High-low, high-low split
The high-low split is a variation from the traditional form of poker. While traditionally, it is only the player with the highest hand who wins the game, in high-low split, the pot is actually split between the player who has the highest, or best, hand and the player who has the lowest, or worst, hand. The game is played either by declaration or cards speak.
In declaration, each player has to declare using markers, or simply verbally, whether s/he wishes to contest for the highest hand in the round or for the lowest. All declarations need to be simultaneous and using chips is a popular way of deciding the high or low contestants. At the beginning of the game, after seeing the cards that have been dealt out, all players are required to take two chips in their hand, and take their hands under the table.
They are then required to bring their hands above the table, holding either one, two or no chips in their closed palms. All palms are opened simultaneously and every who has one chip wishes to contest for the high hand; those with two chips wish to contest for both the high and low hands while the ones without any chips in their hands, will contest for the low hand.
The other format, of cards speak, is a form of high-low split that is played without any prior declaration. At the end of the game, when the cards are spread out for the showdown, the one with the highest hand splits the pot with the one having the lowest hand.
When playing a particular variation on high-low split, known as ace-to-five low, it is possible for a player to have the lowest hand with A-2-3-4-5, which is a sequence and can also be the highest hand. In such a case, the player can end up winning both the high and low hands and thus, win the entire pot.
In cards speak, to qualify for a particular high or low hand, it isn’t uncommon to have a particular card rank as the cutoff. For e.g. if 8 is made as the cutoff rank, then only those hands with 8 or a lesser rank as the highest card, can qualify for the low hand. A player with a 10-high cannot win even if the player has, overall, the lowest cards.
In case of games such as seven card stud, a player needs to choose 5 out of the 7 cards to play in the high hand and similarly, 5 out of the seven will play in the low hand contest as well. In such a case, it is quite obvious that three of the five cards will overlap each other on the high or low hands. For e.g. if a player has a hand, say 7-6-6-5-3-3-2, then the high hand can be played with 7-6-6-3-3, i.e. two pairs and a 7, while the low hand can be played with 7-6-5-3-2, a hand with a 7-high.
The high-low split variation is quite a popular feature in many card rooms and casinos.
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