house beats a straight in the poker hand rankings.
Does three of a kind beat two pair?
Yes. Both three of a kind and two pair can make a lot of money in poker, but three of a kind is the best hand when it goes head to head with two pair. The odds against making three of a kind in Texas Hold’em is about 20-to-1, while the odds against making two pair is about 3-to-1.
Does three of a kind beat a straight?
No. The odds of making both of these hands are very close in a game of Texas Hold’em. The odds against making a straight are 20.6-to-1, while the odds against making three of a kind are 19.7-to-1. The straight comes about slightly less often, making it the winner against three of a kind in the poker hand rankings.
Lowball Poker Game
Does a flush beat three of a kind?
Yes. The battle of strong hands between a flush and three of a kind sees the flush as the stronger hand. The odds against making a flush in Texas Hold’em are about 32-to-1, with odds against making three of a kind at around 20-to-1.
Does a straight beat two pair?
Yes. The poker hand rankings dictate that a straight is a stronger hand than two pair. The straight occurs with about 21-to-1 odds against in Texas Hold’em, while the odds against making two pair stand at about 3-to-1.
Does four of a kind beat a full house?
Lowball Poker Hand Rankings Us News And World Report
Yes. Both four of a kind and a full house are among the strongest poker hands, but four of a kind is a much rarer holding. Texas Hold’em odds against making four of a kind are 594-to-1, while you have about 36-to-1 odds against making a full house.
Lowball Poker Hand Rankings Against
Does three of a kind beat a flush?
No. When the flush and three of a kind go head to head, the flush comes out as the best according to the poker hand rankings. The odds against making three of a kind sit around 20-to-1, with the odds against hitting a flush at 32-to-1.
Does a full house beat a straight in poker?
Yes. The full house comes in less often than a straight. In Texas Hold’em, the odds against drawing a full house are around 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are around 21-to-1.
Does a straight flush beat four of a kind?
Yes. Four of a kind is an exceedingly rare hand in poker, but the straight flush is an even more elusive five-card hand. The odds against making a straight flush in Texas Hold’em is about 3,590-to-1, much rarer than four of a kind (594-to-1 odds against)