Three draws · ace-to-five lowball
A-5 Triple Draw rules and beginner guide.
Ace-to-five Triple Draw is a five-card lowball game in which aces are low and straights and flushes are ignored. That single ranking change makes many combinations that are dangerous in 2-7 excellent here.
How to play
The objective, deal, and showdown
Winning objective
A-2-3-4-5, known as the wheel, is the best hand. Pairs are the main structural problem because every rank should be different.
Deal and drawing
Players receive five private cards and may exchange cards three times. Betting occurs before the first draw and after each draw, with the lowest five-card hand winning at showdown.
Key comparison
Compare hands from the highest card downward. A 6-4-3-2-A beats 6-5-3-2-A because its second-highest card is a four rather than a five.
Strategy foundation
What to notice before the first draw
Aces are premium
An ace is the lowest possible card and belongs in every wheel. This is the opposite of deuce-to-seven, where an ace is an undesirable high card.
Straights and suits disappear
A-2-3-4-5 remains the nuts even though it forms a traditional straight. A flush also receives no penalty, so only ranks determine the low.
Avoid duplicated ranks
Pairs reduce the number of distinct low ranks in your final hand. Starting combinations with several different wheel cards offer the cleanest path to a strong low.
Common mistakes
Avoid these beginner leaks
- Throwing away an ace out of habit from deuce-to-seven games.
- Worrying about completing a straight or flush when neither counts.
- Keeping paired low cards instead of seeking five distinct ranks.
- Using deuce-to-seven starting ranges without adjusting the ranking system.
FAQ
Quick answers
Do straights and flushes count?
No. They are ignored completely in ace-to-five lowball.
Is A-2-3-4-6 a six-low?
Yes. It is a strong six-low, but it loses to the five-high wheel A-2-3-4-5.