Lowball is often played with an ante, and that bet should be placed into the pot before the cards are dealt. When no ante is required, a blind bettor is used. Sometimes both a blind bettor and an ante are part of the structure.
After the shuffle and cut, cards are dealt clockwise, one at a time, until all players have received five face down cards. The first player to receive the cards, the one at the immediate left of the button or dealer, is also the first player to act. For purposes of illustration, let's assume a $5-$ 10 lowball game using a blind. This first player, being the blind, is required to make a $5 blind bet. He promptly does so, flipping a $5 chip into the pot. All bets before the draw in draw poker, high or low, are in the lower tier of the betting limit. In this example, all bets and raises are in $5 increments.
The next player to act sits at the blind's left, since play in all poker variations proceeds in a clockwise direction. He has three choices. He can call the $5 blind bet and remain an active player, raise that bet $5 more and place $10 into the pot, or fold his cards. Play proceeds around the table until all players have made their decisions—either to call the blind and any raises made, or to fold and wait for the next cycle of poker life to begin.
The draw occurs in the same order as the betting and dealing of the cards. The blind, if he is still in the pot, goes first. He can exchange up to five cards for new ones. Each active player, in turn, can exchange as many of his original cards as he likes, but he should do so only after the preceding player has received his cards. Discards should be announced so that all players are aware of the number of cards each person has drawn. Players who elect to stand pat (not draw any cards) can indicate this verbally or by knocking on the table with their fists.
After the draw is completed, the second and last betting round occurs. It is begun by the blind, or, if he has folded, by the first active player closest to the dealer's left. All bets and raises in this round are in the upper tier of the $5-$ 10 limit, in $10 increments. If the game were a $3-$6 game, all bets after the draw would be in $6 increments.
After the betting round is completed, there is the showdown, where the lowest hand collects the pot and all the money in it. If, at any point in the game, all opponents drop out of play, the remaining player would be the automatic winner, and he claims the pot. The deal now moves to the left. In the case of a casino game, the former blind is now the button, and can enjoy all the advantages of playing the dealer's position.
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