Ace to Five Triple Draw Rules

Game Overview

Ace to Five Triple Draw (often abbreviated as A-5 Triple Draw) is a form of lowball poker where the best hand is the lowest hand according to the Ace-to-Five (California) lowball ranking. In this system, Ace is considered low, and straights and flushes do not disqualify a hand (they are not counted as special; a straight or flush is simply compared by its lowest card as usual). The game is typically played as a fixed-limit betting game, though pot-limit and no-limit variations exist.

Hand Rankings

The ranking of hands from best (lowest) to worst (highest):

• 5-4-3-2-A (a "wheel" or "bicycle") – the nuts
• 6-4-3-2-A
• 6-5-3-2-A
• 6-5-4-2-A
• 6-5-4-3-A
• 7-4-3-2-A, etc. The rank of each card matters only when comparing identical low patterns. Pairs, two pair, three of a kind, etc. are all high hands and unlikely to win pots, as the goal is to achieve unpaired low cards.

Game Play

1. Deal: Each player is dealt five cards face down.
2. First Betting Round: Starting with the player to the left of the dealer (or as per blind structure), a betting round occurs. Typically, there is a small blind and a big blind.
3. First Draw: After the first betting round, players may discard any number of cards (0 to 5) and receive the same number of new cards from the deck.
4. Second Betting Round: Another round of betting.
5. Second Draw: A second draw round (players may discard and draw again).
6. Third Betting Round: Third round of betting.
7. Third Draw: A third and final draw round.
8. Final Betting Round: A final betting round, then showdown if needed.

Showdown

The player with the lowest five-card hand, using Ace-to-Five lowball rules, wins the pot. If multiple players have the same low hand, the pot is split.

Common Rules

• Straddle: A straddle is sometimes allowed, especially in live games.
• Misdeal: If a player is dealt an incorrect number of cards, it is a misdeal.
• Deck Changes: The deck is changed after a set number of hands or as per house rules.
• Betting Structure: Usually limit betting (e.g., $2/$4) with a small bet on the first two rounds and a big bet on the final two rounds.

Note on Variants

Ace to Five Triple Draw is less common than 2-7 Triple Draw (where straights and flushes count against the hand). In A-5, the wheel is the best possible hand, whereas in 2-7, the best hand is 2-3-4-5-7 with no straight or flush.

Understanding the rules of A-5 Triple Draw is essential for any player wishing to explore lowball poker variants.