Wheel
The wheel is the straight A-2-3-4-5, the lowest possible straight, where the ace counts as a low card. In lowball and hi-lo games it is also the best possible low hand.
The simple explanation
In ordinary poker the wheel is the weakest straight, but it is still a straight and beats three of a kind. In A-5 lowball games and eight-or-better hi-lo games, the wheel is the best low hand, and it can win both halves of the pot in some games.
A closer look
The ace in the wheel plays low, so A-2-3-4-5 is a five-high straight. In hi-lo games, a player with the wheel has both a straight for high and the nut low, which is why such a hand can scoop the pot. In deuce-to-seven lowball, the wheel is a straight and therefore a bad hand. The same cards of one suit are the steel wheel, a straight flush.
A practical example
You hold A♥ 2♦ and the flop is 3♣ 4♠ 5♥. You have made the wheel.
Full explanation
The wheel is the straight A-2-3-4-5, the lowest possible straight, where the ace counts as a low card. In lowball and hi-lo games it is also the best possible low hand.
The wheel is the straight from ace to five.
It is the lowest straight, with the ace used as low.
In hi-lo and A-5 lowball it is the best low hand.
The wheel in one suit is a steel wheel.
A wheel
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of clubs (Kc) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of clubs (Kc) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of clubs (Kc) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player A completes ace, two, three, four, five. The lowest possible straight, with the ace playing low, is called the wheel.
Board: 33 of clubs (3c)44 of spades (4s)55 of hearts (5h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of clubs (Kc) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.