How To Play | Lowball Strategy

A winning strategy for any variation of card game shares certain crucial elements. Poker is a game of odds, luck, and player interaction - and understanding those concepts is the key to a good game. Playing successfully does not always involve winning; you also need to know when to fold. No one wins every hand. Successful players just win more often than they lose, and they know how to limit losses. The same is true whether you're playing Texas Hold'em, Five Card Stud, Lowball Poker, or even Go Fish.

Position Strategy

In any game of poker, including lowball, table position is important. The strongest position is on the button, because the button bets last. The last player to bet has the most possible information with which to make a decision. The players who must bet first are in much weaker positions because they must bet with very little information. These players are known as the "big blind" and the "small blind," fitting names for blind betting positions.

Small Wins

It may seem like playing against a lot of players has potential for a much bigger pot and consequently a much bigger win, but it's far more risky than playing against just a few. It is a better strategy to force out as many players as possible and win small pots consistently than to try to win big pots. Winning consistently is better than winning big.

Reading the Table

Lowball poker scoring rules may be different, but some things never change. Observation and psychology are vital to any winning strategy. Keep it close to the chest at first with conservative play. Read the other players. Watch for signs of emotional or aggressive play and chatter. While playing online, watch for the players who taunt or brag. They will be too distracted by their own inflated egos to play well. Use their aggressive style to push them into foolish bets - and then take their chips. If you vary your play with a mixture of tight and aggressive, other players won't be able to get a read on you.

Identifying a Winning Hand

A surprising number of people enter poker games without knowing what a winning hand looks like. Education is crucial to confident play. Lowball hand are scored significantly differently than traditional poker games, so make sure that you know what hands are most likely to win and what the odds are so you can bet accordingly. Learning the odds is also a handy skill. The more working knowledge you have of lowball poker play, the better your odds of walking away a winner.