Ace-to-Five Lowball Poker | Rules & Hand Rankings

Ace-to-Five Lowball (also called “California Lowball” or simply A-5 Low) is a low-hand ranking system where the best possible card hand you can have is A-2-3-4-5, also known as “the wheel.” In this system, straights and flushes will not count against you, and pairs will always be bad.

Ace-to-Five Poker Explained: How the A-5 Low System Works

It’s always important in poker to gain an understanding of the basics before you venture into strategies and variations. So, before we dive into that, we should first start with the concept of how this unique lowball system actually works. 
Ace-to-Five is one of the most common methods for ranking “low” hands in split-pot or lowball poker variants. Unlike traditional Texas Hold’em and other poker games, where aces are the strongest high card, here aces always count as the lowest card.

Key points about A-5 Low:

• The ace always plays low.
• Straights and flushes (even a royal flush) don’t affect the card hand’s value.
• Pairs are always a losing feature in a low hand.
• The closer your five cards are to A-2-3-4-5, the stronger your hand.

Now that we’ve covered these foundations for Ace-to-Five lowball poker, let’s take a look at how hands are actually ranked under Ace-to-Five rules.

Ace-to-Five Lowball Hand Rankings: From the Wheel to Weak Lows

Hand rankings are the heart of any poker format, and Ace-to-Five is no exception. You need to know exactly where you stand at all times, and as you progress as a player, you will begin to understand the probabilities of pot success based on the hand you have.
Here’s how hands rank under A-5 Low rules, from strongest to weakest:

1. A-2-3-4-5 (“The Wheel Poker Hand”) – The absolute best hand.
2. 6-4-3-2-A – The next best possible low hand you can have.
3. 7-5-4-3-2 – Strong, but weaker than the above card hands.
4. 8-7-6-5-4 – Considered a “mediocre” low.
5. Anything with a pair or higher card is weaker than unpaired lows.
    

Example:

• Hand 1: A♠ 3♣ 4♦ 5♥ 7♣ → 7-5 low (no pairs, straights/flushes ignored).
• Hand 2: A♦ 2♠ 3♥ 4♣ 8♣ → 8-4 low (weaker than Hand 1).

Result: Hand 1 wins.

So you’ve learnt the hand rankings, what’s next? Well, let’s understand how Ace-to-Five compares with other popular lowball systems so we can give this system some context. 

Ace-to-Five vs. Ace-to-Six vs. Deuce-to-Seven: Key Differences Explained

Not all lowball systems are created equal, and knowing the difference can save you from costly mistakes. Let’s take a look at these other lowball systems and familiarize ourselves with the different rule sets.
To distinguish Ace-to-Five from other lowball systems, such as Ace-to-Six (6-4-3-2-A is best) or Deuce-to-Seven (7-5-4-3-2 is best, straights and flushes count against you), we need to know the following:

The difference between the lowball systems is subtle; just remember these key differences, and you will be ready to play Ace-to-Five, but where can you play it? What actual poker games use Ace-to-Five as their standard system?

Poker Variants That Use Ace-to-Five: Razz, Omaha Hi-Lo & More

Ace-to-Five is the standard low-hand ranking in several poker game formats, especially Hi-Lo split games:

• Omaha Hi-Lo (O8): Half of the pot goes to the best high hand, and the other half goes to the best Ace-to-Five low hand.
• Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (Stud 8): A Similar split-pot game where the Ace-to-Five rankings determine the low side.
• Razz: Uses Ace-to-Five rankings exclusively, but without a high hand.
• Triple Draw Lowball (A-5): The Entire game is based around Ace-to-Five low hands, with multiple draw rounds.

Having the rules down is only half the battle; strategy is where you can really separate yourself from the competition! Let’s take a look at some of the most important tips.

Ace-to-Five Poker Strategy: How to Play with A-5 Low

1. Chase the Wheel
The nuts in Ace-to-Five is always the wheel (A-2-3-4-5). Starting hands with multiple wheel cards (A-2-3, A-2-4) are always extremely valuable.

2. Avoid Pairs
Even a single pair makes your hand much weaker. For example, 2-2-3-4-5 counts as a pair of twos and not as a 5-low.

3. High Cards Hurt
Holding cards such as Q-J-10 adds no value to you. They only reduce your chances of making a strong low.

4. Suits Don’t Matter
Flushes don’t count against you, so don’t worry about suited cards unless the game is split-pot (which is where flushes can win the high side).

5. Position Is Key
In split-pot games such as Omaha Hi-Lo, players with strong lows can scoop both halves of the pot when their Ace-to-Five hand also makes a strong high.

With these tips in mind, let’s walk through an actual example hand to see Ace-to-Five in practice. Theory is one thing, but nothing beats the experience of seeing how a hand plays out on the felt.

Ace-to-Five in Action: Example Hand Breakdown

Let’s walk through a hand:
 

Game: Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

• Your hand: A♠ 2♦ 7♣ 9♠
• Board: 3♣ 5♥ K♦ 8♣ Q♠

Low hand: A-2-3-5-8 → 8-5 low (qualifies as a low hand, but not very strong).

Opponent’s hand: A♥ 4♠ J♦ 10♣

• Low hand: A-3-4-5-Q → 5-4 low (much stronger).

Result: Opponent wins the low half of the pot with a better Ace-to-Five hand.

FAQs

What is the best Ace-to-Five low hand you can have?
The nuts (best hand) is always A-2-3-4-5, which is known as “the wheel.”

Can straights and flushes hurt ace-to-five hands?
No. Under Ace-to-Five rules all straights and flushes (even royal flush) are ignored when ranking lows.

What happens if no player makes a low?
In split-pot games such as Omaha Hi-Lo, the entire pot goes to the best high hand.

Is Ace-to-Five the same as Ace-to-Six?
No. Ace-to-Six is a different lowball system where 6-4-3-2-A is the best hand.