NorCal Lowball: Pat Nine w/ Joker

[AlanBostick]

Playing Northern California $20-limit lowball (ace to five with a joker; single draw; blinds of $5 (on the button), 5, and $10; $20 betting limit before and after the flop; you can't check a 7 after the draw.)

Loose player opens. I've got a perfect nine: 9-4-3-Joker-A. I raise. Action is folded to the big blind who reraises. Both opener and I call.

Big blind raps pat, opener takes one card.

Do I break my nine and draw, or stand pat?

[timprov]

I think this is a pretty easy break.

[henrikrh]

Never heard of NorCal poker, but I'd break, the joker means that you have a few more cards, a deuce doesn't pair you, so you have 8s-5s and 2s to improve, a decent draw, and you are most likely behind unless you have a read that says otherwise.

[Tom Bayes]

I haven't played very much A-5 lowball in my life, but I just don't think the nine is good here. I'm breaking if it's me.

I believe the name "NorCal" Lowball is just referring to the blind structure being used to differentiate this straight-limit (betting $20 both before & after the draw) from the "double limit" game (where you might bet $10 before and $20 after the draw) that was more commonly played in southern California. I'm not from California, so Alan can correct me if I'm mistaken.

[henrikrh]

I figured the north was just cause they had a joker.