London Lowball Poker

London lowball is a poker game that originated in Europe but is slowly making its way around the globe and becoming popular in more poker rooms, both online and brick and mortar establishments. For those poker players who are familiar with Razz poker, London lowball follows nearly the same concepts as Razz (other than flushes and straights counting against London lowball players for the low and London lowball being a pot limit game). London lowball can be quite profitable for those players who know the rules and strategize accordingly. The objective of London lowball is to make the best (lowest) five card hand possible, using five of seven cards. For readers who understand how London Lowball is played we have a detailed London Lowball poker strategy article. If I'm not playing Rush Poker, Horse Poker or Seven Stud than this is the game I'm playing.

Aces are always considered low cards in London lowball. Unlike London lowball’s cousin, Razz, flushes and straights do count against the hand that players are holding. The best hand in London lowball is ace – two – three – four – six. In the example of this best hand in London lowball, the six determines the high value of the hand.

London lowball is a forced bet ante game. Each player must make a forced bet prior to the beginning of the London lowball hand. This ante bet does not count toward the number of bets and raises allowed in London lowball.

After the ante in London lowball, each player is dealt two cards facing down, and one card facing up. The card that is dealt facing up becomes known as each player’s porch card. Based on these cards that are on each player’s porch, the player with the highest showing porch card is referred to as the “bring in” player and must bet one-half of the low limit bet (i.e., in a game of $2/$4, the player would bet one half of the low limit $2, with a bet of $1). The bring in player may also elect to raise at this time by betting the full amount of the low limit bet (in our example, the full $2 as opposed to the $1 bet). Around the table in a clockwise fashion, play proceeds, with each player having the option to raise, call, or fold their hand. All bets at this point in the game must be equal to the low limit (again, in our example, $2). Play up to this point is said to be third street.

Moving on to fourth street action, each player is dealt another card that is facing up. The player who has the lowest showing hand at this point will be the first to act, which he or she does by betting, checking, or folding. To determine the first player to act, if two players are tied for the lowest hand, the player closest to the left hand of the dealer will be chosen to act first. Again, play will resume clockwise around the poker table. Bets on fourth street are equal to the low limit bet (in our example, $2).

London lowball players are now dealt a fifth card, facing up. This is called fifth street, and everything proceeds as on fourth street as far other than raises and bets are now at the upper high limit of the bet size (in our example, $4). This holds true for the sixth card that is dealt (sixth street).

The final card, which is known as the river card, or seventh street, is dealt “down and dirty” or facing down. Again, bets and raises are equal to the high limit. If the dealer has run out of cards to give everyone a final card, a community card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This community card can be used by all players to make their final hand, which will consist of the best (lowest) five cards that they have been dealt.

The showdown follows seventh street, and remaining London lowball players muck or show their hands. The winner is the player with the lowest five cards.