Lowball Draw Poker - Strategy

The following is a playing strategy designed to improve your gaming technique.

1. Don’t fall in love with the Joker.

The best card to have in Lowball draw is obviously the joker, and it definitely makes you hand stronger. Nut holding the joker doesn’t make your hand automatically playable. There is many other factors to consider before entering the pot.

2. In an early position, you need at least a 7-5 to draw if you don’t hold the Joker.

If you are in an early betting position, many players still remain to act behind you, plus you must act before they do after the draw. Therefore to play in this pot, you need a fairly good hand. This restricts you to a one-card draw to at least a seven five.

3. If you have the Joker, you can draw to any seven up front.

Holding the joker makes a significant difference. You can now catch more cards that will make your hand, and you hold fewer cards that can pair. In addition, he fact that you hold the Joker means that nobody else possibly can.

4. Don’t play a pat 9 up front.

If you hold a 9,8,6,5,4, in an early position, throw it away. If you are dealt 9,5,4,3,2, up front, usually play it as a one-card draw to the wheel. The only exception is when you are against the blind, who acts before you do and he draws two cards. In this case, you can stand pat.

5. You can draw to weak hands in the late positions, providing that you are the first player to enter the pot.

There are two reasons for this. First you are not as likely to run into a good hand. Second, if you do get action, it will likely come from the blind, and you will have position over him after the draw. You can even play a two-card draw if you are very late in from a weak position.

6. When first in from almost any position, almost always raise.

There are two reasons for raising. First, you may pick up the blinds if no-one else is raising. Second, in Lowball, unless you start with a very strong hand, your edge over an opponent – even if he draws several cards – is not that great. Thus, you don’t want to give anyone in the blind a free shot at you.

7. If someone else has already entered the pot, your minimum playing hand should be the minimum hand you would play if you were first in from that position.

For example, if someone raises up-front, you can call with:

King of hearts, 7 of hearts, 5 of diamonds, 4 of diamonds and 2 of clubs,

but you should abandon:

King of Hearts, 8 of hearts, 5 of diamonds, 4 of diamonds and 2 of clubs.

8. Usually re-raise with a draw to six or better or with any pat hand that you are going to play.

Any draw to a six or better is a strong hand, and you should play it as such. However, the reason you re-raise with some of your pat weaker hands is to drive out the competition, as these hands play best against only one opponent.

9. After the draw, be willing to bet your bigger pairs.

When you make a hand like a pair of eights, the only way you can win is to bluff. So usually bet them, especially if you are the first to act.

10.When you are first to-act in a heads up pot after the draw, usually bet if your hand is a nine or better.

Exceptions to this are if your opponent did not draw any cards or if the action before the draw indicated that he was drawing to a very strong hand. You will lose a lot of these bets, but against typical players, they will show a profit in the long run.

11.When you are last to act in a heads-up pot after the draw and it is checked to you, usually bet if your hand is a ten eight or better.

Again, an exception is if your opponent is playing a pat hand. Otherwise, these bets should show a profit over the long term.